Fence Companyin Perris, CA
A wood fence of 6 feet or less in Perris needs no building permit, but the City asks you to check with Planning, and its old bulletin IB-15 describes a no-fee zoning review. Zoning caps front yard fences at 5 feet if open above 3 feet, allows 6 feet behind the front yard, and bans chain link and plywood.
Fences in Perris follow the way the city grew. The City says Perris incorporated on May 26, 1911 because it needed a water system, and its Housing Element reports that housing units grew 69.7 percent from 2000 to 2010 under specific plans for either single-family tracts or industrial uses. Census Bureau ACS 2024 one-year estimates count 21,734 housing units, 78.6 percent of them single-family detached, and 83.2 percent were built in 1980 or later, so most fence jobs here are a rear yard run, a side gate or a block wall between tract lots.
On a fence job, MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) reads the zoning chapter before pricing anything, handles the Planning and Building steps and sequences the trades, while licensed subcontractors do the field work: a C-13 fencing contractor for wood, vinyl and metal and a masonry contractor for block, since C-13 excludes masonry walls. The fencing page holds our sourced prices, the Perris overview covers the other trades, and the guides for Moreno Valley and Menifee show how two neighbors set their limits. The City's Planning Division handles zoning questions and the Building Division issues permits. The City's website and Municode refused our automated requests, so City pages were read in dated Wayback Machine copies and the Municipal Code on GoCodebook, a third-party mirror refreshed October 4, 2026. Confirm each section with Planning.
What Perris's permit FAQ, bulletin IB-15 and zoning chapter say about fences
Where fencing permits come from in Perris: City of Perris Development Services Department, Building Division (Building and Safety).
- Permit: the City's FAQ says wood fences 6 feet or less need no building permit but to check with Planning, and points to IB-15. IB-15 (Fences Not More Than Six Feet In Height, updated 11/01/06) says the applicant gives two copies of a site plan showing location, height and description, Planning approves under a no-fee Zoning Use Permit, and the Building Division then stamps the plans 'NO BUILDING PERMIT REQUIRED' (IB-15 read from the Wayback copy stamped 2024-05-23).
- Residential height limits (Municipal Code 19.02.040(a)): a wall, fence or hedge 3 feet or less may stand on any part of a lot; up to 5 feet is allowed in the front yard if the part over 3 feet is at least 50 percent open; and on an interior or corner lot up to 6 feet is allowed anywhere to the rear of the required front yard (read in GoCodebook's verbatim copy of the Perris Municipal Code, a third-party mirror refreshed 2026-10-04, because the City's Municode site returned HTTP 403).
- Corner and reverse-frontage lots (Municipal Code 19.02.040(a)(3)): reversed corner lots and lots whose side or rear yards face public streets must provide a decorative block wall 6 feet high to the rear line of the required side or rear yard (read in GoCodebook's verbatim copy of the Perris Municipal Code, a third-party mirror refreshed 2026-10-04, because the City's Municode site returned HTTP 403).
- Materials (Municipal Code 19.02.040(a)(4) and (5)): permitted materials include split-face masonry, stone and stone veneer, brick, slump block, stucco, block and wrought iron combinations, wrought iron and tubular steel, decorative vinyl, electrified security fence under AB 2371 and wood (the list says 'existing wood', rough sawn, treated, untreated or smooth sawn); prohibited in residential zones are barbed or razor wire, wire, corrugated metal, plain exposed concrete, plywood including T-111, and chain link with or without slats (read in GoCodebook's verbatim copy of the Perris Municipal Code, a third-party mirror refreshed 2026-10-04, because the City's Municode site returned HTTP 403).
- Maintenance (Municipal Code 19.02.040(a)(6)): walls, fences and screening must be kept in the condition they had at installation, and damaged, defective or severely weathered materials must be repaired immediately or within 10 days of City notice (read in GoCodebook's verbatim copy of the Perris Municipal Code, a third-party mirror refreshed 2026-10-04, because the City's Municode site returned HTTP 403).
- Sight triangle (Municipal Code 19.02.050): on corner lots keep a triangle with 15 foot legs along the front and side property lines free of trees, fences, shrubs, retaining walls and other obstructions between 42 inches and 8 feet high (read in GoCodebook's verbatim copy of the Perris Municipal Code, a third-party mirror refreshed 2026-10-04, because the City's Municode site returned HTTP 403).
- Masonry and retaining walls (Municipal Code 16.08.040(c) and (d)): fees apply to masonry or concrete walls over 4 feet (footing bottom to wall top) and to wood, masonry or concrete retaining walls over 3 feet; the application needs two copies of a plot plan showing surveyor's marks, a continuing certificate of insurance or hold harmless agreement, and the City inspects footings, steel and bond beams (read in GoCodebook's verbatim copy of the Perris Municipal Code, a third-party mirror refreshed 2026-10-04, because the City's Municode site returned HTTP 403).
- A fence or wall can be a taller project through a minor adjustment: the Planning Director may approve a wall or fence height increase of up to 25 percent (Municipal Code 19.54.020(9)(d)) (read in GoCodebook's verbatim copy of the Perris Municipal Code, a third-party mirror refreshed 2026-10-04, because the City's Municode site returned HTTP 403).
Does a Perris fence need a building permit, and why do the City's FAQ and bulletin IB-15 read differently?
A wood fence of 6 feet or less needs no building permit, but you are told to check with Planning. The City's permit FAQ, in a Wayback copy stamped July 14, 2026, lists wood fences 6 feet or less among work that needs no building permit and points to IB-15, Fences Not More Than Six Feet In Height, updated November 1, 2006. That bulletin describes a process: the applicant gives Planning two copies of a site plan showing location, height and description, Planning approves a no-fee Zoning Use Permit, and the Building Division then stamps the plans NO BUILDING PERMIT REQUIRED.
The two documents do not say the same thing, and one is twenty years old, so ask the counter whether a new wood fence goes through the Zoning Use Permit today. Masonry is a different track. Municipal Code 16.08.040(c) and (d) apply fees to masonry or concrete walls over 4 feet and to retaining walls over 3 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing, and the City inspects footings, steel and bond beams.
A fence built without the needed approval has two paths in the City's FAQ: remove it or, if zoning allows, apply for a special investigation.
Ask Planning for the Zoning Use Permit answer before the fence company orders material.
How tall can a fence be in a Perris front yard, side yard or backyard?
Municipal Code 19.02.040(a) keeps residential heights simple. A wall, fence or hedge of 3 feet or less may stand on any part of a lot. In the front yard it may reach 5 feet if the part above 3 feet is at least 50 percent open, which is why an open iron or picket front fence works and a solid one does not. On an interior or corner lot, up to 6 feet is allowed anywhere to the rear of the required front yard.
Taller needs a request. The Planning Director may approve a wall or fence height increase of up to 25 percent as a minor adjustment under 19.54.020(9)(d) when strict application is impractical or a hardship, and 25 percent of a 6 foot limit is 1.5 feet, so 7.5 feet at most by our arithmetic. Larger or controversial requests go to a variance. The state's model building exemption reaches 7 feet, but the zoning limit is the one that governs here.
Corner lots add a sight triangle: 19.02.050 keeps a triangle with 15 foot legs along the front and side property lines free of fences, shrubs, retaining walls and trees between 42 inches and 8 feet high.
Write the lot type and the front yard line on the proposal.
Can a Perris fence company install chain link, and which materials does the zoning code allow?
Not chain link on a residential lot. Municipal Code 19.02.040(a)(4) and (5) lists the permitted materials: split-face masonry, stone and stone veneer, brick, slump block, stucco, block and wrought iron combinations, wrought iron and tubular steel, decorative vinyl, electrified security fence under AB 2371 and wood. Prohibited in residential zones are barbed or razor wire, wire, corrugated metal, plain exposed concrete, plywood including T-111, and chain link with or without slats.
Two cautions apply. The wood entry reads existing wood in the list we read, followed by rough sawn, treated, untreated and smooth sawn, so ask whether a new wood fence is covered. And 19.02.040(a)(6) says walls, fences and screening must be kept in their as-installed condition, with damaged, defective or severely weathered materials repaired immediately or within 10 days of City notice. Section 7.06.030 separately lists fences or walls in hazardous condition or disrepair as nuisances, so choose a material you will keep up.
Ask for the material's name on the proposal, checked against the permitted list.
What must a corner lot or a yard that faces a Perris street build?
A decorative block wall, 6 feet high. Municipal Code 19.02.040(a)(3) says reversed corner lots, and lots whose side or rear yards face public streets, must provide a decorative block wall 6 feet high to the rear line of the required side or rear yard. Ask which of your lot lines face a public street before bidding, because the block, footing and finish are then part of the job rather than an upgrade.
Block is masonry work, so a C-13 fence contractor does not build it and a masonry-licensed subcontractor does. The permit application for a masonry or concrete wall over 4 feet needs two copies of a plot plan showing surveyor's marks and a continuing certificate of insurance or hold harmless agreement. The ground matters too. The Safety Element says the Perris Valley is alluvial, with moderate to very high liquefaction potential in the central and northeastern parts, landslide and rockfall susceptibility in the west and south, and a policy, S-7.3b, asking for geotechnical studies on all projects to assess expansive soil damage. We did not find that it is applied to a fence, so ask Planning.
Ask the masonry subcontractor for the footing depth and the soil assumption in writing.
What does a Perris pool barrier have to look like?
Perris amends California Building Code Section 3109 so the top of a pool barrier is at least 72 inches above grade, measured on the side facing away from the pool. That is 6 feet, the same number as the zoning limit behind the front yard, so a barrier built to the minimum has no height left over. Pedestrian gates must open outward, be self-closing and self-latching, and a latch release lower than 60 inches must sit on the pool side at least 3 inches below the top of the gate, with no opening wider than one-half inch within 18 inches of it.
The City's FAQ exemption names wood fences, not pool barriers, so ask whether a pool enclosure needs a permit, and note that California Health and Safety Code 115922 asks for at least two of seven drowning-prevention features when a permit issues for a new or remodeled pool. Perris excludes residential pool excavation from its debris diversion rule, which is separate from the barrier. We did not find a City pool-barrier page, and the code text above is from the mirror.
Photograph the existing gate and latch before any crew touches them.
Who pays for a shared fence in Perris, and does living near a warehouse or the airport change the plan?
Civil Code 841 presumes that adjoining owners share the cost of a boundary fence equally and asks a landowner who plans to spend money on a shared fence to give each affected neighbor 30 days' written notice. The presumption can be rebutted. Settle height, material and cost in writing, and check the lot line with a survey if the fence will sit on it.
Warehouses are on residents' minds. The Housing Element records residents' worry about more warehouses near homes, and the 2022 Good Neighbor Guidelines recommend 300 feet from dock doors to the nearest home, a 30 foot landscape setback and no truck parking on public streets near homes. Those are siting guidelines for the warehouse, not rules for your fence. A taller buffer wall means the 25 percent minor adjustment or a variance. Airport noise rules in Chapter 16.22 and 19.51 apply to the house's interior, and we found nothing that counts a fence toward them.
Deliver the 30 day notice in writing and keep a copy.
How much does fence installation cost in Perris, and what should the quote list?
We found no Perris price survey, so these are Los Angeles figures. Angi's Los Angeles guide, updated August 4, 2026, shows a $1,734 to $4,422 range around a $3,051 average, $15 to $60 a foot, $2,100 to $2,350 for 100 feet, wood at $1,600 to $2,500 and vinyl at $1,850 to $3,400 for a standard job. Angi's national page adds $150 to $2,000 for a gate and $3 to $5 a foot to remove an old fence, and the federal wage survey for the Los Angeles area puts fence erectors at $28.00 an hour (May 2025). Block walls are left unpriced because no outside per-foot figure for them could be verified. Our planning ranges are $25 to $55 a foot for wood or vinyl privacy fence and $35 to $85 for aluminum or iron.
Replacing an old fence matters here: Municipal Code 7.44.030(b)(7) exempts only new fencing that does not replace existing fencing from the 50 percent debris diversion rule. Read how a contractor is checked in our license guide and how the work is divided in how general contractors use subcontractors.
Fencing photos from Perris and nearby communities
Fence scenes tied to Perris places such as Downtown Perris, Park West, Green Valley and Harvest Landing, and to nearby communities such as Menifee, Quail Valley, Moreno Valley and Lake Elsinore, from wood privacy runs and block walls to gates and pool barriers.
Where these Perris fence figures come from
Each fence price, with its source, date and the figures that disagree, is laid out on the fencing page. Fences often come with a new roof or a repaint, and the Perris rules for those are on the roofing page and the painting page. For another Inland Empire city that sets heights by yard, read the guide for Riverside.
| 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 |
Perris fencing questions, answered
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Perris?
Not a building permit for a wood fence of 6 feet or less, according to the City's FAQ, but it tells you to check with Planning, and bulletin IB-15 describes a no-fee Zoning Use Permit. Masonry or concrete walls over 4 feet and retaining walls over 3 feet carry permit fees. Confirm with Planning at (951) 943-5003.
How tall can a fence be in the front yard in Perris?
Up to 3 feet anywhere, and up to 5 feet in the front yard if the part above 3 feet is at least 50 percent open. A solid 6 foot privacy fence does not qualify at the street. Corner lots also keep a sight triangle with 15 foot legs clear between 42 inches and 8 feet high.
How tall can a backyard fence be in Perris?
Up to 6 feet on an interior or corner lot, anywhere to the rear of the required front yard. The Planning Director can approve up to 25 percent more as a minor adjustment when strict application is impractical or a hardship. A lot that faces a public street on its side or rear needs a 6 foot decorative block wall.
Can I install a chain link fence in Perris?
Not in a residential zone. Municipal Code 19.02.040 prohibits chain link, with or without slats, along with barbed or razor wire, wire, corrugated metal, plain concrete and plywood. Permitted materials include masonry, wrought iron, tubular steel, decorative vinyl and wood, though the wood entry is worded existing wood, so ask Planning about a new wood fence.
How much does it cost to have 100 feet of fence installed?
In Los Angeles, Angi puts 100 feet at $2,100 to $2,350 for a standard job, and our planning range of $25 to $55 a foot for wood or vinyl gives about $2,500 to $5,500. We found no Perris survey, and block walls, gates and slopes cost more. A measured, written proposal is the real price.
Does your neighbor have to pay for half the fence in California?
Usually, yes. Civil Code 841 presumes that adjoining owners share the cost of a boundary fence equally, and a landowner who plans to spend money on a shared fence should give each affected neighbor 30 days' written notice. The presumption can be rebutted, so agree on height, material and cost in writing before work.
Do you need a permit to build a block wall in California?
In Perris, assume so for a wall over 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing, because 16.08.040(c) applies fees and the City inspects footings, steel and bond beams. Lower walls still need a zoning check. Block is masonry work, CSLB class C-29, not the C-13 fencing class.
What happens if I don't have a permit for a fence?
The City's FAQ gives two options for work built without a permit: remove the structure or, if zoning allows, apply for a special investigation and go through permitting. Municipal Code 16.04.030(g) also lets the building inspector order work stopped. Ask Planning before building, since the Zoning Use Permit is no-fee.
What are the pool fence requirements in Perris?
Perris amends the building code so a pool barrier is at least 72 inches above grade on the side facing away from the pool. Pedestrian gates open outward, close and latch on their own, and a low latch release sits on the pool side at least 3 inches below the gate top. Ask the Building Division about permits.
Is a 7 foot fence too high?
In Perris zoning, yes unless you win an exception. The residential limit behind the front yard is 6 feet, and the Planning Director can approve a minor adjustment of up to 25 percent, which is 7.5 feet at most, when strict application is impractical or a hardship. The state's 7 foot building exemption does not override zoning.
Ask for a fence estimate in Perris
Give us the neighborhood, the fence material, which side of the lot faces a street and whether a pool or slope is involved. We read the yard limit and the material list before we call back.