Petaluma, CA Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Sonoma County's fence permitting framework comes from Sec. 26-88-030 (height regulations), Sec. 26-92 (Use Permits), Chapter 7 (Building Regulations / California Building Code), Article 64 (Scenic Resources Combining District), Chapter 26C (Coastal Zone), and Chapter 11 (Roads, Streets, Bridges). Permit Sonoma's PJR-133 'Fence Guidelines' handout and the BPC-023 'Fence Requirements' instruction form are the official Permit Sonoma references. The default rule is that fences which (a) comply with the height limits of Sec. 26-88-030 (3-foot front-yard setbacks and corner-visibility triangles, 6-foot side and rear setbacks in residential zones; no limit in agricultural, resource, commercial, and industrial zones), (b) are not solid construction over 7 feet, (c) are no more than 10 feet in any material, (d) are at least 6 inches outside public rights-of-way and easements, and (e) are not in a special combining district like Scenic Resources or Coastal, do not require any permit. Building permits are required under California Building Code Sec. R105.2 as adopted in Chapter 7 for: any fence exceeding 7 feet of solid wood, concrete, metal, or masonry; any fence exceeding 10 feet in any material; any retaining wall higher than 4 feet (measured from the bottom of the footing) that is also part of a fence; and any fence with electrical or mechanical components (gates with motors over a certain threshold). The current Sonoma County Building Code adopts the 2022 California Building Code, California Residential Code, and California Fire Code by reference, as amended by County local amendments. A Minor Use Permit (Sec. 26-92) or fence height exception is required to exceed the Sec. 26-88-030 height limits within required setbacks - for example, an 8-foot solid privacy fence in a residential front yard. Administrative Design Review (an administrative-level approval issued by Permit Sonoma Planning) is required for solid fences between 3 and 6 feet in residential front-yard setbacks, all fences within the Scenic Resources (SR) and Visitor Open Highway (VOH) combining districts, and fences on commercial and industrial properties. The Design Review Committee, a discretionary body within Permit Sonoma, must approve fences that exceed the height limits, use non-conforming materials, or are determined to be incompatible with neighborhood character. Coastal Zone parcels (CC suffix) along the Pacific coast and the Russian River mouth are governed by Chapter 26C of the County Code and the Sonoma County Local Coastal Program; fences in shoreline areas, public-access easement corridors, or designated environmentally sensitive habitat areas may require a Coastal Development Permit, which is issued by Permit Sonoma's Planning Division (and in appealable jurisdictions, the California Coastal Commission). Fences and gates along county-maintained roads must be at least 6 inches outside the road right-of-way; placement of a fence or gate within the right-of-way (rare but sometimes requested for driveway gates) requires an encroachment permit from Sonoma County Public Infrastructure (formerly Transportation and Public Works) under Chapter 11 of the County Code. Driveway gates on parcels in CAL FIRE State Responsibility Areas or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones serving more than four parcels must include a Knox-box or radio-controlled access for fire apparatus under California Fire Code Sec. 503.6. Pool fence permits are separate: California Building Code Sec. 3109 (and Chapter 7 of the County Code) requires swimming-pool barriers meeting specific design standards (54-inch minimum height, no openings larger than 4 inches, self-closing and self-latching gates) - these are reviewed with the pool building permit rather than as a separate fence permit. Permit fees for fence-related building permits are set by Permit Sonoma's adopted Fee Schedule and are calculated based on construction valuation; Minor Use Permit fees, Design Review fees, and Coastal Development Permit fees are set in the same schedule.