Compton, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

2 (Work Exempt from Permit) of the adopted code. " That means a homeowner building a garden-variety retaining wall along a slope or property line can skip the permit process entirely as long as the finished wall, footing to cap, stays at or under four feet and it is not holding back a loaded surface (such as a driveway, structure foundation, or additional fill above the wall) or containing flammable or combustible liquids. Once a wall exceeds four feet, or once it carries a surcharge load, the exemption drops away and the project falls under the full Building Code permit and plan-check process administered by the Compton Building Official, which requires engineered plans stamped by a licensed engineer or architect showing footing depth, reinforcement, drainage, and soil-bearing values before construction can begin.

The same chapter amendment separately exempts masonry fences under five feet and wood or similar fences under six feet from permits, so a retaining wall and a decorative or privacy fence are evaluated against two different height thresholds under this code, and a combined wall-and-fence structure is measured as a retaining wall once it functions to hold back soil. 11) separately requires that in a land division, retaining walls be built to retain fill at the property limits wherever fill exceeds twelve inches in depth, referring builders back to the Building Code for the excavation and grading specifics, which confirms the four-foot threshold governs even subdivision-related retaining construction.