Thousand Oaks, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

09(a) requires a building permit for construction of any structure in the city unless the code specifically exempts it, and subsection (b)(2) exempts fences up to six feet in height and masonry block walls up to three feet, measured from the top of soil on the lowest grade side of the wall. Retaining walls get their own carve-out under (b)(3): no permit is needed if the wall is no more than four feet from the bottom of the footing to the top, does not extend a yard on a downslope, and the soil it retains is no deeper than 36 inches without a surcharge or 18 inches if it carries a surcharge or supports a slope.

These are strictly a permit exemption, not a green light: exemption from the permit requirement does not authorize work that violates the zoning code's fence height and setback standards, so a six-foot fence in a front yard still has to satisfy the zoning code's own front-yard fence limit before the Building Division will treat it as compliant. Anyone building a fence or wall above these thresholds, or a retaining wall that exceeds the height or surcharge limits, must file a permit application through Sec. 010, submit construction documents, and pay the plan-review and inspection fees set in the Thousand Oaks Building Code Fee Schedule under Sec. 15.