California Civil Code 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) requires San Bernardino County neighbors to share equally in boundary fence costs. A written 30-day notice is required before work begins.
San Bernardino County follows California Civil Code 841, known as the Good Neighbor Fence Act of 2013, which creates a rebuttable presumption that adjoining landowners benefit equally from a boundary fence and must share equally in reasonable construction, maintenance, and replacement costs. A landowner who intends to build or repair a shared fence must provide 30 days written notice to the neighbor, including the problem, proposed solution, estimated costs, cost-sharing proposal, and timeline. A neighbor who objects may rebut the equal-share presumption by showing unequal benefit, financial hardship, or that the proposed fence is excessive. Fences must be placed entirely on the property line unless both owners agree otherwise. Disputes are handled through San Bernardino County Small Claims Court (jurisdiction up to 12,500 dollars) or Superior Court. County Code Enforcement does not mediate civil boundary disputes.
Civil disputes between neighbors are handled in Small Claims Court rather than by Code Enforcement. A neighbor who builds a boundary fence without the required 30-day notice may lose the right to compel cost-sharing.
See how San Bernardino County's neighbor fence rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.