Long Beach, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LBMC § 21.43.020, Table 43-1
- Residential front yard max
- 3 ft
- Residential other yard max
- 6 ft 6 in
- Outside required yard
- 10 ft
- Commercial/industrial other yard
- 12 ft
- Corner cutoff area max
- 3 ft (open fencing may exceed if sight-clear)
- Barbed wire
- Banned except IM/IG/IP zones over 6 ft (§21.43.030)
Summary
Long Beach caps residential front-yard fences at 3 feet and side/rear ("other") yard fences at 6 feet 6 inches, rising to 10 feet outside the required yard, under LBMC § 21.43.020's Table 43-1. Corner-lot cutoff areas are held to 3 feet, though taller open chain-link or wrought-iron fencing is allowed there if it doesn't block sightlines.
Fence and garden wall heights shall not exceed the maximum heights set forth in Table 43-1. Fence heights shall be measured from grade adjoining the fence on the public right-of-way side of the fence (for fences adjoining the public right-of-way) and the average grade of both sides of the fence (for fences between two (2) private properties). Table 43-1 -- Residential: Front yard 3 ft.; Other yard area 6 ft. 6 in.; Outside of required yard area 10 ft.; Abutting a nonresidential district or use 8 ft. Commercial and industrial: Within required street frontage setback 3 ft.; Other yard 12 ft. All zones -- corner cutoff area: 3 ft. (a)(iv) In corner cutoff areas, chain link and wrought iron/metal tubing fences more than three feet (3') in height are allowed if they do not obstruct visibility.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
020 ties every fence and garden wall in the city to Table 43-1's height chart and specifies how height is measured: from grade on the public-right-of-way side for fences adjoining a street or alley, from the average grade of both sides for fences between two private properties, and from the top of the flood plain in flood hazard zones where the Building Code requires an elevated finish floor. The table sets residential limits at 3 feet in the front yard, 6 feet 6 inches elsewhere, 10 feet outside any required yard area, and 8 feet where a residential lot abuts a nonresidential district, an alley or flood control channel, or a major arterial.
Commercial and industrial zones get 3 feet within the street-frontage setback, 8 feet where they abut a residential front yard, and up to 12 feet in other yards; industrial parcels may build a 12-foot wrought-iron or metal-tubing fence within the street setback under footnote (e). All zones cap corner cutoff areas at 3 feet, but footnote (a)(iv) exempts open chain-link and wrought-iron/metal-tubing fencing taller than 3 feet there if it doesn't obstruct visibility. 5. 030 separately bans barbed wire and similar sharp fencing citywide except atop fences over 6 feet in the IM, IG and IP industrial zones.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 21.43 isn't on Long Beach's short list of infraction-designated sections, so an oversized or noncompliant fence defaults to LBMC § 1.32.010's general misdemeanor penalty: up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance counted as a separate offense, and the condition may be deemed a public nuisance the City can summarily abate, typically enforced by requiring the fence be lowered, modified or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my front-yard fence be in Long Beach?
What's different about a corner-lot fence?
Can I put barbed wire on my residential fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
How Long Beach compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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