Retaining walls 4 feet or less measured from bottom of footing to top of wall are exempt from a building permit, unless they support a surcharge (e.g., driveway, slope) or impound Class I, II, or IIIA liquids. Walls over 4 feet require a permit and engineered plans.
Per the City of San Leandro Building Division's permit-exemption FAQ, a retaining wall not over 4 feet (1.22 m) in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall does not require a building permit, unless it is supporting a surcharge or impounding Class I, II, or IIIA liquids. The 4-foot threshold mirrors the California Building Code §105.2 exemption adopted by San Leandro. Walls exceeding 4 feet — or any wall with a surcharge load such as a driveway, structure footing, or sloped soil above — require a building permit with engineered plans submitted through the Accela Citizen Access online permit portal. Plan review typically takes 5–20 business days. Retaining walls along property lines remain subject to the zoning fence/wall height limits in §4.04.364 (combined wall + fence height). Walls in or near the San Leandro Creek FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area may also trigger floodplain review.
Building a retaining wall over 4 feet (or any wall with a surcharge) without a permit is unpermitted work. The City may issue a Stop Work Order, a Notice of Violation, and require either retroactive permitting (with double fees for work without a permit) or removal. Administrative citation fines per Ch. 1-12: $125 first violation, up to $200 for a second within 12 months. Unpermitted work is also disclosed on title and may block real-estate transactions until resolved.
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