Fence Companyin Pico Rivera, CA
A fence company in Pico Rivera has to build to the City's Zoning Code: 3.5 feet for a view-obscuring fence and 4.5 feet for an open one inside the front setback, and up to 7 feet behind it. The City's pages disagree on permits, so treat every fence as needing at least Planning approval.
Most Pico Rivera fences surround a 1950s tract lot. Under the Zoning Code a Single-Family Residential lot is at least 6,000 square feet and 50 feet wide, with a 20-foot front setback, and 75.9 percent of the city's 17,352 housing units are single-family detached houses, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 five-year estimates. The Estate zone is different: lots of 15,000 square feet, 100 feet wide and a 30-foot front setback, tied to the Rural Residential designation the General Plan calls the last vestige for animal keeping and agriculture in the city. A fence on either kind of lot answers to the same chapter of the Zoning Code, and the numbers in that chapter changed in the City's code rewrite of December 2025 and again in July 2026.
On a fence job, MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) plans the layout, files with the City and manages the schedule, while a licensed C-13 fence subcontractor builds it and a masonry specialist handles any block. Start with the City's Building & Safety Division, read our fencing page for the price table, and see the Pico Rivera overview for the other trades.
What Pico Rivera's Zoning Code and permit form say about fences
Where fencing permits come from in Pico Rivera: City of Pico Rivera Community and Economic Development Department, Building & Safety Division.
- Section 105.2 of the City's building code exempts wooden or chain-link fences not over 7 feet high and masonry garden walls less than 3 feet high from a building permit but adds 'Planning approval is required', and exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing unless they support a surcharge. The Permitting FAQ separately says a permit is required for all fencing, so treat every fence as needing at least Planning approval.
- The City's Standard Masonry Block Wall handout (BLD-002, 2024 code cycle) says block walls over 24 inches of exposed height require a building permit, otherwise a zoning permit may be required, calls for a footing concrete strength of at least 2,500 psi, solid-grouted cells with reinforcing, two inspections before grouting, and a site plan showing the wall's length and height plus a survey unless a Common Wall Agreement is provided.
- The City's Blockwall/Fence/Pilaster Fence Permit form says nothing may encroach into the public right-of-way, solid block walls inside the front setback may not exceed 3 feet 6 inches, non-solid walls or fences inside the front setback may not exceed 4 feet 6 inches, pilasters at the front property line may be 4 feet 6 inches high only if kept 10 feet from the outside edge of any driveway, and a wall or fence behind the front setback may not exceed 7 feet.
- Municipal Code 18.18.020 (Table 18.18.020.A) sets fences, walls and hedges at a maximum of 4.5 feet if non-view-obscuring and 3.5 feet if view-obscuring inside the front setback, columns and pilasters at 4.5 feet and at least 10 feet from the edge of a driveway, and 7 feet beyond the front setback. The chapter also says fences and walls must comply with Chapter 17.28 (Design Standards) of the Subdivisions title, with Title 18 governing any conflict.
- Municipal Code 18.18.020(C) allows concrete, concrete block, brick, stone, wood, wrought iron or tube steel, vinyl and look-alike materials, prohibits chain-link in the front and side street setback, prohibits corrugated metal or plastic everywhere, prohibits razor wire, barbed wire and electrified fencing (except for security in industrial zones), requires every surface to be finished (painted, sealed or stained), and requires an architectural break such as a post or pilaster where different fence materials meet.
- Municipal Code 15.08.050 (Section 312.5) says barbed wire, sharp pointed or electrically charged fences must meet Civil Code section 835 and the Zoning Code, and lets the building official allow barbed wire where a rear or side property line abuts a utility right-of-way and there is valid justification.
- Municipal Code 18.18.110 subjects fences, walls, landscaping and other obstructions near driveways and intersections to the City Engineer's safety and visibility requirements, so a corner lot or driveway side fence may be held below the general height limits.
- Municipal Code 18.18.090 requires a swimming pool to be enclosed by a fence, part of a building, wall or other enclosure at least 5 feet high in compliance with the Building Code.
How tall can a fence be in a Pico Rivera front yard?
Lower than most people want. Table 18.18.020.A of the Municipal Code caps fences, walls and hedges inside the front setback at 4.5 feet if they are non-view-obscuring and 3.5 feet if they are view-obscuring, and the City's Blockwall/Fence/Pilaster Fence Permit form says the same in feet and inches: solid block walls up to 3 feet 6 inches, open walls or fences up to 4 feet 6 inches. Beyond the front setback, a fence or wall may go to 7 feet. On a Single-Family lot the front setback is 20 feet, on an Estate lot 30 feet, so the low section can run a long way back from the sidewalk.
Columns and pilasters get their own rule: 4.5 feet, and only if they sit at least 10 feet from the edge of a driveway. Nothing may encroach into the public right-of-way. The City adopted amendments to the Zoning Code's Supplemental Citywide Standards on July 14, 2026, and the chapter sits in that division, so confirm the figures with Planning before you order materials.
Measure from the property line, not the curb, and find the setback line on your plan before anyone sets a post.
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Pico Rivera?
Three City documents give three answers, so plan on at least a Planning approval. Section 105.2 of the building code exempts wooden or chain-link fences up to 7 feet and masonry garden walls under 3 feet from a building permit, but adds that Planning approval is required. The Permitting FAQ says a permit is required for all fencing. The standard block wall handout says walls over 24 inches of exposed height need a building permit, and otherwise a zoning permit may be required.
What to bring is clearer. The City asks for a plan drawn to scale that shows the property lines and every structure, and for block walls a site plan with the wall's length and height and a survey, unless a signed Common Wall Agreement covers the line. Planning's review is listed at 2 to 3 weeks for residential projects in the City's January 2026 handout, though that figure is for additions. File through the Virtual City Hall portal or ask the counter, and see our Pico Rivera roofing page for how the portal handles other exterior permits.
Do you need a permit for a block wall or retaining wall in Pico Rivera?
A block wall is the one fence type with a written construction standard. The City's Standard Masonry Block Wall handout asks for footing concrete of at least 2,500 psi, solid-grouted cells with reinforcing steel and two inspections before grouting, and it sets 24 inches of exposed height as the line where a building permit begins. Under CSLB rules, fencing class C-13 excludes masonry walls, which belong to class C-29, so the person who builds your block wall is a different subcontractor from the one who hangs the gate.
Retaining walls follow the building code's exemption: up to 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, unless the wall carries a surcharge such as a driveway or a building. A fence set on top of a retaining wall adds the two heights, and the City's pages we read do not say how, so ask before you stack them. In the County's hazard layers, 247 of 250 sample points in the city fall in State liquefaction zones, so ask Building & Safety whether it wants anything beyond the handout detail on a tall wall.
What fence materials does Pico Rivera allow, and which are banned?
Municipal Code 18.18.020(C) allows concrete, block, brick, stone, wood, wrought iron or tube steel, vinyl and look-alike materials. Chain-link may not face the front or street side setback. Corrugated metal and plastic are prohibited everywhere, as are razor wire, barbed wire and electrified fencing, with a narrow exception for industrial security. Every surface must be finished, meaning painted, sealed or stained, and an architectural break such as a post or pilaster is required where two materials meet.
The finish rule has a practical effect on a horizontal slat fence or a cedar privacy fence: the back side your neighbor sees has to be finished too. UC Integrated Pest Management says drywood termites are most common in southern California and infest fences, so keep wood off soil or set it on concrete. Because solid panels act like sails, we also ask installers to state post depth and spacing in writing for any run more than 6 feet tall, since we found no City figure for it.
What fence rules apply around a pool, a driveway or a corner lot?
Pool barriers have their own height. Municipal Code 18.18.090 requires a swimming pool to be enclosed by a fence, a wall of a building or another enclosure at least 5 feet high, and it bars pools from the front and street side setbacks and asks 4 feet from side and rear lot lines. Under Health and Safety Code 115922, a permit for a new or remodeled pool requires at least two of seven drowning-prevention features, and the enclosure must meet section 115923.
Driveways and intersections add a safety layer. Code 18.18.110 subjects fences, walls and landscaping near them to the City Engineer's visibility requirements, so a corner lot may be held below the general heights. A gate is its own item: Angi prices gates at $150 to $2,000, and we found no source for which license class covers a gate operator, so ask your contractor to name the licensed subcontractor who will wire it.
Does my neighbor have to pay for half the fence in California?
Under Civil Code section 841, adjoining owners are presumed to share the cost of a fence on the boundary equally, but the presumption can be rebutted, and an owner who wants to share the cost must give 30 days' written notice before incurring it. Section 841.4 adds that a fence built unnecessarily higher than 10 feet to annoy a neighbor is a private nuisance.
In Pico Rivera the paperwork helps. A survey or a signed Common Wall Agreement is what the City asks for on a shared block wall, so settle who pays before you apply. Put the line, the height and the finish in a letter to the neighbor, and put the free utility locate call, 811, on the schedule before anyone digs post holes. If the fence backs onto a river channel or a utility easement, call out the boundary on the plan.
How much does fence installation cost in Pico Rivera, and how do you hire a fence company?
No one has published a Pico Rivera fence survey, so our numbers are for Los Angeles, from Angi, HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr, with the federal wage survey as a labor check. Where those four overlap, installed six-foot wood or vinyl privacy fence runs about $25 to $55 per linear foot, chain-link about $12 to $30 and aluminum or ornamental iron about $35 to $85, so a 100 foot backyard run is roughly $2,500 to $5,500. The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the mean wage for fence erectors in the Los Angeles metro at $28.00 an hour in May 2025. Block walls have no independent per-foot source, so we print none.
Check the license first: fencing is CSLB class C-13. Business and Professions Code 7159.5 caps a down payment at $1,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, and requires payments to follow completed work. On an MDG job you can ask for the fence subcontractor's license and insurance certificate, and our contractor license guide shows the CSLB lookup.
Fence photos from Pico Rivera and nearby communities
Six fencing scenes tied to Pico Rivera blocks near Smith Park and the Rio Hondo, and to nearby Montebello, Whittier and Santa Fe Springs, covering wood, vinyl, iron, block and pool fences.
Where the Pico Rivera fence numbers come from
The dollar ranges are Los Angeles figures, each with its source and date in the table on our fencing page, because the City has no published fence price data and its fee schedule is a proposed draft. Fence work often follows a re-roof or a repaint, which is why the roofing page and painting page sit beside this one. Neighbors write their own rules, so compare Montebello, Whittier, Downey and Norwalk, and the long-form walkthrough for Los Angeles fences.
| 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 |
Other work we manage in Pico Rivera
Pico Rivera fence company and fence installation questions, answered
How tall can my front fence be in Pico Rivera?
Inside the front setback, 4.5 feet if the fence is open and 3.5 feet if it is solid, according to Table 18.18.020.A. The City's permit form says 4 feet 6 inches for open fences and 3 feet 6 inches for solid block walls. Beyond the setback a fence may reach 7 feet.
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Pico Rivera?
Treat it as yes. The building code exempts wood or chain-link fences up to 7 feet from a building permit but requires Planning approval, and the Permitting FAQ says all fencing needs a permit. Block walls over 24 inches of exposed height need a building permit. Call the counter before you order.
Can I put up a 7 foot fence in Pico Rivera?
Yes behind the front setback, where the Zoning Code allows up to 7 feet, and the building code's list of exempt fences also stops at 7 feet. Inside the front setback the limit is 3.5 or 4.5 feet. Corner lots can be held lower by the City Engineer's visibility rules.
How much should a 100 foot fence cost?
In Los Angeles, about $2,500 to $5,500 installed for a six-foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, based on Angi, HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr overlapping at $25 to $55 per linear foot. We found no Pico Rivera survey. Gates, old fence removal, slopes and block footings each add cost, so get a written line for each.
Is chain-link fencing allowed in a Pico Rivera front yard?
No. Municipal Code 18.18.020(C) prohibits chain-link in the front setback and in the street side setback of a corner lot. It is allowed elsewhere on the lot. Corrugated metal and plastic fences are prohibited everywhere in the city, and every surface has to be painted, sealed or stained.
Do I need a permit to build a block wall in California?
In Pico Rivera, yes for any block wall over 24 inches of exposed height, under the City's standard block wall handout, and a zoning permit may apply below that. Masonry garden walls under 3 feet are exempt from a building permit in the code, with Planning approval still required. Cities elsewhere set their own lines.
Does my neighbor have to pay for half the fence in California?
Presumably, but not automatically. Civil Code section 841 presumes adjoining owners share the cost of a boundary fence equally, the presumption can be rebutted, and you must give 30 days' written notice before incurring cost you want shared. Without agreement, a survey and a Common Wall Agreement protect both sides.
What is the maximum height of a retaining wall without a permit?
In Pico Rivera's building code, 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless the wall supports a surcharge such as a driveway or a building. Anything taller needs a permit. A fence on top of the wall adds height we could not confirm, so ask.
Is it cheaper to install a wood or vinyl fence?
The sources do not agree. Angi's national ranges put wood at $10 to $45 per foot and vinyl at $15 to $40, while HomeGuide puts wood at $20 to $50 and vinyl at $30 to $60. In Los Angeles they overlap at $25 to $55 installed, so compare written quotes with the same height and posts.
How do I choose a fence company in Pico Rivera?
Look up the CSLB class C-13 license, ask for the written contract and compare two proposals that state height, posts and footings, finish and gates on separate lines. Down payments are capped at $1,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less. A masonry wall is class C-29, so a block job needs a different licensee.
Plan a fence in Pico Rivera
Give us the street, the length of fence and whether it faces the front yard, and we confirm the setback line and the permit path before we quote.