Ventura, CA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Ventura's zoning regulations (San Buenaventura Municipal Code Title 24) establish a tiered fence-height system tied to where on the lot the fence sits. Within the front yard or required street setback, fences and walls generally cap at 3 feet 6 inches measured from the adjacent sidewalk per SBMC §24.595.270 (Porch and fence), preserving sight lines and the pedestrian-scaled streetscape the form-based code is designed to protect. SBMC §24.305.030(C)(5) (Frontage type standards) reinforces this with a 3-foot maximum along certain frontage types and a 'low hedges, fences and/or entry gates' design preference. Side and rear yards typically allow taller fences (up to 6 feet) outside the required street setback. For non-residential parking lots abutting residential zones, SBMC §24.415.100 (Landscaping and Screening, Coastal Zoning Code) requires a 6-foot wood fence or masonry wall along the shared property line, dropping to 3.5 feet within the residential front-yard depth so sight lines remain open. Building permits are required for fences over 7 feet and for any retaining wall over 4 feet measured from the bottom of footing under California Residential Code R105 and California Building Code Section 105. State law (Cal. Civ. Code §841.4) treats any fence over 10 feet maliciously erected to annoy a neighbor as a private nuisance ('spite fence'). Coastal-zone parcels also follow the parallel Coastal Zoning Code (CZC) with Coastal Commission oversight.