Fence Companyin Anaheim, CA
A fence company in Anaheim works to a 3 foot cap on fences, walls and hedges in a required front yard. Side and rear fences reach 8 feet in the zoning table, a wall over 7 feet needs a building permit, and the code contradicts itself on the 8 foot rule, so confirm it with Planning for your lot.
Anaheim fences enclose lots from three eras. About 61 percent of the city's 113,613 housing units date from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, so many backyard fences surround tract lots from those years. The Colony's older bungalow lots were built mainly between 1910 and 1935, and Anaheim Hills lots were graded from 1971 on. Single-family zoning runs from small RS-4 lots to RH-1 hillside lots of at least 43,560 square feet, which is why fence rules change from one street to the next (18.04.020).
On a fence job, MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) surveys the lot, reads the zoning table against your address and keeps the schedule. Licensed subcontractors do the building: a C-13 fencing contractor for wood, vinyl and metal, and a masonry contractor for block, because CSLB's fencing class excludes masonry walls. Our fencing page holds the sourced prices, the Anaheim overview covers the other trades, and cities with different height tables are covered in the guides for Glendale and Pasadena.
What Anaheim's landscaping and screening chapter says about fences and walls
Where fencing permits come from in Anaheim: City of Anaheim Planning and Building Department, Building Division.
- Fences, walls, hedges and berms in a required front yard or the street side yard of a reverse corner lot cannot exceed 3 feet, and Table 46-B bans barbed wire and chain link there in single-family zones; pilasters and light fixtures on a front fence or wall may reach 4 feet if they are at least 8 feet apart on center and pass a line-of-sight review (18.46.110.030 and .060, .0601).
- In the RH-1 and RH-2 hillside zones only, a front yard fence of wrought iron or similar decorative open-work metal (not chain link) may reach 6 feet if the solid portion is no more than 20 percent of the surface and it does not block vehicle or pedestrian sight lines, with pilaster caps, light fixtures and gates up to 8 feet, all subject to the City Traffic and Transportation Manager (18.46.110.060.0602).
- Table 46-B allows fences in required side, rear and interior setbacks up to 8 feet in single-family zones, with a footnote that any wall or fence over 7 feet needs a building permit, and bans barbed wire everywhere plus chain link that is visible from a public right-of-way other than an alley. A separate administrative adjustment (18.62.040.020.0203) also speaks of raising side and rear fence height to 8 feet, so ask Planning whether 8 feet is by right on a given lot.
- Chain link visible from the public right-of-way (alleys excluded) is prohibited except along railroad rights-of-way, for some outdoor storage, around vacant lots, construction sites and abandoned structures, around tennis and similar courts up to 10 feet in rear or side yards (not the street side of a corner lot), between single-family residences, and between industrial properties (18.46.110.050.0501).
- Any vertical extension, maintenance or repair of a fence, wall, hedge or berm that is visible from an arterial highway must match the material, color and design of the section it joins, and one visible from other public streets or non-industrial property must be compatible in material, color and design (18.46.110.130).
- A single-family lot that backs onto an arterial street with alley access and no driveway on the arterial may build a fence or wall up to 6 feet along it with an administrative review, a 3 foot landscaped strip between the wall and the right-of-way and clinging vines to discourage graffiti, and anything over 3 feet at a street intersection needs a line-of-sight review (18.46.110.060.0604).
- Retaining walls and crib walls visible from public rights-of-way, trails or private streets may be 6 feet high (plus another 6 feet if stepped back in at least two 3-foot or three 2-foot tiers with 2 feet between walls and groundcover), never more than 12 feet; those not visible may be 14 feet, measured from the lowest adjacent grade, and visible walls need landscaping and irrigation (18.46.110.120).
- In hillside areas, Chapter 17.06 limits crib and retaining walls to 10 feet, requires a brow ditch and landscaping and irrigation, and requires walls built under a grading permit to be built under a permit from and inspected by the Chief Building Inspector (17.06.044, 17.06.048 and 17.06.070.030). Chapter 18.46 says it prevails if the two chapters conflict.
How tall can a fence be in an Anaheim front yard or on a corner lot?
Three feet. Fences, walls, hedges and berms in a required front yard, or in the street side yard of a reverse corner lot, cannot exceed 3 feet, and Table 46-B bans barbed wire and chain link there in single-family zones. Pilasters and light fixtures on a front fence or wall may rise to 4 feet if they sit at least 8 feet apart on center and pass a line-of-sight review (18.46.110.030 and .060).
Two hillside zones get an exception. In RH-1 and RH-2 only, a front yard fence of wrought iron or similar open-work metal, never chain link, may reach 6 feet when no more than 20 percent of its surface is solid and it does not block sight lines for drivers or pedestrians. Pilaster caps, light fixtures and gates can go to 8 feet, all subject to the City's Traffic and Transportation Manager.
Paving sits next to this rule. Driveways and walkways together may cover no more than 50 percent of the required front setback in every single-family zone, which matters when a new gate and a wider driveway are planned together.
Ask the fence company to mark the required front setback on the proposal drawing, so everyone is measuring the same line.
Can I build an 8 foot fence in my Anaheim backyard, and when is a permit needed?
The zoning table says yes, with a permit above 7 feet. Table 46-B allows fences in required side, rear and interior setbacks up to 8 feet in single-family zones, with a footnote that any wall or fence over 7 feet needs a building permit. The state's model exemption list, as excerpted by the City of Albany, exempts fences up to 7 feet, so 7 feet is where a building permit begins.
The code also contradicts itself. A separate administrative adjustment section (18.62.040.020.0203) speaks of raising side and rear fence height to 8 feet, as though 8 feet were not allowed by right. We cannot tell which reading Planning applies to your lot, so ask Planning in writing before anyone orders panels for a fence taller than 6 feet.
The City's public permit data adds a sense of scale. Between November 1, 2025 and October 31, 2026 it shows one single-family permit for a block wall or columns over 7 feet, an 8 foot perimeter wall, and no single-family permit whose description mentions a fence.
Is chain link allowed in Anaheim, and does a repaired fence have to match?
Chain link is prohibited where it is visible from a public right-of-way other than an alley. The exceptions are railroad rights-of-way, some outdoor storage, vacant lots, construction sites, abandoned structures, courts up to 10 feet in rear or side yards, fences between single-family residences and fences between industrial properties (18.46.110.050.0501). Barbed wire is banned everywhere.
Repairs carry a matching rule. A vertical extension, repair or maintenance of a fence, wall, hedge or berm visible from an arterial highway must match the material, color and design of the section it joins. Where it is visible from other public streets or non-industrial property, it must be compatible in material, color and design (18.46.110.130).
A lot that backs onto an arterial street, with alley access and no driveway on the arterial, may build a fence or wall up to 6 feet along it after an administrative review. The code asks for a 3 foot landscaped strip and clinging vines against graffiti (18.46.110.060.0604). Under Chapter 6.44, a fence in disrepair and graffiti left on a fence for more than 24 hours are public nuisances.
How tall can a retaining wall be in Anaheim, and why do the code sections disagree?
They disagree, and the code says which one wins. Section 18.46.110.120 lets a retaining or crib wall visible from public rights-of-way, trails or private streets reach 6 feet, plus another 6 feet if it is stepped back in at least two 3-foot or three 2-foot tiers with 2 feet between walls and groundcover, and never more than 12 feet. Walls not visible may reach 14 feet, measured from the lowest adjacent grade.
The hillside grading chapter limits crib and retaining walls in hillside areas to 10 feet, asks for a brow ditch and landscaping and irrigation, and puts walls built under a grading permit under a permit from, and inspections by, the Chief Building Inspector (17.06.044, .048 and .070.030). Chapter 18.46 says it prevails if the two conflict. We print both numbers and ask Planning which governs your wall.
The state model list exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet from the bottom of the footing unless they carry a surcharge. The City's permit data lists 8 single-family 'Retaining Walls' permits for the year we counted.
What fence rules apply in the Highlands at Anaheim Hills and near fuel modification areas?
Hillside lots carry rules a flat lot never sees. In the Highlands at Anaheim Hills Specific Plan (SP 87-1), a fence shown on a Planning Commission-approved fencing plan can be moved only with Planning Director approval. It must stay on the same lot, move no more than 30 feet and sit at least 3 feet from a bench drain, and the owner must record a covenant with the Orange County Recorder (18.100.030.035).
Fire planning rides along. Any fuel modification area the Fire Department approved for the lot must keep being planted and maintained, and no combustible material, including pool equipment, decks and furniture, and no grading may sit in the strip between the original fence line and the new one.
Grading rules apply too. A hillside area is land where building-pad grading would cut or fill 3 feet or more, or 5 feet combined, or where the natural slope is 5 to 1 or steeper, and a grading plan is required for cut or fill over 100 cubic yards (17.06.020 and .040).
What fence does an Anaheim swimming pool need?
A pool, pond or other water more than 18 inches deep on private property must be enclosed by a barrier that meets Sections 419 to 421 of the Anaheim Building Code appendix. The pool cannot be plastered or filled until the Building Official finds the rules were met (6.56.010). We did not read those barrier sections, so we state no height or gate specification here.
Anaheim's permit lines are tighter than the state's. A prefabricated above-ground pool is exempt from a permit only if it is under 18 inches deep and holds 5,000 gallons or less, and a new or remodeled single-family pool needs an enclosure plus at least one more of seven drowning-prevention features (15.03.030.040 and 15.03.040.070 and .080). Plan the barrier, the gate hardware and the plaster date together.
How much does fence installation cost in Anaheim?
We found no Anaheim fence price survey, so we use Los Angeles sources. Angi's August 4, 2026 page shows $15 to $60 per foot, and HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr give overlapping ranges. A federal wage survey for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area puts the mean fence erector at $28.00 an hour for May 2025, a labor check rather than a billing rate. We settle on about $25 to $55 per linear foot installed for a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, $35 to $85 for aluminum or ornamental iron and about $2,500 to $5,500 for a 100 foot backyard run. Block walls have no price source we trust, so we print none.
Check the license class before you sign, using our license checking guide. Anaheim's contractor license tax is $125 a year for general contracting and $100 for specialty subcontracting, so ask who holds the City business license. Under California Business and Professions Code 7159, a fence contract's down payment cannot top $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is smaller.
Fence photos from Anaheim and nearby communities
Fencing scenes tied to Anaheim blocks and to nearby places such as Fullerton, Orange, Buena Park and Yorba Linda, from open iron fronts and block walls to stepped hillside runs and pool barriers.
Where these Anaheim fence figures come from
Every fence price and its source sits in the table on our fencing price page, and our guide to how general contractors use subcontractors shows who builds what. A new fence often goes up with other work, and the Anaheim rules for it are on the roofing page, the painting page and the kitchen remodeling page. For a Los Angeles comparison, read the Los Angeles fencing guide.
| What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Wood or vinyl privacy fence, 6 feet | $25 to $55 per linear foot |
| Chain-link | $12 to $30 per linear foot |
| Aluminum or ornamental iron | $35 to $85 per linear foot |
| Typical 100-foot backyard run | $2,500 to $5,500 total |
| Block walls, horizontal slat fences, gates and openers, hillside lots | Set by the written proposal |
Anaheim fence questions, answered
How much does it cost to have 100 feet of fence installed?
Roughly $2,500 to $5,500 for a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, based on our blend of Los Angeles figures from Angi, HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr. Gates, tear-out of the old fence, slopes and block walls move that number, and we found no Anaheim survey, so the written proposal after a site visit is the real price.
Do I need a permit for fence installation in Anaheim?
A building permit is needed above 7 feet. Anaheim's Table 46-B footnote says any wall or fence over 7 feet needs one, and the state list exempts fences up to 7 feet. We could not read the Building Division's handout on when a permit is required, so confirm lower fences with the City.
Can I put a privacy fence in my front yard?
No, not above 3 feet. Fences, walls and hedges in a required front yard are capped at 3 feet, and chain link and barbed wire are banned there. Only the RH-1 and RH-2 hillside zones allow 6 feet of open wrought iron, with no more than 20 percent of the surface solid.
Is an 8 foot privacy fence too high in Anaheim?
Table 46-B allows 8 feet in side and rear setbacks, with a building permit above 7 feet. A separate section speaks of an administrative adjustment up to 8 feet for the same setbacks, so the code does not give one clear answer. Ask Planning whether 8 feet is allowed by right on your lot.
What is the maximum height for hedges in Anaheim?
In a required front yard, 3 feet, the same as fences and walls. The code names hedges and berms along with fences and walls for that cap, with 6 feet of open wrought iron allowed only in the RH-1 and RH-2 hillside zones. We did not read a separate hedge limit for side and rear yards.
Is chain link allowed in Anaheim?
Not where it is visible from a public right-of-way other than an alley, with a short list of exceptions. Those include railroad rights-of-way, vacant lots, construction sites, fences between single-family residences and courts up to 10 feet in rear or side yards. Barbed wire is banned everywhere.
What is the maximum height of a retaining wall without a permit?
The state model list exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing, unless they support a surcharge. Anaheim's own height caps conflict: 6, 12 or 14 feet in the landscaping chapter and 10 feet in hillside areas. Ask the City which governs before you build.
What are the new fence rules in California in 2026?
No statewide change for 2026 could be verified, so we name none. An Anaheim fence is governed locally: the 3 foot front yard cap, the 7 foot permit line, the chain link ban and the hillside wall rules, plus fuel modification rules east of SR-55.
What fence does a swimming pool need in Anaheim?
Water more than 18 inches deep must be enclosed by a barrier meeting Sections 419 to 421 of the Anaheim Building Code appendix, and the pool cannot be plastered or filled until the Building Official signs off. A new single-family pool also needs at least one more of seven drowning-prevention features.
Can you install fences on hillsides or steep slopes in Anaheim Hills?
Yes, but the lot's zone and grading rules apply. Hillside areas fall under Chapter 17.06, which asks for a grading plan above 100 cubic yards and limits retaining walls to 10 feet. In the Highlands plan area, moving an approved fence needs Planning Director approval and a recorded covenant.
Get a fence plan for your Anaheim lot
Send the street, whether the fence is front, side or back, and whether the lot is flat or on a slope. We check the height table, the permit line and any hillside rules before we call back.