Palm Springs requires a building permit for any fence or wall over 6 feet tall and for all masonry walls regardless of height. Fences at or below 6 feet of wood or similar light materials generally do not need a building permit but must meet Palm Springs Municipal Code Chapter 93.03 zoning standards. Properties in historic districts need Historic Site Preservation Board review before installation.
Under Palm Springs Municipal Code and the California Building Code as adopted by the city, a building permit is required for any fence or wall exceeding 6 feet in height, for retaining walls over 4 feet (measured from bottom of footing), and for all masonry or concrete walls regardless of height due to seismic and wind-load engineering requirements. Wood, vinyl, or metal fences 6 feet or shorter installed as a boundary fence generally do not require a building permit, but they must still comply with the zoning height, setback, and material standards in PSMC Ch. 93.03 and may require a zoning clearance from the Planning Department. Pool barriers require a permit regardless of height to confirm compliance with CBC Appendix V (latching, self-closing gates, opening spacing). In designated Historic Preservation Districts (Tahquitz River Estates, Twin Palms, Vista Las Palmas, Deepwell, Warm Sands, and others) and on any Class 1 or Class 2 historic site, all fence or wall work (including repainting or resurfacing) requires Historic Site Preservation Board review and a Certificate of Approval under PSMC Ch. 8.05. Apply through the city's Citizen Self Service online portal; plan review typically takes 1–3 weeks for simple residential projects. Fees vary by valuation. Work without permits is subject to stop-work orders, double permit fees, and potential removal. Fences on or near property lines should be verified with a survey; neighbor disputes over boundary fences are governed by California Civil Code §841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act).
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Palm Springs code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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