Santa Clara County unincorporated areas require building permits for fences over 6 feet tall. Side and rear yard fences up to 6 ft are exempt, and front yard fences are limited to 3 ft solid.
Santa Clara County Planning and Development administers fence regulations through the Zoning Ordinance and California Building Code. Fences up to 6 feet in height may be built in side and rear yards without a building permit, though zoning compliance is still required. Fences exceeding 6 feet require a building permit reviewed for structural safety, wind load, and setback compliance. In front yards, fence height is typically limited to 3 feet for solid fences or 4 feet for open designs such as wrought iron to preserve sight lines at driveways and intersections. Corner lots trigger additional vision clearance triangles. Retaining walls over 3 feet in height (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) require permits and engineered drawings. Applicants submit plans online through the Santa Clara County ePermits portal. Foothill properties in scenic corridors or hillside zones may face additional design review.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
San Jose, CA
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Santa Clara County.
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