Fullerton, CA Landscaping Rules: Grass Height Limits (2026)

Fullerton does not publish a routine 'lawn-mowing' code, but it does have an enforceable grass / weed height limit through its Weed and Rubbish Abatement chapter, FMC Chapter 13.18, and through the Code Enforcement Division's Residential Code program. The Code Enforcement Division states publicly that the Municipal Code 'requires residents to keep their property free of accumulations of trash, debris and weeds which can attract rats, insects and other vermin, and can pose a health and safety hazard for the neighborhood,' and identifies 'weeds or grass in excess of twelve (12) inches in height' as overgrown vegetation constituting a violation, along with vegetation that is 'overgrown, dead, decayed, or diseased or which is likely to harbor rats, vermin, insects, or other nuisances which are dangerous to the public health, safety or general welfare.' Under FMC 13.18.010, the Weed Abatement Official is the Fire Chief (or designee), and 'Rubbish' is defined to include trimmings, clippings, and cuttings from lawns, shrubs, and trees, in addition to refuse, waste, garbage, and construction-type debris. FMC 13.18.020 declares the maintenance of these conditions a public nuisance, and subsequent sections (13.18.030 et seq.) provide for duty to remove, notice, contractor abatement, and recovery of costs as a lien against the property. Fullerton's annual brush- and weed-abatement notice goes out before fire season; properties on the program list must abate by the published deadline or the City's contractor performs the work at the owner's expense.