Riverside County, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Unlike many cities, the County of Riverside Zoning Ordinance No. 348 contains no general numeric maximum height for residential fences in unincorporated areas. Section 18.49 (Fences) only addresses prohibited materials, not height. The practical height limit instead comes from County Building and Safety permit rules: under the County's Work Exempt From Permits handout, 'Fences not over 7' in height' are exempt from a building permit, so a fence taller than 7 feet triggers a permit. Block (masonry) walls have a lower threshold; walls not over 3 feet from grade are exempt, meaning taller block walls need a permit. Within designated highway specific-plan rights of way, Section 18.36 allows only fences not exceeding 30 inches. The County's Countywide Design Standards and Guidelines also direct that new residences on smaller lots include 5-to-6-foot rear and side masonry perimeter walls. Because there is no single zoning cap, owners should treat 7 feet as the practical permit-free ceiling for a fence and 3 feet for an unpermitted block wall, and confirm the specific zone classification, which can impose stricter standards through specific plans or asterisk legends on the zoning map.