Palmdale, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback fence height
- 3 ft sight-obscuring / 5 ft open view
- Interior side & rear
- 6 ft (7 ft with open-view top foot)
- Industrial, other setbacks
- 8 ft (up to 12 ft with review)
- Corner sight triangle
- 20-ft legs, 3-ft height cap
- Driveway sight triangle
- 10 ft, 3-ft height cap
- Permit threshold
- Required over 6 ft
Summary
Palmdale caps sight-obscuring fences and walls at 3 feet within a required front setback (5 feet if open-view), rising to 6 or 7 feet along interior side, rear, and street-side setbacks under PMC § 17.86.040, and imposes a strict 3-foot cap inside the corner and driveway sight triangles set by § 17.82.070.
(A) Applicability and Exemptions. Unless otherwise exempt below, a building permit is required for new fences, walls, and screening over six feet in height in all zones. (B) Maximum Height... fences, walls, and similar screening structures shall be limited to a maximum height as follows: (1)(a)(i) Three feet for a sight-obscuring wall, fence, or hedge. Open view fencing may be allowed up to five feet in height. (c) Within Required Interior Side and Rear Setbacks. Six feet. An additional foot is allowed (maximum seven feet); provided, that the portion of the fence exceeding six feet in height consists of open view fencing. § 17.82.070(A)(1) Measurement of Safety Visibility Area. The traffic safety visibility area is the triangle formed at the intersection of two streets and/or alley rights-of-way by measuring 20 feet along both the front and side property lines and connecting the lines diagonally across the property. (2) Height Limit. No structure, sign, or landscaping shall exceed three feet in height within the traffic safety visibility area (i.e., sight triangle), unless approved by the City Engineer.
Full Breakdown
A building permit is required for any new fence, wall, or screening over six feet tall in every zone; fences required as environmental mitigation or by another government agency are exempt, and temporary construction fencing is allowed but vinyl-coated chain link cannot exceed 8 feet. In residential and mixed-use zones, front-setback fences are capped at 3 feet if sight-obscuring, or 5 feet for open-view; lots of 20,000 square feet or more may build a 6-foot open-view front fence, with any vehicle gate set back at least 20 feet from the property line.
Street-side, interior-side, and rear setbacks allow 6 feet, with an extra foot (7 feet total) permitted if that top foot is open-view fencing. Industrial zones allow 8 feet in all other required setback areas, with fences up to 12 feet approvable through a minor site plan review; Public Facilities and Open Space zones allow 6 to 7 feet, extendable to 8 feet the same way. Decorative posts or columns up to 18 inches wide may exceed the height limit by up to 4 inches, and one entry gateway or trellis up to 10 feet tall is allowed in the front setback.
070 sets the corner sight triangle by measuring 20 feet along both the front and side property lines at a street or alley intersection and connecting them diagonally; no structure, sign, or landscaping may exceed 3 feet inside that triangle without City Engineer approval. A 10-foot driveway sight triangle carries the same 3-foot cap on fences, walls, and signage, and trees must be trimmed to a 7-foot branch clearance above the curb within it.
Violations & Fines
The code places the removal duty directly on the property owner: it is the responsibility of the owner to remove any obstruction to the traffic safety visibility area from the property or adjacent right-of-way. A fence built over 6 feet without a permit, or one that exceeds the applicable zone height or intrudes into a corner or driveway sight triangle above 3 feet, is a code violation requiring removal, trimming, or reduction to the compliant height, unless the City Engineer has separately approved the encroachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my backyard fence be in Palmdale?
Do I need a permit for a 5-foot fence in Palmdale?
What is Palmdale's corner sight triangle rule for fences?
Can I build a taller fence around my Palmdale industrial property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palmdale
How Palmdale compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·California rules heatmap·Compare Palmdale to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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