Santa Clara County zoning limits front yard fences to 3 ft solid or 4 ft open, and side/rear yard fences to 6 ft. Corner lots must maintain vision clearance triangles at intersections.
Santa Clara County Zoning Ordinance sets fence height limits based on yard location. Front yards are limited to 3 feet for solid fences and walls or 4 feet for open-design fences such as wrought iron, picket, or chain link that allow visibility. Side and rear yards, measured from the front yard setback line back to the rear property line, permit fences up to 6 feet in height. Fences exceeding 6 feet require a building permit and may require a variance or exception. Height is measured from the lowest adjacent finished grade to the top of the fence, excluding decorative post caps up to 12 inches. Corner lots must maintain a vision clearance triangle (typically 25 feet by 25 feet at street intersections, 10 feet at driveways) within which fences, walls, and landscaping cannot exceed 3 feet. Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fences are prohibited in residential zones.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how Santa Clara County's fence requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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