Hawthorne, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Chapter 17.48 (Fences, Walls, Retaining Walls and Hedges) opens with the blanket permit rule: "No fence or wall shall be constructed in any zone classification without first obtaining a building permit therefor." That covers residential, commercial and industrial lots alike, and it applies before any construction starts, not after the fact. The same section fixes how height is measured for permit purposes: from the ground at the base of the fence up to the top board, rail, brick, block or wire, and it caps height in the sight-triangle areas described in Section 17.42.090 at three and one-half feet regardless of what the zone otherwise allows.

For residential front yards specifically, Section 17.48.020(A)(6) adds a second layer on top of the building permit: "All fences and walls shall be required to be reviewed and approved by the planning department prior to construction." So a residential front-yard fence effectively needs both the building permit under 17.48.010(A) and planning department design review under 17.48.020(A)(6) before a contractor can break ground. Skipping either step leaves the fence unpermitted even if it otherwise meets the height and material rules.