Shasta County, CA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

Unlike many urban jurisdictions, the readily published Shasta County Zoning Plan provisions on fences (Code Section 17.84.030) address height and yard placement rather than prohibiting particular materials, and they expressly exempt open wire fencing from the height caps - reflecting the county's largely rural, agricultural character where wire and barbed-wire stock fencing is routine. Because no countywide residential material ban is published in the height-limit standard, the practical constraints on fence materials come from other rules: the California Building Code (Section 105.2) sets when a fence or wall needs a building permit and structural review (fences over 7 feet; concrete or masonry walls over 4 feet), and any solid wall must meet building standards. Sight-distance and corner-visibility requirements limit solid or opaque fencing near driveways, intersections and corner lots, where the three-foot front-yard cap also applies. Specific subdivisions or Planned Development (PD) zones may carry their own fencing or screening conditions, and private CC&Rs - which the county does not enforce - frequently restrict materials and styles. Because materials rules can appear in zone-specific standards, use permits, or special-use provisions not fully reflected here, confirm any material limits for your exact zone and parcel with the Shasta County Planning Division before installing barbed wire, electric fencing, or solid walls near a street.