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Stanislaus County, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Side/rear yard limit
8 ft (§21.24.040(B))
Front/corner-lot limit
3 ft (§21.24.040(B))
Exception
Electrical substation enclosures
District
Rural Residential (R-A)
Corner-lot sight triangle
3 ft within 25-ft triangle (§21.08.060(H))

Summary

In Stanislaus County's Rural Residential (R-A) district, Zoning Code Section 21.24.040(B) caps fences, hedges, and screen plantings at eight feet in any required side or rear yard and at three feet in a required front yard or the street-side yard of a corner lot, with an exception for fences enclosing electrical substations.

City-specific rules exist: Modesto has its own height limits rules that differ from Stanislaus County's county-level regulations. If you live in Modesto, check the city-specific page instead.

No fence, hedge or screen planting shall be constructed or permitted to grow in excess of eight feet in height within any required side or rear yard, nor in excess of three feet within any required front yard or side yard of a corner lot except fences within the side and rear yard which enclose electrical substations which may be constructed to the height required by law or unless the planning director determines that visibility will not be obstructed.

Full Breakdown

040 sets height limits for the R-A district generally: subsection (A) caps buildings at thirty-five feet, and subsection (B) turns to fences, hedges, and screen plantings, limiting them to eight feet inside any required side or rear yard and to three feet inside any required front yard or the street-side yard of a corner lot. The lower three-foot limit exists to preserve sightlines where the code cares most about visibility, front yards and corner-lot street sides, while the eight-foot limit lets a rural residential property fully screen a side or back yard.

The rule carries one built-in exception: fences that enclose electrical substations within the side and rear yard can rise to whatever height the law requires for that use, and the planning director can also allow taller fencing anywhere a determination is made that visibility will not be obstructed. 060(H), which independently caps any obstruction, including fences, at three feet within the sight triangle formed by the street lines and a line connecting points twenty-five feet from the intersection, regardless of zoning district. 20.

Violations & Fines

Building or maintaining a fence, hedge, or screen planting taller than the eight-foot side/rear or three-foot front-yard limit without qualifying for the electrical-substation or visibility exception is a zoning violation subject to Stanislaus County Code Section 1.36.010, the countywide misdemeanor penalty, up to a one-thousand-dollar fine, up to six months in county jail, or both, and the planning department can require the fence trimmed or removed to restore compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can a backyard fence be in Stanislaus County's R-A district?
Up to eight feet inside any required side or rear yard, under Section 21.24.040(B) of the Rural Residential zoning regulations: the same section that limits front-yard and corner-lot street-side fencing to three feet.
Why is the front-yard fence limit lower than the backyard limit?
Section 21.24.040(B) caps front yards and the street-side yard of corner lots at three feet specifically to preserve sightlines, working alongside the countywide corner vision-clearance triangle in Section 21.08.060(H), which also caps obstructions at three feet near intersections.
Are there exceptions to the eight-foot fence limit?
Yes. Section 21.24.040(B) lets fences enclosing electrical substations in the side and rear yard rise to whatever height the law requires for that use, and the planning director can approve additional height elsewhere if visibility will not be obstructed.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Stanislaus County

All Stanislaus County rules

How Stanislaus County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·California rules heatmap·Compare Stanislaus County to another location·View the California fence regulations overview

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