Victorville, CA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- No-permit height (rear/side yard)
- 30 inches, footing to top
- No-permit height (front yard)
- 18 inches from grade
- Governing section
- Municipal Code Sec. 16-5.01.070(b)
- Always needs a permit
- Walls holding a surcharge or Class I/II/IIA liquids
- Amended state code
- CBC 105.2(4); CRC R105.2(3)
Summary
Victorville only exempts short retaining walls from a permit: up to thirty inches measured from footing to top in rear or side yards, or eighteen inches from grade in front yards, unless the wall holds back a surcharge or impounds Class I, II or IIA liquids, which always needs a permit regardless of height.
(b)105.2, subsection 4 (CBC), R105.2 subsection 3 (CRC); Retaining walls which are not over 30 inches in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall when located in rear or side yards and eighteen inches in height measured from lowest finished grade abutting the retaining wall when located in the front yard, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding Class I, II, or IIA liquids.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 57).
Full Breakdown
Section 16-5.01.070(b) of the Municipal Code amends CBC Section 105.2, subsection 4, and CRC Section R105.2, subsection 3, to set Victorville's retaining wall permit threshold. A retaining wall in a rear or side yard is exempt from a building permit only if it is not over thirty inches, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall; in a front yard the exempt height drops to eighteen inches, measured from the lowest finished grade abutting the wall. The exemption disappears entirely, regardless of height, if the wall supports a surcharge from a slope, structure or vehicle load behind it, or impounds Class I, II or IIA liquids, meaning any wall doing either of those jobs needs a permit no matter how short it is.
A wall that exceeds the height threshold, or that carries a surcharge or contains flammable or combustible liquids, must go through the same permitting track as other building work under Sections 16-5.01.020 and 16-5.01.060 through .120: an application lapses after 180 days without permit issuance, and an issued permit lapses after twelve months without active work or a requested inspection. Because retaining walls affect slope stability on Mojave Desert hillside and wash-adjacent lots, the Building Official reviews engineering for any wall above the exempt threshold as part of standard plan check.
Violations & Fines
An unpermitted retaining wall above the height threshold, or one supporting a surcharge or liquid load without a permit, is subject to Code Enforcement citation and can be required to be exposed for structural inspection or removed if it fails engineering review. Because retaining wall failures create slope and drainage hazards, the City treats these as active safety violations, not just paperwork lapses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my retaining wall be in Victorville without a permit?
Does a short retaining wall ever still need a permit in Victorville?
Who checks the engineering on a Victorville retaining wall permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Victorville
California rules heatmap·Compare Victorville to another location·View the California fence regulations overview
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Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle retaining walls.