What's Required in San Diego
- No building permit for fences of 7 ft or less that are not pool barriers (SDMC 129.0203(a)(2))
- Solid fences on the front or street-side property line: 3 ft maximum, rising to 6 ft at the setback line
- Open fences (35 percent open to light, 75 percent in the Coastal Overlay Zone): 6 ft at the front line rising to 9 ft at the setback line
- Side and rear yard fences may reach 9 ft; everything above 6 ft must be open (SDMC 142.0310(d))
- Fences in visibility areas at corners and driveways: 3 ft maximum
- Fences over 7 ft need a permit with plans and calculations by a California-licensed design professional (IB 222)
- Retaining walls over 3 ft measured from the top of the footing, or supporting a surcharge, need a building permit
- Designated historical resources and historic districts require historical review even for exempt fences
- No part of a fence may enter the public right-of-way without a Public Right-of-Way Permit
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Fence in San Diego?
Almost never. San Diego Municipal Code section 129.0203(a)(2) exempts fences, other than swimming pool barriers, that are 7 feet in height or less from a building permit, and the Development Services Department (DSD) handout repeats it: fences up to seven feet tall do not require a permit. Retaining walls are a separate line: exempt only at 3 feet or less measured from the top of the footing, and never when they hold back a surcharge. The exemption also disappears on a designated historical resource, in a historic district, or on a lot with environmentally sensitive lands, and no part of a fence may cross the property line into the public right-of-way without a Public Right-of-Way Permit.
What trips people up is zoning, which applies whether or not a permit does. Under section 142.0310, a solid fence on the front or street-side property line is capped at 3 feet, rising along a line to 6 feet at the setback line; an open fence (at least 35 percent open to light, 75 percent in the Coastal Overlay Zone) may be 6 feet at the property line rising to 9 feet; a chain-link fence on the front line is capped at 3 feet; anything in a visibility area at a driveway or corner is capped at 3 feet. In required side and rear yards a fence may reach 9 feet, but every part above 6 feet must be open. Outside required yards a residential fence may be 10 feet. Up to 30 percent of a fence's length may exceed these limits by 6 inches.
San Diego Fence Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wood, vinyl, chain-link or block fence 7 ft or less, not a pool barrier | None | SDMC 129.0203(a)(2); DSD handout |
| Solid fence on the front or street-side property line | None, but 3 ft maximum at the line, 6 ft at the setback line | SDMC 142.0310(c)(1) |
| Side or rear yard fence between 6 and 9 ft | None; the part above 6 ft must be an open fence | SDMC 142.0310(d) |
| Fence over 7 ft | Building permit with engineered plans and calculations | SDMC 129.0203(a)(2); IB 222; IB 501 Table 501C |
| Fence serving as a swimming pool barrier | Permit with the pool; 60 in minimum, self-closing gate | SDMC 129.0203(a)(2); Health and Safety Code 115923 |
| Retaining wall over 3 ft from top of footing, or holding a surcharge | Building permit | SDMC 129.0203(a)(5); DSD handout |
| Fence on a designated historical resource or in a historic district | Historical review before work | SDMC 129.0203(a); IB 581 |
How Much Does a Fence Permit Cost in San Diego?
Zero for the fence most people build. A fence over 7 feet is priced on Information Bulletin 501, Table 501C: plan check $2,031.00 for the first 100 linear feet plus $970.52 for each additional 100 feet, and inspection $529.71 plus $353.13 per additional 100 feet, with fences of varying height billed at the greatest height. Plan-reviewed projects also pay the $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee once at application and a $12.16 mapping fee. A 100-foot fence over 7 feet is therefore about $2,031.00 + $529.71 + $737.00 + $12.16 = $3,309.87; 200 linear feet is about $4,634. A fence built to a City standard drawing is a cheaper line, $1,148.29 plan check and $353.13 inspection per 100 feet. State fees and a $17.11 collection charge are added at issuance.
Building to the City Standard
Information Bulletin 222 gives prescriptive designs for wood, chain-link, vinyl and masonry fences of 7 feet or less that carry only their own weight: wood posts in 12-inch concrete footings that get deeper with height, from 2 feet 3 inches under a 3-foot fence to 3 feet 6 inches under a 7-foot fence, 8-inch block with a 3-foot footing and four #4 bars for a 7-foot masonry fence. Fences built to those designs are exempt from permitting and are not inspected. Fences that are not exempt must be designed by a California-licensed design professional and submitted with plans and calculations; those in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone or brush management zone may need fire-resistive materials.
Who Files and How Long It Takes
A permitted fence is filed online as a Building Construction application by a licensed contractor or by the owner with the Owner-Builder Verification Form DS-3042. IB 100 lists fences among single-dwelling Short projects, with estimated due dates of 8 business days for the first review and 6 for a recheck.
How to Get a Fence Permit in San Diego
Measure and place the fence
At 7 ft or less and not a pool barrier, no building permit is needed. Check which yard it sits in, because 3, 6 and 9 ft caps apply by location.
Check the lot on ZAPP
Look for a historic designation, the Coastal Overlay Zone, a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone or brush management zone; each changes the rules.
Build to IB 222 if exempt
Use the bulletin's post footing depths and masonry table; no city inspection is required for exempt fences.
File online if over 7 ft
Submit a Building Construction application on the DSD portal with engineered plans, calculations, DS-345 and DS-3042 if owner-built; first review is estimated at 8 business days.
Pay fees and inspect
Plan check and the $737.00 General Plan Maintenance Fee are due before review; inspection fees are invoiced at issuance and inspections are scheduled online or at 858-581-7111.