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

Vacaville has no special neighbor-fence ordinance - California Civil Code 841 (the 2014 Good Neighbor Fence Act) governs shared boundary fences. Adjoining landowners are presumed to share equally in the cost of construction and maintenance. The party seeking to build or replace must give 30 days' written notice with a description of the work, cost estimate, and proposed cost-sharing.

Vacaville follows the California Building Code as adopted in VMC Title 15 - fences 7 feet tall or less are typically exempt from a building permit under CBC 105.2 (item 2). Fences over 7 feet, masonry/retaining walls over 4 feet from the bottom of footing, and pool barriers always require a building permit through the Vacaville Building Division. A zoning compliance review still applies even when no building permit is required.

Vacaville Municipal Code 14.09.200 (General Site Regulations) caps residential fences at 6 feet outside required setbacks and 3 feet within 5 feet of the back of sidewalk or a front property line. Nonresidential districts allow up to 8 feet on interior/rear lines and 6 feet on street-side corner setbacks, with front yards limited to 3 feet.

Vacaville Municipal Code 14.09.200 permits standard fence materials including wood, masonry, brick, wrought iron, and vinyl. Barbed wire, razor wire, ultra-barrier, electrified, and other hazardous fencing is prohibited unless required by law or another public agency. Front-yard fencing must remain at least 50% see-through where over 3 feet under typical residential standards.

Vacaville enforces California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115921-115929) and California Building Code Section 3109. Every new or remodeled in-ground pool requires at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features. The enclosure must be at least 60 inches (5 feet) tall with no more than 4 inches of clearance at the bottom and self-closing/self-latching gates.

Vacaville pools must comply with the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (15 USC 8001) for anti-entrapment drain covers, the California Pool Safety Act for barriers/alarms, and California Code of Regulations Title 22 (CalCode) for any public pool. Pool chemical storage falls under VMC Title 15 fire-code adoption and California Fire Code Chapter 60.

Vacaville requires a building permit for any in-ground pool or spa, and for above-ground pools deeper than 18 inches or holding more than 5,000 gallons. Permits are issued by the Vacaville Building Division (650 Merchant Street) through the eTRAKiT online portal and include structural, electrical, plumbing, and gas plan review and final inspection.

Vacaville requires every new or substantially remodeled pool or spa to incorporate at least two of seven Pool Safety Act features under Health & Safety Code 115922, one of which is typically an isolation barrier under CBC 3109.4. The barrier must be at least 60 inches tall, with a gate latch at least 54 inches above the ground, and openings no more than 4 inches.

Vacaville permits ADUs and JADUs ministerially under VMC 14.09.122 in conformance with California Government Code 66310 et seq. (renumbered from 65852.2 effective 2024). ADU maximum size scales with the primary dwelling: 850 sq ft if primary is up to 1,700 sq ft, 1,000 sq ft if primary is up to 2,000 sq ft, and 1,200 sq ft (or 50% of primary if larger) otherwise. ADUs cannot be used for short-term rentals under 31 days.

Vacaville permits conversion of an existing attached or detached garage into an ADU under VMC 14.09.122 and California Government Code 66320(a)(1). No replacement parking is required (Gov. Code 66321(a)(2)). State default 4-foot side and rear setbacks apply for new construction within the existing garage footprint. Building permits and Title 24 energy compliance are required.

Vacaville sheds 120 square feet or smaller are exempt from a building permit under California Building Code 105.2(1) as adopted in VMC Title 15. Larger sheds require a building permit. All accessory structures must comply with VMC 14.09.200 zoning setbacks - typically 5 feet from side and rear lines and behind the front building line, with no electrical or plumbing for the permit exemption.

Vacaville adopts the 2022 California Fire Code through Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 15.20.270 et seq. (Fire Code of the City of Vacaville). Recreational fires under CFC Section 307.4.2 may be no more than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet tall, must be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, and only clean firewood may be burned. The Vacaville Fire Department enforces these rules and may order any fire extinguished.

Open burning of vegetation, yard waste, or rubbish inside Vacaville City limits is unlawful under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.04 unless the Fire Chief has issued written permission. The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District also regulates outdoor burning regionally and prohibits all burning on declared 'Don't Light Tonight' no-burn days. Most residential yard-waste burning is effectively banned.

Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 13.20 (Water Conservation) prohibits runoff, overspray, and using potable water to wash hardscape without a shutoff nozzle. Violations carry fines up to $500. The City also enforces a Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) at VMC Section 14.27 implementing California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance under California Code of Regulations Title 23 Section 490 et seq.

Vacaville Municipal Code Section 14.09.250.060 prohibits removing or destroying any tree six inches or more in diameter at breast height (DBH) on public or private property without a Tree Removal Permit issued by the Director of Community Development. The application takes a minimum of 21 days, requires arborist information where applicable, and may require replacement trees as a condition of approval.

Vacaville Municipal Code Section 14.09.250.060 protects all trees with a diameter at breast height of six inches or more. Significant pruning that risks destroying the tree requires authorization from the Director of Community Development. Routine maintenance trimming is allowed, but cuts that exceed standard arboricultural practice can trigger a Tree Removal Permit requirement and replacement-tree mitigation.