Compton, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard (residential street)
- 0-3.5 ft, optional, open/combination
- Front yard (highway-facing)
- 0-5 ft, optional, open/combination
- Rear/side (abutting residential)
- 5-6 ft required, solid
- Rear/side (abutting ROW/school/commercial)
- 5-8 ft required, solid
- Manufacturing rear/side yard
- Up to 12 ft allowed
- Citation
- Compton Municipal Code Sec. 30-44.3, Table 30-44.A
Summary
Compton's Table 30-44.A sets exact fence heights by zone and yard rather than one citywide number. Residential front yards facing a residential street top out at 3 1/2 feet, front yards facing a highway can reach 5 feet, and rear or side yards must run 5 to 6 feet solid, rising to 5 to 8 feet where they back onto rights-of-way, schools, or commercial and manufacturing zones.
Table 30-44.A Fencing Standards Standard Status Height Provisions Residential Zones or Uses Front Yards Abutting Residential Streets Optional 0 feet Minimum - 3 1/2 feet Maximum Open or Combination Front Yards Abutting Nonresidential Streets and Major and Secondary Highways Optional 0 feet Minimum - 5 feet Maximum Open or Combination Rear and Side Yards Abutting Residential Zones Required 5 feet Minimum - 6 feet Maximum Solid Rear and Side Yards Abutting Public Rights-of-ways, Schools, Commercial or Manufacturing Zones Required 5 feet Minimum - 8 feet Maximum Solid
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4952997; v15 updated 2026-07-14; through 07-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
A set the maximum and minimum height for every fence based on zone and yard location. In residential zones, front yards facing a residential street may run an optional fence 0 to 3 1/2 feet, open or combination style; front yards facing a nonresidential street or a major or secondary highway may go up to 5 feet. Rear and side yards abutting another residential zone are required to carry a solid fence of 5 to 6 feet, and that requirement jumps to 5 to 8 feet, still solid, where the rear or side yard abuts a public right-of-way, a school, or a commercial or manufacturing zone.
Commercial front yards may run up to 6 feet, commercial rear and side yards abutting residential zones require a solid 6 to 8 feet, and unrestricted commercial rear and side yards may reach 8 feet in any style. Manufacturing zones allow up to 12 feet on unrestricted rear and side yards, and outside storage areas must be screened by a required solid fence 6 to 12 feet high. Height is measured from finished grade to the top of the fence, excluding artificial berming, and where a rear or side yard fence sits on a grade break, height may be measured from the higher grade as long as the fence doesn't exceed the zone's maximum by more than two feet. Fences and gates along major or secondary highways need Architectural Review Board approval; single-family rear yard fences are exempt from that review.
Violations & Fines
Building a fence taller than Table 30-44.A allows for its zone and yard, or shorter than a required minimum on a rear or side yard that must be solid, is a Chapter 30 zoning violation under Section 30-40: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to a year in jail, or both, with each day the oversized or noncompliant fence stands charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my front yard fence be in Compton?
How high can a backyard fence be?
Do I need a permit for a highway-facing fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Compton
How Compton compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·California rules heatmap·Compare Compton to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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