Fences up to 6 feet tall in unincorporated Marin County generally do not require a building permit if they comply with zoning. Fences exceeding 6 feet, or in coastal/design-review zones, require a Planning Division permit and may require building permits under Title 19.
Marin County's Building Code (Title 19) and Development Code (Title 22) work together on fence permitting. Under the California Building Code adopted by Marin Title 19 § 19.04, fences not over 6 feet high are work exempt from a building permit (CBC § 105.2 exemption #2). Marin County's Building and Safety Division confirms that fences exceeding 6 feet in height require a Planning Division permit, and on rural lots of 1 acre or more, no permit is needed if all zoning regulations are met. Fences in the Coastal Zone may require a Coastal Permit under Chapter 22.68 unless categorically excluded, and fences in design-review districts may trigger Design Review under Chapter 22.42. Any fence exceeding the height standards of § 22.20.050 also requires a variance under Chapter 22.54.
Building a fence over 6 feet without the required Planning Division or building permit subjects the owner to stop-work orders, after-the-fact permit fees (typically doubled), and required removal or modification.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Marin County, CA
Driveway approaches onto county roads in unincorporated Marin County require an encroachment permit from County Public Works and must meet sight-distance, dr...
Marin County, CA
On County roads designated by Board of Supervisors resolution and posted with signs, oversized commercial vehicles (commercial-plated vehicles or combination...
Marin County, CA
Marin County has no county-wide overnight parking ban; on County roads designated by Board of Supervisors resolution and posted with signs, no vehicle may pa...
Marin County, CA
In unincorporated Marin County, it is unlawful to park a vehicle on any street or highway for more than 72 consecutive hours; signed roads carry additional p...
Marin County, CA
Marin County has no general ordinance banning recreational vehicles, trailers, or boats from parking on streets in unincorporated areas; the 72-hour street-p...
Marin County, CA
California restricts exotic pets through the Fish & Game Code and CDFW regulations — ferrets and hedgehogs are illegal statewide, and many wild/exotic specie...
See how Marin County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.