Palm Desert, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

The permit rule sits in Section 15.02.020 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code, which amends Section 105.2 of the California Building Code to list work exempt from a permit. Item 2 exempts wood, vinyl or open wrought iron fences, plus block walls, pilasters and gravity interlocking walls, that are not over 3 feet 6 inches (1,066.8 mm) high and not associated with a swimming pool or spa safety barrier. The exemption has two catches. The City's Planning Division must still approve the location and materials despite the exemption from a permit, and a fence serving as a pool or spa safety barrier is outside the exemption even when it is 3 feet 6 inches or lower. Fences and walls taller than the limit fall outside the exemption.

Item 4 exempts retaining walls of any type that are not over 3 feet 6 inches in height, measured from the top of the footing to the top of the wall, unless the wall supports a structure or landscaping surcharge or impounds Class I, II, or IIIA liquids. Planning Division approval of the location and materials of all retaining walls is required despite the exemption. The residential code carries the same exemption in Section R105.2 of Section 15.06.020, with the block wall item limited to landscaping only.

The zoning side is Section 25.40.080, Fences and Walls, which applies to fences and walls in the RE, R-1, R-2, R-3 and PR districts on residential lots. Under subsection B, all applications for fences and walls can be subject to on-site inspection before approval, photographs of the subject property and adjacent properties can be enough to show the impacts a wall creates, and retaining walls require approval by the public works department. Subsection C requires all new residential construction to include walls or fences of a minimum of 5 feet in height enclosing rear and interior side yards. Table 25.40-2 sets location, height and material standards by fence type for walls and fences in front and side setbacks.