Fontana, CA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 16-12
- Prohibited
- Any electric fence citywide
- Trigger height
- Energized wire within 8 ft of ground
- Exceptions
- Railway signaling, utility-controlled wiring, NEC enclosures
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000/6 mo.
- Last amended
- Ord. No. 1768, Sept. 26, 2017
Summary
Fontana outlaws electric fences citywide: it's unlawful to construct or maintain one anywhere in the city, residential or otherwise. Sec. 16-12 defines an electric fence broadly to catch any energized bare wire or conductor near the ground, with narrow carve-outs for railway signaling and utility equipment.
(a)Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, cause to be constructed or maintain an electric fence within the city.(b)Definition. For the purpose of this section, an electric fence is defined as any bare wire or conductor which is supported on insulators and is located outdoors within eight feet of the ground or a walking surface and is attached to a post, fence, wall, tree or structure, and which is capable of being energized from any electrical source, including batteries, unless such bare wire or conductor is guarded against accidental contact by forms of enclosures approved by the current edition of the National Electrical Code.(c)A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 17).
Full Breakdown
Fontana Municipal Code Sec. 16-12 makes it unlawful for any person to construct, cause to be constructed, or maintain an electric fence within the city, with no zone-based exception, so the ban reaches residential yards as well as commercial and industrial sites. An "electric fence" is defined as any bare wire or conductor supported on insulators, located outdoors within eight feet of the ground or a walking surface, attached to a post, fence, wall, tree or structure, and capable of being energized from any electrical source, including batteries, unless the wire is guarded against accidental contact by an enclosure meeting the current National Electrical Code.
The definition excludes wires used for railway signaling and communication, installations under the exclusive control of electric or communication utilities, and bare conductors specifically permitted under the current National Electrical Code. Because the ban is written into the general "in general" article of Chapter 16 rather than the missing Chapter 30 zoning code, it applies independent of any dimensional zoning standard, and it was strengthened once already: originally adopted at Code 1968 § 18-29, amended by Ord. No. 1149 in 1995 and again by Ord.
No. 1768 in September 2017. Unlike most Chapter 16 offenses, Sec. 16-12(c) states its own penalty directly rather than deferring to the general Sec. 1-7 schedule.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 16-12(c) makes a violation a misdemeanor outright. Under the citywide misdemeanor schedule at Sec. 1-7, that carries a fine of up to $1,000.00, imprisonment for up to six months, or both, with each day the fence remains in place treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install an electric fence around my Fontana yard for pets or livestock?
What counts as an "electric fence" under this section?
What's the penalty for an illegal electric fence in Fontana?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fontana
California rules heatmap·Compare Fontana to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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