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

For a fence on the property line between two homes in Redlands, the cost-and-maintenance question is governed by state law, not a city ordinance. California Civil Code 841 (the 'Good Neighbor Fence Law') presumes adjoining landowners share an equal benefit from a boundary fence and are equally responsible for the reasonable costs of construction, maintenance, or replacement unless they agree otherwise in writing. A landowner who intends to alter or replace a shared fence must give 30 days' prior written notice to each affected adjoining owner. The equal-share presumption can be overcome by a preponderance of evidence that equal cost-sharing would be unjust. The City of Redlands layers a procedural rule on top: under the Minor Exception Permit process (RMC Chapter 18.168), if a proposed fence or wall crosses over a property line, the application form must include the signature(s) of the affected abutting property owner(s). The city does not adjudicate private cost disputes between neighbors; those are civil matters handled under Civil Code 841. Exact location of a fence relative to the legal boundary is also a private/survey matter, not something Redlands code resolves.