Imperial County, CA Fence Regulations: Neighbor Fence Rules (2026)

For fences on or near a shared boundary in unincorporated Imperial County, two layers of law apply. First, the County's Land Use Ordinance (Title 9, Division 4, Chapter 3) protects traffic visibility on corner parcels: on a corner parcel in any zone, fencing, if installed, shall not obstruct or hinder the line of sight for traffic conditions and shall not exceed 30 inches in height in the area affecting that sight line. This protects drivers and pedestrians at intersections regardless of who owns the fence. Second, who pays for a shared fence is a matter of California state law, not the County code. California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Law, presumes that adjoining landowners share an equal benefit from a fence dividing their properties and, unless they agree otherwise in writing, are 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 owner, describing the problem, the proposed work, the estimated cost, and how the cost will be shared. The equal-share presumption can be rebutted if a court finds equal cost-sharing would be unjust, weighing factors like disproportionate burden. The County does not adjudicate these private cost disputes; they are resolved between neighbors or in civil court. Imperial County itself does not set a separate boundary-fence cost ordinance, so Section 841 controls cost-sharing while Title 9 controls height, sight lines and materials.