Anaheim Height Limits Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

The City of Anaheim Municipal Code Title 18 (Zoning) establishes fence and wall height regulations that apply to all residential zones throughout the city. In the required front-yard setback area — the space between the front property line and the front building wall — fences, walls, and hedges are limited to a maximum height of 42 inches (3 feet 6 inches) in most single-family residential zones. This limit ensures that front yards remain open and visually connected to the streetscape, consistent with Anaheim's established neighborhood character. Open-style fences such as wrought iron, picket fences, or split-rail designs are preferred in front yards, though solid materials are permitted as long as they comply with the height limit.

Along the side-yard and rear-yard property lines, fences and walls may be up to 6 feet in height as measured from the finished grade on the higher side of the fence. For lots with significant grade changes between adjacent properties, the measurement methodology becomes important: retaining walls that also serve as boundary fences have combined height limits measured from the lower grade, which may limit the total height of the fence portion above the retaining wall. Anaheim's residential neighborhoods include substantial areas of hillside development in the eastern portion of the city near the Anaheim Hills community, where grade differentials between lots are common and fence height calculations require careful attention.

Corner lots in Anaheim are subject to a sight-line triangle restriction at the street intersection, typically requiring that fences, walls, hedges, and other obstructions within the sight triangle not exceed 36 inches in height. This ensures that drivers approaching an intersection from either street have adequate visibility of oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fences are prohibited in all residential zones. In commercial and industrial zones, different height limits apply, and barbed wire may be permitted above a 6-foot fence under certain conditions. Residents who wish to construct a fence taller than the standard limits must apply for a variance through the Anaheim Planning Department, which involves a public hearing and consideration of specific findings related to the property's unique characteristics.