California Civil Code 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) requires adjoining property owners to share the cost of boundary fences equally absent written agreement, and 30-day written notice before construction.
Shared fence disputes in Sunnyvale are governed primarily by California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act of 2013. The statute presumes that adjoining owners share the benefit of a boundary fence and must share reasonable construction, maintenance, and replacement costs equally. An owner who wants to build or replace a shared fence must give the neighbor at least 30 days written notice describing the location, materials, estimated cost, timeline, and proposed cost-sharing. Neighbors can rebut the equal-share presumption by showing they would not benefit, cannot afford the share, or that the work is unreasonable. The city does not adjudicate civil cost disputes and Sunnyvale Public Safety cannot force a neighbor to pay, so unresolved issues are handled in Santa Clara County small claims court. Survey verification is strongly recommended before construction.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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