Under Fullerton Municipal Code 14.04.050, masonry or concrete fences three feet or shorter and all other fences six feet or shorter are exempt from building permits. Taller fences and most retaining walls still require a permit and zoning review.
FMC Section 14.04.050 (an amendment to California Residential Code Section R105.2, Work exempt from permit) provides that "masonry or concrete fences not over 3 feet (1066.8 mm) in height above lowest adjacent grade, and all other fences not over 6 feet (1,828.8 mm) in height above lowest adjacent grade" are exempt from the requirement to obtain a building permit. The exemption does not waive compliance with the zoning standards in FMC 15.17.050 (front-yard 36-inch limit, vision-clearance triangles, etc.) or with any other applicable law. Fences and walls that exceed the exempt heights, retaining walls higher than three feet in a front yard setback or four feet in a rear/side yard setback, electrical fencing, and fences in flood or hillside hazard areas typically require a building permit through the Building & Safety Division and zoning approval through the Planning Division. Property owners are responsible for confirming property lines (a survey is recommended) before building; Cal. Civ. Code Section 841 controls shared boundary fences and requires 30 days' written notice to neighbors before construction or replacement.
Constructing a fence over six feet (or over three feet for masonry/concrete) or any retaining wall over the threshold heights without the required building permit is a violation of FMC 14.04.050 and the California Residential Code as adopted by Fullerton. Building & Safety and Code Enforcement may issue stop-work orders, require permit application and inspection, assess plan-check and double permit fees, and order removal of work that cannot be brought into compliance. Zoning Code violations (e.g., front-yard fence height or vision-clearance) are separately citable under Title 15.
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