Before You Build in Napa, CA: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

City of Napa Municipal Code Section 17.52.170 regulates fences, walls, and hedges. Fences in residential side and rear yards are typically allowed up to 6 feet; fences over 6 feet require a building permit. Fences, walls, or dense hedges in the vision triangle at intersections and driveways cannot exceed 2 feet (or 3 feet if at least 50 percent open).

Fences 6 feet or less in Napa generally do not need a building permit, but any fence over 6 feet in height must obtain a building permit under the California Building Code as adopted in Title 15 of the Napa Municipal Code. Planning Division review under NMC 17.52.170 still applies for height, vision triangle, and overlay districts.

Napa Municipal Code 17.52.170 governs fence height and visibility but does not impose a closed list of allowed residential fence materials. Wood, vinyl, ornamental metal, masonry, and chain link are all permitted subject to height, vision triangle, and overlay district rules. Barbed and razor wire are restricted to non-residential and agricultural uses.

Napa's Municipal Code does not require neighbor consent to build a fence. Boundary fence cost-sharing follows California Civil Code Section 841 — the Good Neighbor Fence Act — which presumes adjoining owners share equally in reasonable costs of construction and maintenance of a fence on the common boundary.

Pool barriers in Napa follow California Health and Safety Code Sections 115921-115929 (the Swimming Pool Safety Act, as amended Jan 1, 2018) and California Building Code Section 3109. New or remodeled pools at single-family homes must have at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features, and any pool enclosure must be at least 60 inches tall.

Pools in Napa must comply with the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (15 USC 8003) for anti-entrapment drain covers, California Electrical Code Article 680 for GFCI and equipotential bonding, and California Health and Safety Code 115921+ for two of seven drowning-prevention features. Public pools also need a county environmental health permit.

Where an enclosure is used to meet California's Pool Safety Act, it must be at least 60 inches high with a maximum 2-inch ground clearance, no openings allowing a 4-inch sphere to pass, no climbable features, and a self-closing, self-latching gate that opens away from the pool with the latch at least 60 inches above the ground.

The City of Napa requires a building permit for any swimming structure deeper than 24 inches — including in-ground, above-ground, and portable pools, hot tubs, and spas. Because of landslide, fault, and flood hazards, in-ground pools also require a geotechnical (soils) report or a signed Soils Report Waiver. Plan review takes about 21 business days.

City of Napa permits ADUs and JADUs on residential lots under Napa Municipal Code Title 17, consistent with California Gov Code §65852.2 (renumbered §66310-66339 by SB 477) and §65852.22. Detached ADUs up to 1,200 sq ft; JADUs to 500 sq ft.

Garage-to-ADU conversions in Napa are ministerial by right under California Gov Code §65852.2 and Napa Municipal Code Title 17. Existing-footprint conversions need no added setback, and the city cannot require replacement parking. Title 24 / CalGreen energy compliance applies.

City of Napa follows California Building Code §105.2 and Napa Municipal Code Title 17. Detached one-story sheds under 120 sq ft are exempt from a building permit but must meet zoning setbacks, height limits, and lot-coverage. Larger sheds need a permit.

Napa adopts the California Fire Code through Title 15 of the Napa Municipal Code. Under California Fire Code Section 307.4.2, recreational fires are limited to 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height, with a 25-foot setback from any structure or combustible material. Recreational burning is also subject to Bay Area Air Quality Management District wood-smoke rules and to CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) declared fire-season restrictions.

Open burning of vegetation, yard waste, or rubbish inside Napa city limits is generally prohibited under the Napa Municipal Code and the California Fire Code adopted through Title 15. Any burning in unincorporated Napa County requires a CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit (LNU) burn permit, must comply with Bay Area Air Quality Management District Regulation 5, and is suspended during fire-season closures and Red Flag Warnings.

Tree removal in the City of Napa is governed by Chapter 12.45 (Trees on Private Property) for Protected Native Trees and Chapter 12.44 (Public Trees and Plants) for street and city trees. Removal of any Protected Native Tree - including Valley Oak, Coast Live Oak, Black Oak, California Bay, or Black Walnut at 12-inch DBH; Blue Oak at 6-inch DBH; or Coast Redwood at 36-inch DBH - on qualifying lots is prohibited without a permit from the Tree Advisory Commission. Routine removal of dead, diseased, or hazardous trees that are not Protected Natives generally does not require a Napa permit. Street-tree removal requires Public Works/Parks and Recreation Services approval.

Water restrictions in the City of Napa are codified in Chapter 13.09 (Water Conservation Regulations) and Chapter 13.10 (Water Shortage Regulations) of the Municipal Code. Permanent rules prohibit irrigation between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., irrigation during rain or within 48 hours after measurable rainfall, runoff onto pavement, hosing driveways or sidewalks with potable water, and washing vehicles without a shutoff nozzle, and require leak repair within 30 days. Stage-based shortage regulations may limit outdoor irrigation to two days per week (odd addresses Tuesday and Friday, even addresses Monday and Thursday). California Water Code §365 et seq. and State Water Board emergency regulations control statewide drought declarations.

Tree trimming in the City of Napa is governed by Chapter 12.44 (Public Trees and Plants) for street and city trees and Chapter 12.45 (Trees on Private Property) for Protected Native Trees and Significant Trees. Pruning a Protected Native Tree branch larger than four inches in diameter, or removing more than 10% of live foliage in any one-year period, requires a permit from the Director of Parks and Recreation Services. Street-tree pruning requires a permit from Parks and Recreation Services at 1500 Jefferson Street. California follows common-law self-help for trimming a neighbor's overhanging branches to the property line.