San Jose does not require permits for fences up to 6 feet in rear/side yards or 3 feet in front yards. Fences 6-7 feet require a building permit. Over 7 feet requires both planning and building permits with plan review.
San Jose's fence permit requirements are based on height and location. Front yard fences up to 3 feet require no permit. Side and rear yard fences up to 6 feet require no permit. Fences between 6 and 7 feet in side/rear yards require a building permit. Fences over 7 feet require both a planning permit and a building permit with full plan review. Retaining walls under 4 feet (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) do not require a permit unless they retain a surcharge or are impounding Class I, II, or III-A liquids. When a fence is placed on top of a retaining wall, the combined height is measured from the lower grade. Pool barrier fences must meet California Building Code §3109. The city's Fence & Retaining Wall Requirements bulletin provides detailed guidance. Permit fees vary based on project valuation.
Non-permitted fences exceeding height limits: notice of violation and administrative citation. May be required to reduce height or remove.
San Jose, CA
San Jose Municipal Code Title 7 (Animal Care and Control) requires dogs in public places, city parks, and trails to be on a leash no longer than six feet, re...
San Jose, CA
San Jose imposes no general restriction on year-round lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private residential property. The sign code (SJMC Ch...
San Jose, CA
San Jose has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Size, height, and motor noise are not restricted by the munic...
San Jose, CA
San Jose has no ordinance limiting the duration, brightness, or hours of residential holiday lighting. The general nuisance provisions in SJMC Title 6 and th...
San Jose, CA
A built-in outdoor kitchen in San Jose typically requires multiple permits: a building permit for any structural roof or counter exceeding the patio cover ex...
San Jose, CA
San Jose does not have a dedicated ordinance for backyard smokers, pellet grills, or wood-fired ovens. Use is governed by the multifamily balcony restriction...
See how San Jose's fence permits rules stack up against other locations.
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