Redwood City, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard solid fence
- 3 ft max
- Front yard solid/open combo
- 5 ft max
- Side/rear yard
- 7 ft (10 ft with permit)
- Corner street-side yard
- 6 ft, 18-inch sidewalk setback
- Vision triangle
- 15 ft, 3 ft height cap
- Height measured from
- Lowest adjoining grade
Summary
Redwood City caps fence height by yard: three feet for solid fences in the required front yard (five feet if combined solid/open), seven feet in interior side and rear yards, and six feet along the street side of corner lots. Height is measured from the lowest adjoining grade, and solid fences or hedges over three feet cannot block the 15-foot vision triangle at driveways and corners.
B.General Requirements.1.Fence Height. Fence height is measured from the nearest adjoining grade. In the case of differing grades, fences are measured from the lowest adjoining grade. Lattice or other decorative elements are counted toward the total fence height.2.Vision Triangles. In order to ensure visibility and safety, no solid fence or hedge exceeding three (3) feet in height shall be located within a fifteen-foot vision triangle on either side of a driveway providing access to required on-site parking or where two (2) streets intersect on the corner...C.Location—Specific Requirements.1.Front Yard.a.All solid fences located in the required front yard shall not exceed three (3) feet in height;b.All combination solid/open fences located in the required front yard shall not exceed five (5) feet in height....2.Interior Side and Rear. All fences, regardless of type, are limited to seven (7) feet in height in the side or rear yards. Such height may be increased to ten (10) feet in any district except the Professional Office (PO) or any Residential (R) District upon approval of an Architectural Permit.3.Exterior Side (Street Side).a.Fences are limited to six (6) feet in height in the side yard adjacent to the street on corner lots. The fence must be set back eighteen (18) inches from the sidewalk and meet vision triangle requirements as described in Section 36.3(B).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
3(B)(1), fence height "is measured from the nearest adjoining grade," and where grades differ, "from the lowest adjoining grade," with lattice or other decorative elements counted toward total height. 3(B)(2) bars any solid fence or hedge over three feet on either side of a driveway serving required parking, or at a street corner. 3(C): a solid fence in the required front yard cannot exceed three feet, while a combination solid/open front-yard fence can reach five feet, and chain link over three feet is barred from residential front yards entirely.
Interior side and rear yard fences of any type are capped at seven feet, but that limit can rise to ten feet in any district except Professional Office or a Residential district, if the owner first obtains an Architectural Permit. On a corner lot, the street-side yard fence is limited to six feet, must sit back at least 18 inches from the sidewalk, keep the strip between fence and sidewalk landscaped and weed-free, and still satisfy the vision-triangle rule; chain link above three feet is likewise barred from that street-side strip in residential districts.
Privately built fences may never be placed in the public right-of-way. 3, Vision Triangles) and the written height rules ever disagree, the section states plainly that "the regulation controls," not the drawing.
Violations & Fines
An oversized or misplaced fence is a Zoning Ordinance violation the Zoning Administrator can cite under Article 50 as a public nuisance and an infraction, with fines up to $100 for a first violation, up to $200 for a repeat within a year, and up to $500 after that; each day the fence remains noncompliant is a separate offense (§§ 50.2, 50.5-50.6).
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a front yard fence be in Redwood City?
What is the tallest fence allowed in a Redwood City backyard?
What is the vision triangle rule for fences?
How is fence height measured on a sloped lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
How Redwood City compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·California rules heatmap·Compare Redwood City to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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How other cities in San Mateo County handle height limits.