Upland, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Retaining walls in Upland are governed by two layers of rule. First, the City's Development Code, Chapter 17.13, addresses height measurement: Section 17.13.030(A) measures fence/wall height from adjacent finished grade, and Section 17.13.030(C) provides that where a fence is placed atop a wall, the total height is measured from the base of the wall. This means stacking a fence on a retaining wall counts the combined height against the zoning maximums in Table 17.13-1 (generally 6 feet in residential rear/side areas, 3.5 feet in front setbacks). Second, the structural permit trigger comes from the California Building Code adopted in Upland's Title 15. Under CBC Section 105.2, a building permit is NOT required for a retaining wall that is not over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, UNLESS it supports a surcharge or impounds flammable liquids. Walls over 4 feet, or any wall holding back a sloped load or driveway, require a permit and engineering. The City's Development Code does not contain its own separate retaining-wall height table, so the CBC threshold governs structural permitting while Chapter 17.13 governs the visible fence-plus-wall zoning height. Confirm site-specific grading, drainage, and permit requirements with Upland Building & Safety and the Planning Division (909) 931-4130.