Long Beach, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt height
- 4 ft, footing to top of wall
- Exemption voided by
- surcharge, sloping earth, or slope >20%
- Governing section
- LBMC § 18.04.020(B)(5)
- Wood walls in Seismic Cat. D/E/F
- prohibited, LBMC § 18.40.410
- Local CBC amendment adopted
- Ord. No. ORD-25-0019 (2025)
- Permit above threshold
- required under LBMC § 18.04.010(A)
Summary
A retaining wall or planter box in Long Beach needs no building permit if it's 4 feet or less from footing to top, doesn't hold back a surcharge or sloping earth, and doesn't retain flammable liquids. Any wall on a slope steeper than 1-in-5 (20%) needs a permit regardless of height.
5.Retaining walls or planter boxes that are not over four (4) feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or sloping earth, or impounding flammable liquids. This exemption shall not apply to retaining walls of any height built on slopes steeper than one (1) unit vertical in five (5) units horizontal (20% slope).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Long Beach Municipal Code § 18.04.020(B)(5) exempts a retaining wall or planter box from the building permit requirement only when it stands 4 feet or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, and does not support a surcharge, sloping earth, or impounded flammable liquids. The exemption fails entirely, regardless of height, for any retaining wall built on a slope steeper than one unit vertical in five units horizontal, a 20% grade; those walls need a building permit no matter how short they are.
Once a wall exceeds 4 feet, or falls into one of those excluded conditions, it is subject to the general permit requirement of § 18.04.010(A) and to the structural design standards the City has locally amended into the California Building Code. LBMC § 18.40.410, adopted by Ordinance No. ORD-25-0019 in 2025, amends CBC Section 1807.2 to add a local seismic restriction: retaining walls assigned to Seismic Design Category D, E, or F may not be partially or wholly constructed of wood. That local amendment applies on top of the CBC's standard retaining-wall design sections 1807.2.1 through 1807.2.5.
A permitted retaining wall is inspected under Chapter 18.07 the same as any other structural work, and the Building Official may reject construction documents that don't conform before issuing the permit under § 18.04.010(B).
Violations & Fines
Building a retaining wall over 4 feet, on a steep slope, or in a wood-framed Seismic Design Category D/E/F assembly without the required permit is a Code violation under § 1.32.010, a misdemeanor (up to $1,000 and six months in jail) or infraction, each day a separate offense, and the Building Official may issue a written stop-work order under § 18.03.020(H) until it is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Long Beach?
Can I build a retaining wall out of wood?
What if my retaining wall is on a steep slope?
What's the penalty for an unpermitted retaining wall?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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