San Bernardino County requires a building permit for fences over 6 feet tall. Shorter fences must still comply with Development Code Ch. 83.06 height and setback rules.
Under San Bernardino County Development Code Chapter 83.06 (Fences and Walls), fences and walls up to 6 feet in height in side and rear yards, and up to 3.5 feet in front yard setbacks, do not require a building permit but must still comply with zoning standards. Any fence or wall exceeding 6 feet in height requires a building permit from the Building and Safety Division (909-387-8311). Retaining walls over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing also require a permit. Corner lots must maintain a clear sight triangle at intersections, typically restricting fence height to 3 feet within 25 feet of the corner. In Fire Hazard Severity Zones, fence materials adjacent to structures must comply with WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) standards. Applications are submitted through the county ePermit portal at epermits.sbcounty.gov.
Unpermitted fences over 6 feet can be issued a stop work order and administrative citation starting at 100 dollars for a first violation. Property owners may be required to remove non-compliant fencing at their own expense or obtain an after-the-fact permit with doubled fees.
See how San Bernardino County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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