Tehama County, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- No-permit height
- 4 feet or less
- Exception
- Surcharge or flammable-liquid walls excluded
- Measured from
- Footing bottom to wall top
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Tehama County only
Summary
Retaining walls up to four feet tall are exempt from a building permit in unincorporated Tehama County, unless they hold back a surcharge or flammable liquids.
Item 5. Retaining walls which are not over four feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding flammable liquids.
Item 6. Water tanks supported directly upon grade if the capacity does not exceed five thousand gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed two to one.
Item 7. Platforms, decks, walks and driveways not more than thirty inches above grade and not over any basement or story below, accessory to a Group R, Division 3 occupancy, and not subject to snow loading.
Item 8. Painting, papering and similar finish work.
Item 9. Temporary motion picture, television and theater stage sets and scenery.
Item 10. Window awnings supported by an exterior wall of a Group R, Division 3 and Group U occupancies when projecting not more than fifty-four inches.
Item 11. Prefabricated swimming pools, spas and hot tubs accessory to Group R, Division 3, or individual units of a Group R, Division 1 occupancy in which the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade and if the capacity does not exceed five thousand gallons.
Item 12. Playground equipment accessory to Group R, Division 3 occupancies.
Item 13. Tree houses not exceeding one hundred twenty square feet.
Item 14. Detached trellises or arbors accessory to Group R, Division 3 occupancies, provided the projected roof area does not exceed two hundred square feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).
Full Breakdown
A retaining wall in the unincorporated area of Tehama County doesn't need a building permit if it's four feet or less in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. That exemption doesn't apply if the wall supports a surcharge (extra load behind it, such as a driveway or building) or impounds flammable liquids, those walls need a permit regardless of height. A wall over four feet also needs a permit under the county's general permit requirement. This exemption is specific to unincorporated county land, Red Bluff, Corning, and the City of Tehama apply their own codes.
Violations & Fines
A retaining wall over four feet, or one supporting a surcharge or flammable liquids, built without a permit is unpermitted construction subject to the county's stop-work and noncompliance-recording authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Tehama County?
How is the four-foot height measured?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tehama County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tehama County to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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