Yuba County, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Yuba County Code § 11.23.020(a)(2) folds retaining walls into the county's general grading-permit trigger: subsection a. requires a permit for any retaining wall "over four feet in height, as measured from bottom of footing to top of the wall," and subsection b. requires one for "any retaining walls that are subject to surcharge" no matter how short the wall is. The companion exemption at § 11.23.020(b)(4) drops the permit only for walls "less than four feet in height, as measured from bottom of footing to the top of the wall, and not subject to surcharge." Surcharge means the wall is holding back more than plain level soil, a driveway, a slope, or a structure above it, so a short wall under a paved drive can still trip the permit requirement.

Once a permit is required, § 11.23.050(b) requires the plans to be "prepared and signed by a registered civil engineer," though the Community Development and Services Agency may waive that if the grading does not endanger public health and safety, move 5,000 cubic yards of dirt or more, or involve a cut or fill deeper than ten feet. Section 11.23.060 adds a geotechnical investigation whenever the cut or fill exceeds ten feet in depth or the site sits on expansive soil or a known geologic hazard, and § 11.23.070 caps cut slopes at 2:1 (horizontal to vertical) unless a geotechnical report supports something steeper. The Agency can also require improvement and one-year maintenance security under § 11.23.080 to guarantee the work and drainage function.