Merced County, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Requirements (2026)

The unincorporated county's fence rules in Title 18, Chapter 18.34, go beyond simple height. No fence, wall, or hedge higher than 2 feet 6 inches above the nearest roadway surface may be installed within the sight-distance triangles at public roadway intersections and private driveways; those triangle dimensions are set by Public Works under County Code Chapter 13.24 (Section 18.34.020.D). On a corner lot, fences, walls, hedges, or visual obstructions in the street-side yard that exceed 2 feet 6 inches above finished grade must be set back at least 16 feet from the face of curb (Section 18.34.020.B). Fences and walls higher than 7 feet require a building permit (Section 18.34.030.E.1). In residential zones, masonry walls and fences that are 7 feet tall may include one foot of that height as lattice or similar light-filtering material (Section 18.34.030.E.3). Walls and fences must be designed to blend with the site's architecture and landscape plan (Section 18.34.040.B). For perimeter walls on major-subdivision cul-de-sacs, a minimum 20-foot-wide emergency-access opening (which may be chained for police/fire) is required. Standards apply by location, height, and type per Tables 3-1 and 3-2. Confirm requirements for your zone with Merced County Planning.