Fence Companyin Arcadia, CA
A fence company in Arcadia works within open-work front yards, which the Development Code table appears to cap at 3 feet (confirm with Planning), 6 foot side and rear fences, and design review for new fences. Walls over 18 inches need a building permit, and no wall may stand within 15 feet of a protected oak or sycamore.
Fences in Arcadia are judged on design before they are judged on carpentry. The Census Bureau's 2024 five-year estimates count 20,992 housing units, 56.9 percent of them detached houses, and the Development Code sets R-1 minimum lots of 10,000 and 15,000 square feet, with 7,500 also listed, so many yards are large and visible from the street. Add five homeowners associations with their own Architectural Review Boards and a plain backyard fence has more possible reviewers than in most nearby cities.
On a fence job MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) is the general contractor: we handle the site plan questions, the City and association steps and the schedule, and licensed subcontractors build, a C-13 fence contractor for wood and iron and a masonry contractor for block. The fencing page has the sourced prices, the Arcadia overview lists every trade, and the permit counter is Building Services. Nearby cities handle front yards differently, as Pasadena and El Monte show.
What Arcadia's Development Code, tree chapter and building handouts say about fences
Where fencing permits come from in Arcadia: City of Arcadia Development Services Department, Building Services Division.
- The City's FAQ says walls over 18 inches tall need a building permit, but wood or wrought iron fencing not over 6 feet tall does not. It adds that fences and paving must still meet zoning even when no permit is required, and sends zoning questions to Planning at (626) 574-5423.
- The City's Development Code section on fences, walls and gates (footer December 2016) says construction of new fences, walls and gates is subject to Site Plan and Design Review under Section 9107.19. Heights are measured from the lowest adjacent grade to the top of the fence or wall.
- In the front setback of an R-1 lot, the same section says all fences must be of open-work design with at least four inches between vertical and horizontal members, with at most an eight-inch solid decorative masonry base. A solid wall next to the side property line may be up to three feet high in the front setback, and only one pedestrian gate with decorative columns is allowed.
- The section's front-setback table lists decorative fences, columns and caps at 3 feet maximum for the R-1 column and at least 3 feet back from the property line, with vehicular entry gates and pilasters 4 feet back. The table comes out of the PDF as scattered text, so confirm the figure for the specific zone with Planning; the 3 foot R-1 figure matches the section's flag lot rule of 3 feet in R-1.
- For the R-M zone the table gives 4 feet north of Hugo Reid Drive and 3 feet south of it, and it says fences, walls and vehicular gates are prohibited in front and street-side setbacks in the R-3-R zone. Where a full landscaped parkway has no sidewalk, a fence or columns, excluding vehicular entry gates, may sit next to the front property line.
- Fences, walls and gates in a required side or rear setback may be up to six feet high, provided no part extends into the required front setback, and they may sit on the property line. Where grades differ between lots, a fence up to six feet is allowed beside the property line if it is set back by the difference in grade.
- On a corner lot, a fence, wall or gate in the street-side setback may be up to six feet high measured at the street-side property line, must be set back at least 18 inches, and the strip between it and the property line needs irrigation and decorative landscaping. All fences are also limited by the vehicular visibility standards in Section 9103.01.070.
- On flag lots the section allows a fence in the front setback and driveway area up to four feet in R-M and R-0 and up to three feet in R-1, or up to six feet where the flag lot's front line meets the rear line of the neighboring lot.
Sources for these rules
Does a new fence in Arcadia need a permit, design review or HOA approval?
It can need all three, and the order matters. The City's building permit FAQ says walls over 18 inches tall need a building permit but wood or wrought iron fencing not over 6 feet tall does not, and it adds that fences must still meet zoning even when no permit is required. Separately, the Development Code's fences, walls and gates section says construction of new fences, walls and gates is subject to Site Plan and Design Review under Section 9107.19.
How those two statements combine for a simple replacement fence is not something we could confirm. The Code PDF is footed December 2016 and we did not read Section 9107.19 itself, so call Planning at (626) 574-5423 before ordering lumber. Each of the five recognized homeowners associations also has an Architectural Review Board with design review authority, and the City's HOA page does not list which exterior work each board reviews, so ask yours in writing.
A shared line adds a state rule. California Civil Code section 841 presumes neighbors share the reasonable cost of a boundary fence equally, and an owner planning to spend must give 30 days' written notice with the work, the estimate and the proposed split. Survey stakes beat guessing where the line runs.
Collect Planning's answer and the board's answer by email before the fence company orders anything.
How tall can a front yard fence be in Arcadia?
Short, and open. In the front setback of an R-1 lot the Code requires open-work design with at least four inches between vertical and horizontal members, and it allows no more than an eight-inch solid decorative masonry base. The front-setback table lists decorative fences, columns and caps at 3 feet maximum in the R-1 column and at least 3 feet back from the property line, with vehicular entry gates and pilasters 4 feet back.
Treat the 3 foot figure as a strong lead rather than settled fact. The table comes out of the PDF as scattered text, and the 3 feet matches the Code's flag lot rule for R-1, so ask Planning to confirm it for your zone. A solid wall beside the side property line may rise to three feet in the front setback, and only one pedestrian gate with decorative columns is allowed.
Other zones differ. The R-M table gives 4 feet north of Hugo Reid Drive and 3 feet south of it, and fences, walls and vehicular gates are prohibited in front and street-side setbacks in the R-3-R zone. Where a full landscaped parkway has no sidewalk, a fence or columns, other than vehicular entry gates, may sit next to the front property line.
What is the maximum height for a backyard fence in Arcadia?
Six feet in a required side or rear setback, as long as no part reaches into the required front setback. The Code lets fences, walls and gates sit on the property line there, and where grades differ between lots a fence up to six feet may stand beside the line if it is set back by the difference in grade. Heights are measured from the lowest adjacent grade to the top, so the low side of a sloped line sets the number.
Corner lots have their own line. A fence, wall or gate in the street-side setback may reach six feet measured at the street-side property line, must be set back at least 18 inches, and the strip between it and the property line needs irrigation and decorative landscaping. Every fence is also limited by the vehicular visibility standards in Section 9103.01.070, whose text we did not read.
A 7 foot fence is a common request. The City's FAQ exempts wood or wrought iron fencing up to 6 feet from a building permit, and the zoning section we read stops side and rear fences at 6 feet, so we found nothing that supports 7. Ask Planning if you want to try.
Which fence materials does Arcadia ban, and is vinyl allowed?
The Code prohibits spear-type tops and bans chain link, corrugated fiberglass, bamboo and wire-type fencing, with two exceptions: chain link around sports courts and temporary construction fencing. Temporary chain-link or wire construction fencing up to six feet may stand in front and street-side setbacks, and the FAQ says construction fencing can go up only after the building permit is issued.
Vinyl is not named in the section we read, which makes it a design review question rather than a banned material. That is a reading, not an approval, so get the answer by email, and ask the homeowners association too, since an Architectural Review Board can hold stricter looks than the City. Wood and wrought iron are the two materials the FAQ names in its no-permit list, and an open iron fence is the easiest way to meet the front-yard open-work rule.
Wood needs a termite plan. The University of California's pest management guide says drywood termites are most common in southern California and infest fences, and it advises termite-resistant wood or concrete footers where wood meets soil. Put the lumber grade and the footing type in the proposal.
Can I build a fence or wall near an oak or sycamore in Arcadia?
Not inside the protected zone. The City's Tree Preservation chapter says no building, structure, wall or impervious paving may be located within the protected zone of a protected tree, and the zone is never less than 15 feet from the trunk. Whether a wood fence counts as a structure under that wording is a question for Planning, but a masonry wall plainly counts as a wall.
Protected trees are coast live and Engelmann oaks over 4 inches in trunk diameter, other oaks over 12 inches, western sycamores over 6 inches and other mature trees over 12 inches that stand in a required yard setback. That reaches well past the foothills: a young coast live oak only 4 inches thick counts, and so does a mature sycamore beside a side line.
Footings are the practical problem, because digging post holes or a wall footing cuts roots. Have the fence company mark every protected tree on the site plan and measure from the trunk before any hole is drilled. If the line passes through a zone, ask Planning about a different route or an open design with fewer posts.
Do I need a permit for a block wall or retaining wall in Arcadia?
Yes for any wall over 18 inches, according to the FAQ, which is far below the 6 foot fence line. Building Services posts standard details. Its Garden Wall Standard, an undated scan, covers 6-inch concrete block walls from 2 to 6 feet high; for a 6-foot wall it shows a footing 1 foot 8 inches wide with a T footing or 3 feet with an L footing, #4 bars at 48 inches on center and 2-inch weep holes every 32 inches at grade where needed.
The Retaining Wall standard, also an undated scan, lists heights from 2 feet 8 inches to 6 feet. Its 6-foot wall has a footing 3 feet 6 inches wide, #5 bars at 16 inches on center and a 4-inch perforated drain pipe at the base. Use both sheets as a starting point, and let the plan checker decide, because neither scan carries a date.
Hillsides change the process. The Code says the need for retaining walls and fences on hillsides, and their heights, is decided by the Director and the Building Official through Site Plan Review. Block is masonry, and CSLB's fencing class C-13 excludes masonry walls, so expect a separate masonry subcontractor on any block run.
What does fence installation cost in Arcadia, and how do you pick a fence company?
No Arcadia fence survey turned up, so these are Los Angeles figures. Angi's August 2026 Los Angeles page averages about $29 a linear foot inside a $15 to $60 range, and federal wage data puts fence erectors in the Los Angeles area at a mean of $28.00 an hour for May 2025. Our fencing page reads several surveys as $25 to $55 a foot for a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, roughly $2,500 to $5,500 for a 100 foot backyard run, and $35 to $85 a foot for aluminum or ornamental iron, the open style a front yard calls for.
Ask each bidder to price old fence removal, gates, footing depth, the City review step and any masonry base on separate lines. Match the license to the work, C-13 for fences and a masonry contractor for block, and check both with our license guide. Business and Professions Code 7159 caps a deposit at $1,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less.
Fence photos from Arcadia and nearby communities
Six fence scenes tied to Arcadia streets near Highland Oaks and the Arboretum and to nearby Sierra Madre, Monrovia and Temple City, showing iron, wood and block work.
Where the Arcadia fence numbers come from
Each per-foot figure here is a Los Angeles number, listed with its source on the fencing price page. A new roof or a repaint often shares a schedule with a fence, so see the Arcadia roofing page and painting page, and compare how Glendale treats front yards.
| 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 |
Arcadia fence company and fence installation questions, answered
How tall can my front fence be?
In an Arcadia R-1 front setback it must be open work, and the Development Code table appears to cap it at 3 feet, set back at least 3 feet from the property line. That figure is inferred from a scattered table, so confirm it with Planning at (626) 574-5423.
What is the maximum height for a backyard fence?
Six feet in a required side or rear setback, provided no part extends into the required front setback. The fence may sit on the property line. On a corner lot, a street-side fence may reach six feet but must be set back at least 18 inches and landscaped.
Can I put up a 7ft fence?
We found nothing in Arcadia's rules that allows it. The City's FAQ exempts wood or wrought iron fencing up to 6 feet from a building permit, and the Development Code section we read caps side and rear fences at 6 feet. Ask Planning before designing to 7.
Do I need a permit to build a fence?
Walls over 18 inches need a building permit in Arcadia, but wood or wrought iron fencing up to 6 feet does not. New fences still go through Site Plan and Design Review under the Development Code, and zoning applies either way. How the two combine for a replacement fence is unconfirmed.
Can I install my own backyard fence?
Probably, since the City's FAQ lets the owner obtain a permit and exempts wood fencing up to 6 feet. Zoning, design review, tree protection and any association rules still bind an owner exactly as they bind a contractor, so check each of them before you dig.
How much do fencing contractors cost?
For Los Angeles, Angi's August 2026 survey averages about $29 per linear foot, inside a $15 to $60 range. Our fencing page reads several surveys as $25 to $55 per foot for wood or vinyl privacy. We found no Arcadia survey, so a measured written proposal sets the real price.
How much does 200 ft of fencing cost?
At $25 to $55 a foot for wood or vinyl privacy, our own arithmetic gives $5,000 to $11,000 for 200 feet, before gates, old fence removal and any masonry base. Those are Los Angeles survey figures, not Arcadia quotes, and block walls are left unpriced because no independent per-foot source exists.
Does your neighbor have to pay for half the fence in California?
Usually yes. Civil Code section 841 presumes adjoining owners share the reasonable cost of a boundary fence equally unless they agree otherwise in writing. Before spending, the owner has to send each affected neighbor 30 days' written notice covering the work, the estimate and the split.
Do I need a permit for a cinder block wall?
Yes if it is taller than 18 inches, per the City's FAQ. Building Services posts a Garden Wall Standard for 6-inch concrete block walls from 2 to 6 feet, with footing and bar details, and a separate Retaining Wall standard. Both are undated scans, so ask the plan checker which version applies.
What fence does a pool need in Arcadia?
A barrier that completely surrounds the pool, spa or hot tub, with its top at least 60 inches above finished grade, under the City's pool barrier handout. A spa with a locking safety cover meeting ASTM ES 13-89 is exempt. We read only the first page, so confirm the rest with Building Services.
Ask for a fence quote in Arcadia
Tell us which yard the fence is for, whether an oak or sycamore stands near the line and whether the house is inside an association. We check the height, the review steps and the tree zone before we call you.