Napa County, CA Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Napa County's fence-permit framework comes from California Building Code Section 105.2, which is adopted into Napa County Code Title 15 (Buildings and Construction). Item 2 of Section 105.2 exempts fences not over 6 feet in height from the building permit requirement; the 2022 edition raised this threshold to 7 feet for some configurations, and Napa applies whichever threshold is current. Masonry walls and retaining walls have a separate threshold: walls not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall are typically exempt, but anything taller, or any retaining wall holding a surcharge (e.g., a structure or significant slope above), requires a permit and engineered design. Fences in special districts - such as the Coastal Zone, hillside overlay districts, or scenic-resource overlays - may face additional design or visual-impact review. Within incorporated cities (Napa, St. Helena, Calistoga, Yountville, American Canyon) the city's own building department issues fence permits when required, and city zoning rules can be more restrictive than the County's. Pool barriers are governed separately by California Building Code Section 3109 and California Health & Safety Code Section 115920 et seq. (Swimming Pool Safety Act), which requires a 60-inch barrier with self-closing, self-latching gates around any pool deeper than 18 inches; these are reviewed and inspected as part of the pool permit. The Good Neighbor Fence Act (Cal. Civ. Code 841) governs cost-sharing between residential neighbors; it does not affect whether a permit is required. Where a building permit is required, plans showing materials, height, post sizing, and footings must be submitted to PBES; inspections typically include footing inspection (before backfill) and final.