Glendale, AZ Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDC § 35.4.206
- Side/rear yard max
- 6 feet, all zoning districts
- Front yard max
- 3 feet (4 ft columns, 7 ft arches)
- Corner visibility setback
- 30 ft (40 ft at arterials)
- Driveway visibility setback
- 10 feet, 25% obstruction limit
- Default penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, Sec. 1-7
Summary
Glendale caps fences at six feet in side and rear yards and three feet in front yards, with taller decorative columns and arched entries allowed in narrow doses. UDC § 35.4.206 also carves out visibility triangles at corners and driveways where fences over thirty inches are barred so drivers can see cross traffic.
A.No fence or wall shall be built, repaired, remodeled or replaced within thirty (30) feet (for arterial to arterial intersections the distance shall be forty (40) feet) of the corner of any lot, which corner is at the point of intersection of two (2) or more streets and which prevents a clear view by the operators of vehicles on the streets of traffic proceeding on the crossing street or streets. ... C.No fence or wall within the side or rear yard in all zoning districts shall exceed a height of six (6) feet unless otherwise stated herein.D.No fence or wall within the front yard in all zoning districts shall exceed a height of three (3) feet. Decorative columns may be permitted at a height of four (4) feet and spaced no closer than six (6) feet on-center. Arched or framed entries are permitted provided they do not exceed seven (7) feet in height and are limited to one (1) per property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 115).
Full Breakdown
206(D) drops the front-yard limit to three feet, with decorative columns allowed up to four feet if spaced no closer than six feet on-center, and arched or framed entries allowed up to seven feet but limited to one per property. Certain uses are carved out of the three-foot front-yard cap: woven wire field fencing up to five feet in the A-1 and RR districts, agricultural uses in any district, temporary construction sites, and elementary and secondary schools. Visibility is protected at two chokepoints. 206(A), no fence or wall may be built within thirty feet of a street-corner intersection, forty feet where two arterials meet, and inside that triangle no fence blocking more than 10% of the view may exceed thirty inches measured from the adjacent street.
206(B), the same thirty-inch height rule applies within ten feet of any driveway, except the obstruction threshold there is 25% rather than 10%. Front-yard fences must also sit outside any public right-of-way or utility easement, and where a wall crosses a utility line, the utility owner can remove it for maintenance with no obligation to restore it. 206.
Violations & Fines
A fence or wall that becomes unsafe or unsightly is deemed a public nuisance under § 35.4.207, and the City can commence abatement proceedings to force repair or removal. Because Chapter 35.4.200 sets no fence-specific fine, a violation defaults to the Code's general penalty in Sec. 1-7: a Class 1 misdemeanor for each day the violation continues, or, at the city's discretion, a civil code infraction adjudicated in Glendale City Court under Chapter 13, Article II, as an alternative to criminal prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my backyard fence be in Glendale?
Can I build a taller fence in my front yard?
Why can't I build a fence right up to my corner lot line?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glendale
How Glendale compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Glendale to another location·View the Arizona fence regulations overview
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Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle height limits.