Fence Companyin Lomita, CA
A fence company in Lomita works to one height table: 42 inches in the front yard and street side of a corner lot, 6 feet along rear and interior side lines. Chain link is barred up front and no gate may cross a driveway inside the front setback. Who issues permits is still to confirm.
Lomita is a small city of 1.87 square miles that grew out of a 1907 land purchase for a Dunkard colony, farmed celery in the 1930s and incorporated on June 30, 1964. The zoning code sets a minimum lot of 5,000 square feet and 50 feet wide, with 5 foot side yards, so a fence line is rarely far from a neighbor's wall. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates count 7,904 housing units, about half of them single-family houses, and 54.1 percent of occupied homes are rented. Many fences here guard a rental as much as an owner's yard.
MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) manages a fence job as general contractor: we read the height table against your lot, ask the City about the permit and set the calendar, and a licensed fencing subcontractor builds. Our fencing page has the sourced prices, the Lomita overview lists every trade we manage here, and nearby cities draw their lines differently, as the guides for Torrance and Carson show.
What Lomita's zoning code and handouts say about fences
Where fencing permits come from in Lomita: City of Lomita Community and Economic Development Department, Building and Safety Division and Planning Division.
- Lomita Municipal Code 11-1.30.08 (text as of October 4, 2026, from Ordinance No. 891 of June 16, 2026) limits fences, hedges and walls in the required front yard to 42 inches and treats the secondary front yard of a corner lot the same, allows 6 feet along rear and interior side lot lines, requires that they do not obstruct vehicle or pedestrian visibility, and measures height from the side with the higher finished grade.
- Section 11-1.30.08(E) bars a gate across a vehicle driveway from the front or secondary front setback. Section 11-1.30.08(G) calls for attractive, durable materials, with redwood, wrought iron, textured concrete block, vinyl made for fencing and formed concrete with reveals as examples, and bans chain-link, corrugated metal, fiberglass and tennis windscreens in the front and secondary front yard areas. Height deviations may be approved through site plan review and a modification (section 11-1.30.08(I)).
- The City's corner-lot fence handout (Planning Division, citing an older section number, 11-30.07) draws the same limits, 42 inches in the front and secondary front yards and 6 feet elsewhere, and says landscaping is required in the front and secondary front setback areas while fences and walls there are optional.
- The City's front yard handout says that when front yard landscaping is renovated or altered at least 50 percent of the front yard must hold drought-tolerant plants with irrigation, that artificial turf does not count as drought-tolerant landscaping (it cites Government Code section 53087.7, SB 676), and that the state water-efficient landscape ordinance applies to new landscape projects of 500 square feet or more and rehabilitated ones over 1,200 square feet. Lomita's own code (section 11-1.82.01) applies its landscape plan rules to projects with new or altered landscaping over 1,500 square feet.
- Section 3-8.03 requires every public or private swimming pool, fish pond or other body of water 21 inches or more deep to be enclosed by a fence at least 6 feet above the ground including gates, with self-latching gates whose latch sits at least 4.5 feet above the ground, and 6 feet of clearance between the fence and the face of an upward slope on the far side. Section 3-8.02 makes the contractor who builds a new private pool put up the required safety sign.
- The state list of permit-exempt work in Residential Code R105.2 (the 2025 text, as excerpted by the City of Albany) exempts fences not over 7 feet high and retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, unless they support a surcharge. Lomita's zoning limit (6 feet at rear and side lines, 42 inches in front yards) is lower than the state exemption height, and the County's amendments to R105.2 were not read, so confirm whether Lomita requires a building permit for a given fence or wall.
- Under Civil Code section 841, adjoining owners are presumed to share equally in the reasonable cost of building, maintaining or replacing a fence that divides their properties unless they agreed otherwise in writing. An owner who plans such costs must give each affected neighbor 30 days' prior written notice stating the presumption, the problem, the proposed fix, the estimated cost, the proposed cost sharing and the timeline; a neighbor can rebut the presumption by showing equal sharing would be unjust.
- CSLB defines the C-13 Fencing classification as constructing, erecting, altering or repairing all types of fences, including animal pens, play-court enclosures, guardrails, posts, flagpoles and gates; it excludes masonry walls.
Sources for these rules
- gocodebook.com: 11 1.30.08
- lomitacity.com: Lomita Handout Fence Standards Corner Lot
- lomitacity.com: Residential Front Yard Setback Requirement
- gocodebook.com: chapter 8 swimming pools
- albanyca.gov: work exempt from permit 2025 cbc
- codes.findlaw.com: civ sect 841
- cslb.ca.gov: Licensing Classifications Detail
How tall can a fence be in a Lomita front, side or back yard?
Forty-two inches in the front, 6 feet along the sides and rear. Section 11-1.30.08 caps fences, hedges and walls in the required front yard at 42 inches and gives the street side of a corner lot the same cap. Along rear and interior side lot lines the cap is 6 feet. Height is measured from the side with the higher finished grade, which matters where one yard sits above the next. Nothing may block the view of drivers or pedestrians.
The City's corner-lot handout, which cites an older section number, draws the same two limits. Residential zoning was rewritten by Ordinance 891 on June 16, 2026, but the fence numbers match the older handout. A taller fence can be requested through site plan review and a modification under section 11-1.30.08(I). We read the code on the GoCodebook mirror, current to October 4, 2026, so confirm the height for your lot with Planning.
Ask the City which grade it measures from before the posts are set.
Can I put a gate across my driveway or a privacy fence in my Lomita front yard?
A privacy fence, no. A driveway gate, only behind the setback. The 42 inch cap is a limit, and the corner-lot handout adds that landscaping is required in the front and street-side setback areas while a fence or wall there is optional. Section 11-1.30.08(E) also bars a gate across a vehicle driveway from the front or secondary front setback, so a rolling gate has to sit back from the lot line.
Front yards come with a landscape rule too. Section 11-1.30.04 asks that at least 50 percent of a residential front yard be irrigated and planted with drought-tolerant species, and the City's front-yard handout says artificial turf does not count. The state water-efficient landscape ordinance reaches new landscapes of 500 square feet or more and rehabilitated ones over 1,200 square feet, and Lomita's own plan rules apply above 1,500 square feet. A fence project that also reworks the lawn can cross those lines.
Is chain link allowed in Lomita, and what materials does the code name?
Not in front. Section 11-1.30.08(G) bans chain-link, corrugated metal, fiberglass and tennis windscreens in the front and street-side yard areas. It asks for attractive, durable materials and lists redwood, wrought iron, textured concrete block, vinyl made for fencing and formed concrete with reveals as examples. Chain link is not barred behind the front setback by the text we read.
The material also decides who builds it. CSLB's fencing class, C-13, covers fences, posts, guardrails and gates but excludes masonry walls, which belong to the masonry class, C-29. A block wall with a wood gate is therefore two trades, and a licensed subcontractor handles each. Ask the proposal to say which trade pours the footing, which sets the block and who hangs the gate.
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Lomita?
We could not confirm it. The state list of work exempt from permits, in the 2025 text as copied by the City of Albany, covers fences not over 7 feet and retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, unless they hold back extra weight. Lomita's zoning heights are lower than that 7 foot line, and the County amendments the City adopts were not read.
The City's Building and Safety page says Lomita now handles permits itself, while its Planning page still routes by-right permits through Los Angeles County. The only fence handout we found is the corner-lot one, and no fence permit fee is published. Call (310) 304-3788 and ask whether your fence, wall or footing needs a permit and which office issues it.
Get the answer in writing before the posts are ordered.
What fence does a Lomita swimming pool need?
A 6 foot enclosure with self-latching gates. Section 3-8.03 of the Municipal Code requires any pool, fish pond or other body of water 21 inches or more deep to be fenced at least 6 feet above the ground, gates included. Gates must latch themselves, with the latch at least 4.5 feet above the ground, and there must be 6 feet between the fence and the face of any upward slope on the far side.
Section 3-8.02 puts one more duty on the builder of a new private pool: the contractor must post the required safety sign. State law adds its own drowning-prevention features when a permit is issued for a new or remodeled pool. We read the state barrier height in no primary source, so the City's 6 feet is the number we use.
Who pays for a shared fence in Lomita under California's good neighbor rule?
Both owners, unless they agreed otherwise in writing. Under Civil Code section 841, adjoining owners are presumed to share equally the reasonable cost of building, maintaining or replacing a fence on the line. An owner who plans such costs must give each affected neighbor 30 days' written notice that states the problem, the proposed fix, the estimated cost, the proposed split and the timeline. A neighbor may answer by showing that an equal split would be unjust.
On Lomita's narrow lots the real fight is usually where the line runs. A survey settles it, and the height is then measured from the higher side. Put the notice, the survey and the neighbor's reply in one folder before a contractor starts.
How much does fence installation cost in Lomita, and who should I hire?
We found no Lomita fence survey, so we plan from Los Angeles sources. Angi's Los Angeles page, updated August 4, 2026, averages $3,051 a job and $29 a linear foot, with a $15 to $60 range, and it prices 100 feet at $2,100 to $2,350, a wood job at $1,600 to $2,500 and a vinyl job at $1,850 to $3,400. HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr overlap, and federal wage data put fence erectors in the Los Angeles area at $28.00 an hour in May 2025. From those we plan about $25 to $55 a foot for a wood or vinyl privacy fence, or about $2,500 to $5,500 for a 100 foot backyard run. We found no independent price for block walls, so we print none.
Read the contract before the quote. It must be written, a down payment is capped at $1,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, and payments follow finished work. Our subcontractor guide explains the chain of responsibility, and the license guide shows how to look up each number.
Fence photos from Lomita and nearby communities
Seven fencing scenes tied to Lomita lots and to nearby places such as Harbor City, Old Torrance and Rolling Hills, from low front-yard fences to tall backyard runs and pool barriers.
Where these Lomita fence figures come from
Each fencing price and its source sits in the table on our fencing price page. A new fence often goes up beside other work, and the Lomita rules for it are on the roofing page, the painting page and the kitchen remodeling page. For cities that set heights differently, read the fencing guides for Redondo Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes.
| 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 |
Lomita fence questions, answered
How much does it cost to have 100 feet of fence installed?
About $2,100 to $2,350 on Angi's Los Angeles page, updated August 4, 2026, and about $2,500 to $5,500 on our wider plan for a wood or vinyl privacy fence. Gates, old fence removal and uneven ground add to it. We found no Lomita survey, so a written proposal measured on your lot sets the real price.
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Lomita?
Ask before you build. The state exempt list covers fences up to 7 feet, but Lomita's zoning limits are lower and we could not read the County amendments it adopts. The City's pages also disagree on whether City Hall or the County issues permits. Call Building and Safety and get the answer in writing.
What are the new fence rules in California in 2026?
We found no new state rule that changes Lomita's limits. The local change is that the City rewrote its residential zoning on June 16, 2026, and the fence numbers match the older handout: 42 inches up front, 6 feet on side and rear lines. Civil Code 841 still requires 30 days' written notice to a neighbor before shared costs.
Can I put up a 7 foot fence in Lomita?
Not as a matter of right. The state permit exemption runs to 7 feet, but Lomita's zoning cap on rear and interior side lot lines is 6 feet. A taller fence can be requested through site plan review and a modification under section 11-1.30.08(I), with no guarantee it is granted.
Can I put a privacy fence in my front yard?
No. Fences, hedges and walls in the required front yard are capped at 42 inches, and the street side of a corner lot gets the same cap. Chain-link, corrugated metal, fiberglass and tennis windscreens are banned there too. A privacy fence belongs behind the front setback.
Does my neighbor have to pay for half the fence in California?
Presumably yes. Civil Code 841 assumes adjoining owners share the reasonable cost of a boundary fence equally unless they agreed otherwise in writing. You must give 30 days' written notice with the problem, fix, cost, split and timeline, and a neighbor may rebut the presumption by showing equal sharing would be unjust.
Is it cheaper to install a wood or vinyl fence?
Usually wood, by a modest margin. Angi's Los Angeles page prices a wood job at $1,600 to $2,500 and a vinyl job at $1,850 to $3,400, and our plan range of $25 to $55 a foot covers both. Vinyl made for fencing is on the City's list of acceptable materials, as is redwood.
Is chain link allowed in Lomita?
Only behind the front and street-side yards. Section 11-1.30.08(G) bans chain-link, corrugated metal, fiberglass and tennis windscreens in those areas. We read no chain-link ban for rear or interior side yards, but heights still apply, so confirm with Planning.
What is the maximum height of a retaining wall without a permit?
Four feet under the state exempt list, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless it holds back extra weight. We could not read the County amendments Lomita adopts, so confirm before you build.
Get a fence plan for your Lomita lot
Give us the street, which yard the fence is in and whether the lot is a corner. The height table, gate rule and permit steps get checked before we call back.