Daly City, CA Fence Regulations: Neighbor Fence Rules (2026)

Daly City's official Planning Division FAQ states that fences come under a 'good neighbor' policy: the City does not require fences, and ownership, building, or rebuilding of a shared fence is a matter of agreement between property owners. If one owner wishes to proceed without the neighbor's financial or labor contribution, they may do so independently. Because the City does not regulate boundary-fence cost disputes, California state law controls. Under the Good Neighbor Fence Act, Civil Code Section 841(a), adjoining landowners 'shall share equally in the responsibility for maintaining the boundaries and monuments between them,' and Section 841(b)(1) presumes adjoining owners share an equal benefit from - and equal responsibility for the reasonable costs of - a shared boundary fence absent a written agreement.

Section 841(b)(2) requires an owner planning fence work to give each affected neighbor a written 30-day notice describing the problem, proposed solution, estimated costs, proposed cost sharing, and timeline. A neighbor can rebut the equal-share presumption in court under Section 841(b)(3) by showing factors such as disproportionate financial burden or undue hardship.