Bishop, CA Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Two layers of rules apply to fences in unincorporated Inyo County. First, the Title 18 Zoning Ordinance (Section 18.78.160) limits most fences, walls, and hedges to six feet (three and one-half feet in regulated front and corner-lot yards), so an ordinary residential fence must respect that zoning height regardless of permitting. Second, Inyo County adopts the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) under Chapter 14.08 of the County Code as the basis for building permits, with local amendments for snow loads, freezing temperatures, high winds, and remote mountain terrain. Under California Building Code Section 105.2, a building permit is not required for fences not over seven feet high. Because the county's zoning limit (six feet) is below the building-code threshold (seven feet), a code-compliant residential fence generally needs no building permit, though it still must satisfy the zoning height and yard rules. A fence taller than seven feet would require both a building permit and, typically, a zoning approval or variance to exceed the six-foot limit. Retaining walls follow a separate building-code trigger: a permit is required when the wall exceeds four feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top, or when it supports a surcharge. Contact the Inyo County Department of Building and Safety for permit questions.