Glendale, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- By-right height
- 3 ft in ROS, R1R, R1 zones
- Above 3 ft
- Requires Ch. 30.47 Design Review approval
- Banned materials
- Barbed wire, razor wire, chicken wire, fiberglass, electrified
- Chain-link
- Only if vegetation-screened or for tennis/recreation courts
- Default penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine and 6 months jail
- Governing section
- GMC § 30.30.010(A)
Summary
Glendale limits residential fences and walls to three feet by right in the ROS, R1R and R1 zones; anything taller needs Design Review Board approval under Chapter 30.47. Ten residential, mixed-use and transit-oriented zones ban barbed wire, razor wire, chicken wire, fiberglass and electrified fencing outright, and chain-link is allowed only when vegetation-screened or serving tennis courts and recreational facilities.
A. Fences and Walls in Residential, Mixed Use and TOD Zones.
1. In the ROS, R1, R1R, R-3050, R-2250, R-1650, R-1250, DSP, IMU, IMU-R, SFMU and TOD zones, no fence or wall shall be electrically charged or made of any sharp-edged materials, barbed wire, razor wire, chicken wire or fiber glass.
2. Fences and walls over three feet in height are subject to Chapter 30.47 in addition to the following requirements in ROS, R1R, and R1 zones: a. Materials. Fences and walls shall be made of wood, masonry, decorative metal (for example, wrought iron), and other decorative materials approved by the director of community development; and b. In addition to the above materials, chain-link may be permitted if screened from view from adjacent parcels by vegetation. Chain-link, without vegetation, shall be permitted for tennis courts and other recreational facilities. Chain-link shall not be permitted if visible from the public street immediately adjacent to the property.
Full Breakdown
010(A) governs fence and wall height and materials in Glendale's single-family and mixed-use districts. Subsection (A)(1) bans electrically charged fencing and any sharp-edged material, barbed wire, razor wire, chicken wire or fiberglass across eleven zones: ROS, R1, R1R, R-3050, R-2250, R-1650, R-1250, DSP, IMU, IMU-R, SFMU and TOD. 47 design review in addition to meeting material standards. Above that three-foot line, fences and walls must be built of wood, masonry, or decorative metal such as wrought iron, or another decorative material the director of community development approves; plain chain-link is not an option on its own.
Chain-link is permitted above three feet only if it is screened from adjoining parcels by vegetation, or if it fences a tennis court or similar recreational facility, and it can never be used if visible from the public street fronting the property. The design review trigger means a homeowner cannot simply pull a building permit for a six-foot wood fence in these zones; the plans first go before Glendale's design review process for appearance and site-planning review before a taller fence or wall is approved.
Retaining walls and cribwalls sit under a separate height table in the same code section rather than this general fence standard, so hillside lots should check that companion provision before assuming the three-foot rule controls a slope wall.
Violations & Fines
Fence and wall violations aren't on the short list of Municipal Code sections carrying a set infraction fine, so they default to the general penalty in § 1.20.010(A): a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail, with each day a fence stays out of compliance counted as a separate offense under § 1.20.010(E). The city attorney can also seek civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation under § 1.20.050 or abate a noncompliant fence as a public nuisance under § 1.20.030.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can I build a fence in my Glendale front yard without approval?
Is chain-link fencing legal in Glendale?
What fencing materials are banned everywhere in Glendale?
What happens if I build a fence in Glendale that breaks the rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glendale
How Glendale compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·California rules heatmap·Compare Glendale to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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