Santa Clara County, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Requirements (2026)

Fence placement requirements for the unincorporated county appear in Zoning Ordinance Section 4.20.050. The central requirement beyond height is sight clearance. In urban residential districts, a corner-lot fence along the exterior side may rise to 8 feet, but within the 40-foot sight clearance triangle defined by Section B17-69 of the County Ordinance Code, which governs vehicular sight clearance at intersecting streets, and within a 20-foot triangle where the rear of a corner lot abuts a key lot, the fence is limited to 3 feet. In rural districts, on corner lots where two or more streets intersect the same Section B17-69 sight clearance rule applies, and no fence or hedge may significantly obstruct the view from vehicles exiting a driveway; within a triangle formed by two 20-foot sides measured from the intersection of the pavement edge and the driveway edge, no fence may exceed 3 feet unless design review approval is obtained. Rural fences are also required to be of a design compatible with the natural setting in open-space districts. Where architecture and site approval applies, the standards may be modified through that process. Separately, swimming pool barrier fencing is governed by state building and pool safety law rather than these provisions. Because requirements vary by district and overlay, confirm specifics with County Planning before building.