Shasta County, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard / corner-lot street side
- 3 feet max
- Rear yard & interior side yard (residential)
- 6 feet max
- To exceed limits
- Use permit required
- Open wire fencing
- Exempt from height caps
- Code authority
- Title 17, Sec. 17.84.030
- Building permit (CBC)
- Needed only over 7 feet
Summary
In unincorporated Shasta County, fences, walls and hedges are limited to 3 feet within a required front yard or the street-side yard of a corner lot, and 6 feet in rear and interior side yards in residential districts. Taller fences require a use permit. Open wire fencing is exempt.
17.84.030: Height limits-exceptions. The following general height regulations apply: A. Fences. The following shall apply, unless otherwise provided: 1. The height of any fence, wall, hedge, screen planting or other dividing structure placed, grown or maintained in any residential or commercial district shall not exceed three feet within any required front yard or within any side yard on the street side of a corner lot, except as provided in subsection (A)(3). 2. The height of any fence, wall or other dividing structure placed in any residential district shall not exceed six feet in any rear yard, or in any required side yard not subject to subsection (A)(1), except as provided in subsection (A)(3). A fence may exceed this height limit if a use permit is first secured. 3. The height limits of this subsection do not apply to open wire fencing material used as a fence or dividing structure or placed atop any fence, wall or other dividing structure.
Full Breakdown
030 (Height limits-Exceptions). Within any required front yard, or within any side yard on the street side of a corner lot, the height of a fence, wall, hedge, screen planting or other dividing structure in a residential or commercial district may not exceed three feet, preserving sight lines and street visibility. In any rear yard, or in a required side yard not subject to the front-yard restriction, a fence or wall in a residential district may not exceed six feet. A fence may exceed these limits only if a use permit is first secured from the Planning Division.
The height limits do not apply to open wire fencing material used as a fence or placed atop a fence, wall or other dividing structure. These zoning height caps are separate from building-permit thresholds: under the California Building Code, a fence not over 7 feet generally needs no building permit, but the lower county zoning caps still control where they apply. Setbacks and exact yard dimensions vary by zone district, so confirm your parcel's zone with the Shasta County Department of Resource Management before building.
Violations & Fines
Building a fence taller than the zoning limit without a use permit is a Zoning Plan violation enforced by Shasta County Code Enforcement. Remedies can include a notice of violation, an order to lower or remove the fence, and administrative penalties; persistent violations may be abated by the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my backyard fence be in unincorporated Shasta County?
Why is my front-yard fence limited to three feet?
Does the height limit apply to chain-link or wire fencing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shasta County
How Shasta County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·California rules heatmap·Compare Shasta County to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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