Lakewood, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Lakewood Municipal Code Sec. 8102.b
- No permit needed
- Wire fences to 12 ft, other fences to 6 ft
- Permit required
- Masonry walls over 42 inches
- Amends
- 2025 California Building Code Sec. 105.2, Item 2
- Last amended
- November 11, 2025 by Ordinance No. 2025-2
- Separate rule
- Barbed/electric fences banned regardless of height (Sec. 8014)
Summary
Lakewood exempts most residential fences from a building permit: wire fencing up to twelve feet and any other fence up to six feet can go up without one. Masonry walls are treated differently under Municipal Code Section 8102.b: any masonry wall taller than forty-two inches needs a Building Code permit, no matter how short a wood or wire fence next to it would be exempt.
Section 105.2, Item 2, of the 2025 California Building Code, pertaining to work exempted from the Building Code, is hereby amended by replacing subsection 2 thereof to read: Section 105.2 Work exempt from permit. 2. Wire fences not over 12 feet in height, and other fences not over six feet in height, provided that all masonry walls of a height of over 42 inches are subject to this Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4901715; v5 updated 2026-04-28; through 04-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
2, Item 2 of the California Building Code, most recently updated November 11, 2025 by Ordinance No. 2025-2 to reference the 2025 edition. B already limits a front-yard wall or fence to forty-two inches, so a homeowner building a front block wall at the maximum allowed zoning height is, at that same height, also crossing into building-permit territory. A. This permit-exemption threshold is separate from the outright ban on barbed wire, sharp-pointed, and electrically charged fencing in Section 8014, which requires a City Planning Commission permit regardless of height.
A property owner erecting a masonry garden or freestanding wall over forty-two inches should expect to file for a Building Code permit with the Building Division even if no zoning approval is otherwise required for that wall.
Violations & Fines
Building a masonry wall over forty-two inches without the Section 8102.b permit is a mandatory Municipal Code requirement left unmet, which Section 1200 makes a misdemeanor: a fine up to the state misdemeanor maximum, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day the unpermitted wall stands charged as a separate offense. The Building Division can also require the wall removed or retroactively permitted before any related final inspection is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a six-foot wood fence in Lakewood?
What about a block wall along my front yard?
Does the fence permit exemption cover barbed wire or electric fencing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
California rules heatmap·Compare Lakewood to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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How other cities in Los Angeles County handle fence permit requirements.