Masonry or concrete retaining walls over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, or any wall supporting a surcharge, require a Nevada County building permit and stamped engineering; shorter walls are exempt from permits and setbacks.
Under Nevada County Code Sec. 14.02.050, masonry walls not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall are exempt from a building permit unless they support a surcharge. The county's Building Permit Application Handbook requires engineering, with the stamp and wet signature of a California licensed architect or registered engineer, for concrete or concrete block walls over 4 feet high measured the same way. The Building Setbacks brochure additionally exempts retaining walls less than 4 feet above finished grade from building setback requirements, so small landscape retaining walls can be placed at property lines without county review.
Unpermitted retaining walls over 4 feet or walls supporting a surcharge can draw Code Compliance action, after-the-fact permit fees, required engineering analysis, or an order to rebuild or remove the wall.
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