Do you need a permit for a fence in Los Angeles?
It depends on the project. Los Angeles exempts some fences from a building permit and requires one for the rest1; the exemption's limit is 10 feet (for fences other than masonry or concrete, and not pool barriers), with the conditions in the city's wording below.
On this page
Depends on size or scope
Los Angeles's rule“Masonry or concrete fences not over 3-1/2 feet high, and other fences, other than swimming pool barriers, not over 10 feet high.”1
City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Municipal Code, hosted by American Legal Publishing), LAMC 91.106.2 item 13
Which permits you need
| Permit | Required when | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Masonry/concrete fences over 3-1/2 ft; other fences over 10 ft; any swimming pool barrier fence | Masonry or concrete fences not over 3-1/2 feet high, and other fences, other than swimming pool barriers, not over 10 feet high.1 |
Limits and conditions in Los Angeles's rule
Each limit sits next to the sentence it comes from; the conditions in that sentence are part of the rule.
| Rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt up to this height | 10 feet, for fences other than masonry or concrete, and not pool barriers | Masonry or concrete fences not over 3-1/2 feet high, and other fences, other than swimming pool barriers, not over 10 feet high.1 |
| Masonry or concrete fences exempt up to | 3.5 feet, for masonry or concrete fences | Masonry or concrete fences not over 3-1/2 feet high, and other fences, other than swimming pool barriers, not over 10 feet high.1 |
| Exempt up to this project value (the wording covers all work under this value) | $2,500 | Work regulated by this Code that is valued at $2,500 or less, unless it impacts the structural stability of a building, affects public safety, is performed to comply with a Department order, or involves a change in the use or occupancy.1 |
Zoning rules: separate from the building permit
A project can be exempt from one and still need the other (zoning vs building permits).
| Zoning rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Zoning approval needed even without a building permit? | Yes: exemption from building permit does not authorize violations of other City ordinances (e.g. zoning) | Exemptions from permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances of the City of Los Angeles.1 |
| Maximum height in side and rear yards | Chapter 1A parcels: over 8 ft next to non-Industrial/Public lots needs a Class 1 Conditional Use Permit | LAMC Section 4C.7.2.C.1. (Side/Rear Yard Fences & Walls) of Chapter 1A requires a Class 1 Conditional Use Permit for fences, walls, and hedges more than 8 feet in height – or more than 2 feet greater than a minimum height of more than 8 feet - when adjacent to a lot zoned with a Use District other than Industrial or Public Uses.2 |
What to submit
- Site plan (plot) with each permit application1
Who can apply
Fence permit fees in Los Angeles
Fee lines as Los Angeles's schedule states them. A minimum or base fee is not the whole price when the line says the fee grows with project value.
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit fee | Based on project valuation | As shown in Table No. 1-A for the total value of all construction work4 |
All of Los Angeles's fee lines are on the Los Angeles permit page.
Inspections
Special areas and extra reviews
- Swimming pool barrier fences are excluded from the fence-height exemption (LAMC 91.106.2 item 13)1
Who to ask
Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS)8
Building permits
- Website
- dbs.lacity.gov6
- Apply online
- permitla.lacitydbs.org3
- Phone
- 311 (within the City); (213) 473-3231 (outside Los Angeles)6
- Address
- 201 N. Figueroa St. (Express Permit, Records, Plan Check) and 221 N. Figueroa St. (Inspection), Los Angeles, CA 900127
- Inspections
- Request online (LADBS Online Services, service=rfi) or via 311; one day in advance before 2 PM; inspections weekdays 7 AM-3:30 PM3
Fence permit rules in other cities
Rules differ from city to city. Compare Los Angeles with 18 other cities on the national fence permit guide, or go straight to one:
- New York City, NY
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- Dallas, TX
- Fort Worth, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Philadelphia, PA
- Austin, TX
Sources
- SEC. 91.106. PERMITS. (LAMC Ch. IX, Art. 1, Div. 1)City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Municipal Code, hosted by American Legal Publishing)Checked November 7, 2026
- Fences and Walls, Chapter 1A Zoning (form CP13-2075.1.A)City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles City PlanningRevised January 27, 2025Checked November 6, 2026
- Homeowner Step-By-Step | LADBSCity of Los Angeles, Department of Building and Safety (LADBS)Checked November 7, 2026
- SEC. 91.107. FEES. (LAMC Ch. IX, Art. 1, Div. 1)City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Municipal Code, hosted by American Legal Publishing)Checked November 6, 2026
- SEC. 91.109. CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY (page also renders SEC. 91.108 INSPECTION)City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Municipal Code, hosted by American Legal Publishing)Checked November 7, 2026
- Building & Safety | City Directory | lacity.govCity of Los Angeles (lacity.gov City Directory)Checked November 7, 2026
- Metro (Downtown) | LADBSCity of Los Angeles, Department of Building and Safety (LADBS)Checked November 6, 2026
- Ordinance No. 188797 (Council File 25-1217): amending LAMC Chapter IX to incorporate the 2025 California Building…City of Los Angeles, Office of the City Clerk (Council File 25-1217)Adopted December 24, 2025Checked November 7, 2026