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

Modoc County's Zoning Ordinance (Title 18 of the Modoc County Code, originally Ord. 236-73) does not contain a chapter dedicated to fences and sets no across-the-board maximum height for residential boundary fences in the unincorporated county. A fence is treated as a 'structure' under §18.06.1000 ('anything constructed or erected, requiring placement on or in the ground'), so it must stay out of required yards only when it would obstruct a yard the way a building does. The one explicit fence-height figure in the code is §18.30.070(B): outdoor storage of merchandise, materials, dismantled autos or salvage must be enclosed by a sight-obscuring fence 'of not less than six feet in height,' and stored material may not be stacked higher than that fence. Because the county imposes no maximum, the practical ceiling comes from the California Building Code, which Modoc County adopted in §15.01.020 (2019 CBC/CRC editions). Under that code, fences over 7 feet require a building permit; fences 7 feet or under generally do not. Always confirm current standards with the Modoc County Planning Department (530-233-6406), since corner-lot sight-distance and road-setback rules in Title 12 can still apply.