Redwood City, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- By-right fence heights
- No permit needed
- Above 7 ft side/rear yard
- Architectural Permit required
- Maximum with permit
- 10 ft
- Permit unavailable in
- Professional Office, Residential districts
- Right-of-way fences
- Never permitted
Summary
Redwood City does not require a permit for a fence built within the standard height limits set by Zoning Code § 36.3, but an Architectural Permit is mandatory to build an interior side or rear yard fence above seven feet, up to the ten-foot ceiling, and that permit is unavailable in the Professional Office or any Residential district.
2.Interior Side and Rear. All fences, regardless of type, are limited to seven (7) feet in height in the side or rear yards. Such height may be increased to ten (10) feet in any district except the Professional Office (PO) or any Residential (R) District upon approval of an Architectural Permit.3.Exterior Side (Street Side).a.Fences are limited to six (6) feet in height in the side yard adjacent to the street on corner lots. The fence must be set back eighteen (18) inches from the sidewalk and meet vision triangle requirements as described in Section 36.3(B). Privately constructed fences are prohibited in the public right-of-way. The privately owned area between the fence and sidewalk must be landscaped and maintained in a healthy and weed-free condition. Chain link fences above three (3) feet in height are prohibited in side yards adjacent to the street in residential zoning districts.
Figure 36.3 Vision Triangles Figure 36.3 Vision Triangles
In case of a discrepancy between the wording of the regulation and the diagram, the regulation controls.
(Ord. No. 1130-364, § 18(Exh. N), 8-24-15; Ord. No. 1130-890, § 4(Exh. A), 8-26-24)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
3(C)(2) sets the baseline: "All fences, regardless of type, are limited to seven (7) feet in height in the side or rear yards. 3, this means a fence that stays within the section's by-right limits, three feet solid or five feet combination in the front yard, seven feet in interior side and rear yards, six feet on a corner lot's street side, needs no separate zoning permit at all. The permit requirement is triggered only when a property owner in a non-Residential, non-PO district wants to exceed the standard seven-foot side or rear yard cap, up to the ten-foot maximum; in that case the Architectural Permit must be obtained before construction, and it is simply not an option for Residential or PO-zoned lots regardless of the reason.
3 places its permit requirement inside Article 36 of the Zoning Ordinance, the application, decision and any appeal follow the common procedures set out elsewhere in the Zoning Ordinance for Architectural Permits, and any fence still has to respect the separate vision-triangle and prohibited-material rules in the same section no matter how it is permitted. A fence built in the public right-of-way is barred outright and no permit can authorize it.
Violations & Fines
Building a side or rear yard fence above seven feet without the required Architectural Permit, or above ten feet under any circumstance, is enforceable as a Zoning Ordinance violation: the Zoning Administrator can treat it as a public nuisance under § 50.2 and issue an infraction citation under § 50.5, carrying fines up to $100 for a first offense, up to $200 for a repeat within a year, and up to $500 after that, with each day of the violation counted separately under § 50.6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Redwood City?
When does a fence need an Architectural Permit in Redwood City?
Can I get a permit for a 10-foot fence in a residential backyard?
What if I build an over-height fence without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
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Fence Permit Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Mateo County handle fence permit requirements.