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

Montebello adopted the California Building Code by reference in Section 15.04.010 and gives the building division authority to enforce it under Section 15.04.012. Section 15.04.020 then lists the narrow set of work exempted from the permit requirement that otherwise attaches to construction citywide: wooden or chain link fences six feet high or less, and masonry garden walls under three feet measured from the top of the footing to the top of the wall. A masonry wall of any height still needs a permit if it is designed to support a surcharge load or to impound Class I, II or III-A liquids, because those uses raise structural and fire-code concerns the exemption was never meant to cover.

Anything above those thresholds, including taller wood, chain link, or block walls, falls back under the general permit and fee structure in Section 15.04.030: a building permit fee set by city council resolution, plus a plan check fee once the estimated valuation of the work exceeds one thousand dollars. An owner who believes the height rule works an undue hardship on a specific fence or wall may seek a variance from the city council under Section 15.04.060, but must show the exceptional circumstances, absence of special privilege, and consistency with the code's intent that the section requires.

Fences must also satisfy the separate zoning height and location rules in Title 17 where those are stricter, since Section 15.04.050 makes the more restrictive of the building and zoning rules control.