California / Sacramento County
Fence Permit in Sacramento County, California
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before building or replacing a fence taller than 7 feet, and before building any block, masonry, stone, concrete or stucco wall over 4 feet tall measured from the bottom of the footing.
Issued bySacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
These rules cover UNINCORPORATED Sacramento County only. The incorporated cities of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights run their own building departments, as do Galt and Isleton, and the county's rules do not apply inside them. In the unincorporated county a fence needs a building permit once it exceeds 7 feet in height, in any material: the division's fence guideline names wood, wrought iron, chain-link and vinyl. A masonry wall is treated as a separate thing and crosses into permit territory much lower, at over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing.
Typical threshold: fence height, measured from the grade on the right-of-way side when the fence sits within 5 feet of the public right-of-way and otherwise from the highest grade on either side.
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When a permit is usually needed
Before building or replacing a fence taller than 7 feet, and before building any block, masonry, stone, concrete or stucco wall over 4 feet tall measured from the bottom of the footing.
What a fence permit costs in Sacramento County
How Sacramento County compares in California
Across the California jurisdictions we have verified, the same threshold runs from 6 to 7, so a project that is exempt here may still need a permit one county over.
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | It depends | Permit exemption height limit: 7 feet for fences of light materials, 5 feet 9 inches for fences of concrete, masonry, or similar heavy materials |
| Contra Costa County | It depends | height of a fence, with concrete and masonry walls treated as walls rather than fences |
| Fresno County | It depends | Fences not over 7 feet high are on the county's published list of work exempt from a building permit |
| Los Angeles | It depends | masonry or concrete fence up to 6 ft in height may be built without a permit if it meets LADBS construction specifications in IB-P-BC2014-080; a solid masonry infill panel between pilasters may not exceed 3 ft 6 in with lightweight open material filling the remaining height; non-masonry fence height threshold not confirmed from official page |
| Sacramento Countythis page | It depends | fence height, measured from the grade on the right-of-way side when the fence sits within 5 feet of the public right-of-way and otherwise from the highest grade on either side |
| San Bernardino County | It depends | height of a fence or block wall |
| Santa Clara County | It depends | fence height at which the County Residential Code permit exemption stops applying |
Closest fence permit thresholds outside California
Jurisdictions we cover whose limit sits nearest Sacramento County's 7 feet in height.
- Aurora, Colorado, fence height at which a building permit is required
- Boise, Idaho, fence height
- Corpus Christi, Texas, Fences taller than 7 feet in height need a building permit; fences 7 feet or less in height are on the city's published exemption list.
- Detroit, Michigan, fence height, for a fence outside a Special Review District
How to apply in Sacramento County
In Sacramento County, most residential fences fall under the model code's 7-foot building-permit exemption, so the real approval step is a lightweight zoning or land-use permit built around a simple site plan showing the fence's location, height, and material, checked against setbacks and any corner-lot sight-triangle rule. A fence that will serve as a required swimming-pool barrier is the exception, since barrier fences carry life-safety requirements of their own.
What most fence permit applications include:
- For Sacramento County, a fence 7 feet or under is exempt from the model code's building permit, the same threshold the IRC uses for other small projects (IRC 2021 R105.2).
- That exemption only removes the building-code permit. It does not authorize skipping a jurisdiction's own zoning approval, which is why an exempt fence can still need its own land-use or zoning permit rather than a building permit (IRC 2021 R105.2).
- Whatever your jurisdiction calls that approval, the application centers on a basic site plan: a drawing of the property showing the fence's location, height, and material, and how it relates to the property lines (common local zoning practice).
- For Sacramento County, the same plan is checked against required setbacks and, on corner lots or near intersections, a sight-triangle rule that caps fence height so it does not block sightlines for drivers (common local zoning practice).
- For Sacramento County, a fence that will serve as a required swimming-pool barrier is handled as life-safety work rather than the light zoning process, and at least one state's adopted residential code requires a building permit for barrier fences regardless of the general fence exemption (Oregon Residential Specialty Code 2021, R101.2.2).
General submittal guidance from International Residential Code (IRC), 2021 edition, Section R105.2. Source. Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division sets the exact checklist for Sacramento County.
Where to apply in Sacramento County:
Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division
- Building Assistance Center, 9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827
- Phone: 916-875-5296
- Email: rudolphr@saccounty.gov
Fence Permit in Sacramento County compared with nearby California localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each California schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento County | It depends | fence height, measured from the grade on the right-of-way side when the fence sits within 5 feet of the public right-of-way and otherwise from the highest grade on either side | See schedule | |
| Alameda County | It depends | Permit exemption height limit: 7 feet for fences of light materials, 5 feet 9 inches for fences of concrete, masonry, or similar heavy materials | ...using the Schedule A building permit fee table, which starts at a '$140.00 minimum... | |
| Contra Costa County | It depends | height of a fence, with concrete and masonry walls treated as walls rather than fences | ..."Fences Greater than 7ft": Building Permit / Inspection, chain-link or wood $116.00... | |
| Fresno County | It depends | Fences not over 7 feet high are on the county's published list of work exempt from a building permit | The Master Schedule of Fees publishes no flat fence permit fee | |
| Los Angeles | It depends | masonry or concrete fence up to 6 ft in height may be built without a permit if it meets LADBS construction specifications in IB-P-BC2014-080; a solid masonry infill panel between pilasters may not exceed 3 ft 6 in with lightweight open material filling the remaining height; non-masonry fence height threshold not confirmed from official page | Valuation-based building permit per LAMC 91.113 Table 1-A |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Sacramento County, inspection follows the permit: a fence that never needed one gets no inspection at all under the model code, and a permitted fence typically gets a single final check rather than the staged inspections used for a house. The exception is a fence serving as a swimming-pool barrier, which gets its own dedicated barrier inspection covering height, gaps, and gate hardware.
- In Sacramento County: inspection duty attaches only to work for which a permit is required, so a fence that qualified for the permit exemption carries no inspection obligation under the model code (IRC 2021 R109.1).
- In Sacramento County: where a fence permit was issued, the process skips the staged foundation, frame, and rough-in inspections used for buildings and goes straight to one final inspection once the fence is finished (IRC 2021 R109.1.6).
- In Sacramento County: that single check is typically a zoning compliance inspection rather than a structural review, confirming the fence matches the approved height and site plan (common local practice).
- A fence built as a swimming-pool barrier breaks that light-touch pattern in Sacramento County: it is separately inspected for barrier compliance, commonly required before the pool itself can be signed off (ISPSC 305; local pool-barrier inspection programs).
- In Sacramento County: that barrier inspection checks dimensional rules from the swimming pool and spa code rather than ordinary fence rules, including the minimum 48 inch barrier height and limits on openings and gaps a young child could pass through (ISPSC 305).
- Gate hardware is inspected too in Sacramento County: a self-closing, self-latching gate is part of the barrier requirement, since an unlatched gate defeats the fence's purpose as a barrier (ISPSC 305).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Sacramento County permit portal or by phone at 916-875-5296.
Inspection sequence from International Residential Code (IRC), 2021 edition, Section R109, and ISPSC 2021 Section 305 (barriers). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Fence Permit checklist for Sacramento County
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: fence height, measured from the grade on the right-of-way side when the fence sits within 5 feet of the public right-of-way and otherwise from the highest grade on either side. Usually needed: Before building or replacing a fence taller than 7 feet, and before building any block, masonry, stone, concrete or stucco wall over 4 feet tall measured from the bottom of the footing.
- Budget the fee. No fence line item is published. Sacramento County posts no building permit fee schedule PDF; its Fees and Exactions page links "Permit Fees" to Sacramento County Code Chapter 16.90, Construction Permit Fees, on ecode360, which returns HTTP 403 to automated requests, so no dollar figures were transcribed. Fees are calculated and paid in the Accela Citizen Access portal at application, plus the Technology (IT) Cost Recovery Fee under County Code Section 16.140.010. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Sacramento County, most residential fences fall under the model code's 7-foot building-permit exemption, so the real approval step is a lightweight zoning or land-use permit built around a simple site plan showing the fence's location, height, and material, checked against setbacks and any corner-lot sight-triangle rule. A fence that will serve as a required swimming-pool barrier is the exception, since barrier fences carry life-safety requirements of their own. Start at the Sacramento County permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division. Phone: 916-875-5296. Address: Building Assistance Center, 9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827.
- Plan for inspections. In Sacramento County, inspection follows the permit: a fence that never needed one gets no inspection at all under the model code, and a permitted fence typically gets a single final check rather than the staged inspections used for a house. The exception is a fence serving as a swimming-pool barrier, which gets its own dedicated barrier inspection covering height, gaps, and gate hardware.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a fence permit in Sacramento County?
- These rules cover UNINCORPORATED Sacramento County only. The incorporated cities of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights run their own building departments, as do Galt and Isleton, and the county's rules do not apply inside them. In the unincorporated county a fence needs a building permit once it exceeds 7 feet in height, in any material: the division's fence guideline names wood, wrought iron, chain-link and vinyl. A masonry wall is treated as a separate thing and crosses into permit territory much lower, at over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing. Fence height, measured from the grade on the right-of-way side when the fence sits within 5 feet of the public right-of-way and otherwise from the highest grade on either side. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a fence permit cost in Sacramento County?
- No fence line item is published. Sacramento County posts no building permit fee schedule PDF; its Fees and Exactions page links "Permit Fees" to Sacramento County Code Chapter 16.90, Construction Permit Fees, on ecode360, which returns HTTP 403 to automated requests, so no dollar figures were transcribed. Fees are calculated and paid in the Accela Citizen Access portal at application, plus the Technology (IT) Cost Recovery Fee under County Code Section 16.140.010. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a fence permit in Sacramento County?
- You can apply through the Sacramento County permit portal or contact the Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a fence permit themselves in Sacramento County?
- Under California law (Business & Professions Code 7044(a)-(b); Business & Professions Code 7031.5): California exempts an owner from contractor licensing under section 7044 when they personally perform all the work on their own property, or any work they do not perform themselves is done by their own employees paid only wages, and none of the improvements are intended or offered for sale. It also exempts an owner who directly contracts with licensed contractors for each trade, as long as no more than four of the single-family residential structures involved are intended or offered for sale in a calendar year; this route does not apply if the owner instead contracts with a general contractor for the construction. A homeowner may also improve their own principal residence without a license, as long as the work is done before any sale, they have actually resided there for the 12 months before completion, and they have not used this exemption on more than two structures more than once in any three-year period. Selling a self-built structure within one year of completion creates a rebuttable presumption that it was built for sale, which defeats the exemption, and selling five or more structures within a year makes that presumption conclusive. Separately, every city or county that requires a permit must also require the applicant to file a signed statement giving their contractor license number or the basis of their claimed exemption; a false or missing statement carries a civil penalty of up to $500. Confirm how Sacramento County applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Sacramento County
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | deck area, where the deck is also no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, is not attached to a dwelling, and does not serve a required exit door | See schedule |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Patio Permit | It depends | floor area of a detached, not fully enclosed patio cover, pergola, arbor or trellis that is also no taller than 12 feet and stands 5 feet or more from the property line | See schedule |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Pool Permit | It depends | depth of water the structure holds; the permit exemption is limited to prefabricated pools | See schedule |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a one-story detached structure designed for storage with no electrical or plumbing installed | See schedule |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | See schedule |
Fence Permit in other California localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Sacramento County documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this fence permit page for Sacramento County was verified. 2 official sources: development.saccounty.gov, development.saccounty.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Sacramento County Community Development, Building Permits and Inspection Division. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Fence Permit requirements across California localities