Per Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 19.550 (Fences, Walls, Landscaping and Maintenance), fences in residential front-yard setbacks are limited to roughly 4 feet (with openwork above 3 feet) and to 6 feet in side and rear yards; fences over 7 feet require a building permit.
Riverside regulates fence and wall heights through RMC Title 19 (Zoning), Article VIII, Chapter 19.550 Fences, Walls, Landscaping and Maintenance, with section 19.550.030 setting fence and wall heights. In residential zones, fences within the front-yard setback are generally limited to a maximum of about 4 feet, and any portion above 3 feet is required to be of openwork construction to preserve visibility. Side and rear yard fences may be up to 6 feet in height. Height is measured from the lowest adjacent finished grade to the highest point of the fence, including post caps and any decorative top. Per the City's Building & Safety Division and the California Building Code as adopted by Riverside, fences not exceeding 7 feet in height are exempt from a building permit, but Planning Division approval may still be required for fences in a front-yard setback. Anything over 7 feet requires a building permit from CEDD Building & Safety.
Code Enforcement is handled by Riverside CEDD Code Enforcement Division. Violations of Chapter 19.550 are administered under RMC Chapter 1.17 (Administrative Code Enforcement Remedies), which authorizes administrative citations - the first citation is typically $100, the second $200 within a 12-month period, and $500 for each additional violation, plus daily continuing-violation fees. Inspectors may require the fence to be lowered or removed, and may issue a stop-work order if the fence was built without a required permit.
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