Hawthorne, CA Fence Regulations: Neighbor Fence Rules (2026)

The Hawthorne Municipal Code (Chapter 17.48) sets the physical rules for fences on boundary lines, height, materials, permits, and the visibility triangle, but it does not assign who pays for a shared boundary fence. Cost-sharing between neighbors is governed by state law, California Civil Code 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Law. Under that statute, adjoining landowners are presumed to share an equal benefit from a fence dividing their properties and, unless a written agreement says otherwise, are presumed equally responsible for the reasonable costs of construction, maintenance, or necessary replacement. A landowner who intends to incur such costs must give 30 days' prior written notice to each affected adjoining landowner, describing the problem, the proposed solution, estimated costs, the proposed cost-sharing approach, and the timeline. The equal-share presumption can be rebutted by a preponderance of evidence that equal responsibility would be unjust. Hawthorne's own code still controls where the fence may sit, how tall it can be, and what materials are allowed, so neighbors building a shared fence must comply both with Civil Code 841 and with HMC 17.48 (including obtaining a city building permit).