Fence height rules in Manhattan Beach, California
In Manhattan Beach residential zones, fences, walls and hedges can be up to 42 inches tall in the required front yard and 6 feet tall in required side and rear yards. Extra height up to 8 feet is possible in some cases, such as with written approval from the abutting neighbor, and fences near driveways and on corner lots must keep sight lines clear.
| Max height, required front yard | 42 inches [1] |
| Max height, required side and rear yards | 6 ft [1] |
| Extra height with abutting owner's written approval | Up to 8 ft total [3] |
| Driveway visibility zone | Clear between 3 and 9 ft high, 5 ft deep from street line [4] |
| Front-yard architectural screen walls (Area Districts I and II) | Up to 6 ft 6 in, at least 14 ft back from front line [5] |
| Barbed wire | Requires a City Council permit [6] |
Height limits
The maximum height of a fence, wall or hedge is 6 feet in required side and rear yards and 42 inches in the required front yard [1]. Height is measured from the lower adjacent finished grade, which can be your neighbor's grade, to the top, including attachments [2]. If there are two fences or walls in the same yard, any part of the higher one that projects above a 45-degree plane from the top of the lower one counts toward the lower one's height.
Going above 6 feet
Where a 6-foot fence is allowed, extra height is permitted if one of these applies:
- it's required for safety by the Building Official, is mostly open vertical railing, and the total doesn't exceed 11 feet;
- the extra part slopes inward at 30 to 45 degrees, the total stays at or under 8 feet, and it stays 3 feet from any building; or
- each abutting property owner approves it in writing, with a total of no more than 8 feet and no more than 12 feet including adjacent retaining walls [3].
Front yards
In Area Districts I and II, architectural screen walls up to 6 feet 6 inches may go in the front yard if set at least 14 feet back from the front lot line, outside the side setback, and spanning no more than half the lot width [5].
Sight lines
All fences, walls and hedges must meet driveway visibility rules: the view across a driveway at the street line must be clear between 3 and 9 feet in height for 5 feet back from the street line [4]. Corner lots in Area Districts I and II also have to meet the traffic vision clearance rules in Chapter 3.40, which we didn't review.
Permits and materials
Barbed wire fences need a written permit from the City Council, applied for through the City Clerk [6]. The zoning code doesn't require a zoning permit for an ordinary fence or set rules on materials or which side faces out. Pool fences are governed by the building code (Title 9, Chapter 48). In the Coastal Zone, fences between the sea and the first public road may need a coastal development permit.
See how Manhattan Beach compares with 8+ other California towns on fences →
Next steps
- Measure the required front, side and rear yards for your Area District and keep the fence to 42 in. in front and 6 ft at sides and rear.
- If you want more than 6 ft, get each abutting owner's written approval (or meet the safety-railing or inward-slope options) and confirm with the Planning Division.
- Keep the driveway visibility triangle clear, and on a corner lot ask the Planning Division about Chapter 3.40 vision clearance.
- For walls or retaining walls, ask the Building and Safety Division (see the city website for contact details) whether a building permit is needed.
Common questions
- How tall can a fence be in Manhattan Beach, California?
- Fences, walls and hedges can be up to 42 inches tall in the required front yard and 6 feet tall in required side and rear yards.
- Can I build a fence taller than 6 feet in Manhattan Beach, California?
- Extra height up to 8 feet is possible in some cases, such as with written approval from the abutting neighbor.
- Are there sight line rules for fences near driveways in Manhattan Beach, California?
- Yes. Fences near driveways and on corner lots must keep sight lines clear.
- Can I use barbed wire in Manhattan Beach, California?
- Barbed wire requires a City Council permit.
California state rules on fences
Fence height, location and design are mostly set by your city or county zoning code. A few state rules apply everywhere:
- Building permit: the California Residential Code (R105.2) exempts fences up to 7 feet high from a building permit. Pool barriers are not exempt. Zoning height limits still apply, and many cities cap front-yard fences well below 7 feet. Some cities have amended the exemption.
- Spite fences: under Civil Code §841.4, a fence or fence-like structure that unnecessarily exceeds 10 feet and is maliciously put up or kept to annoy a neighbor is a private nuisance. The neighbor can sue to have it removed.
- Good Neighbor Fence Act (Civil Code §841): since January 1, 2014, neighbors are presumed to share equally the reasonable cost of building, maintaining or replacing a fence between their properties, unless they agree otherwise in writing.
- Before spending money on a shared fence, you must give each neighbor 30 days' written notice. The notice must describe the problem, the proposed fix, the estimated cost, how costs would be shared, and the timeline.
- A neighbor can overcome the presumption in court by showing equal sharing would be unjust, for example because of financial hardship or costs driven by the other owner's aesthetic preferences.
- Pool fences must meet the Swimming Pool Safety Act's barrier standards when used as the pool enclosure (see Pools).
- Coastal zone: a new fence may need a coastal development permit, depending on the local coastal program.
What the ordinance says
- Sec. 10.12.030(P), Municipal Code Title 10 Part II Base District Regulations (Ch. 10.12 Residential Districts; 10.12.020(M) domestic animals)
The maximum height of a fence, wall, or hedge shall be six feet (6′) in required side or rear yards, and forty-two inches (42″) in required front yards.
- Sec. 10.12.030(P), Municipal Code Title 10 Part II Base District Regulations (Ch. 10.12 Residential Districts; 10.12.020(M) domestic animals)
For the purposes of this section, fence/wall/hedge height shall be measured from the lower adjacent finished grade (which may include a neighboring private or public property's grade) to the top of the fence/wall/hedge, including any attachments.
- Sec. 10.12.030(P), Exception 1(c), Municipal Code Title 10 Part II Base District Regulations (Ch. 10.12 Residential Districts; 10.12.020(M) domestic animals)
The additional portion is approved in writing by each owner of property (the City in cases of public right-of-way) abutting the property line along which the fence is located, and provided, further, that such additional portion shall not make the total height of the fence more than eight feet (8′), or the combined height of adjacent neighboring retaining walls and fences more than twelve feet (12′).
- Sec. 10.64.150, Municipal Code Title 10 Part IV Site Regulations (Ch. 10.52 Residential site regs incl. 10.52.050 Accessory structures, 10.52.070 Home occupation; Ch. 10.60 all districts; Ch. 10.74 Accessory Dwelling Units)
Visibility of a driveway crossing a street property line shall not be blocked between a height of three feet (3′) and nine feet (9′) for a depth of five feet (5′) from the street property line as viewed from the edge of the right-of-way on either side of the driveway at a distance of fifteen feet (15′) or at the nearest property line intersecting the street property line, whichever is less.
- Sec. 10.12.030(P), Exception 2, Municipal Code Title 10 Part II Base District Regulations (Ch. 10.12 Residential Districts; 10.12.020(M) domestic animals)
Architectural screen walls not to exceed six feet (6′) six inches (6″) in height may be erected in the required front yard in Area Districts I and II provided that such walls are placed not less than fourteen feet (14′) back from the front lot line and not less than the required setback from the side property line, nor extend for more than one-half (½) the lot width.
- Sec. 9.20.010, Municipal Code Ch. 9.20 Fences (barbed wire permits)
It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, erect, build, permit, or maintain in or upon any real property or premises within the City any barbed wire fence, or any fence any portion of which is composed of barbed wire, without first obtaining a permit in writing from the Council so to do.