Fence Companyin Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
A fence company in Rancho Palos Verdes works under two reviews: a Planning Fence/Wall Permit for most fences up to 7 feet along a shared line, which tests for view impact, and a building permit whose height line the City's own pages put at 6 feet in some places and 7 in others. Front yards cap at 42 inches.
Fences here are argued about because of views, and the argument has rules. A 1989 voter-approved view ordinance, Proposition M, lets neighbors object to foliage that blocks a view, and the City applies the same view test to fences and walls. The land is steep, too. The City bars building on slopes of 35 percent or more, and about 715 acres around Portuguese Bend sit inside a landslide area where new structures are prohibited and fences are allowed only without grading or retaining walls.
The Census Bureau's 2024 five-year estimates count 16,723 homes, 76.0 percent of them detached houses, and 84.2 percent were built before 1980. Many sit inside homeowner associations whose private rules stack on top of the City's. MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) handles the survey questions, the Planning filing and the schedule, and a licensed fencing subcontractor builds. Our fencing price page has the sourced costs, the Rancho Palos Verdes overview covers the other trades, and nearby cities answer these questions differently: see Torrance, Redondo Beach and Carson.
What Rancho Palos Verdes Planning, Building and Safety and the view rules say about fences
Where fencing permits come from in Rancho Palos Verdes: City of Rancho Palos Verdes Community Development Department, Building & Safety Division.
- A City Fence/Wall Permit (Planning) is required for any fence or wall up to 7 feet in the rear yard or side yard setback that is contiguous with another parcel, unless one of three exemptions applies: the grade difference across the two lots measured perpendicular to the boundary is 2 feet or less, the fence lot is upslope of the neighbor, or the top of the fence would be lower than the pad of the upslope lot (Rev. July 2025).
- A damaged or deteriorated fence or wall may be replaced without a permit if it stays the same height or lower and is the same type of barrier (fence for fence, wall for wall) or a less view-obstructing material such as stucco wall to wrought iron.
- The City defines a 'fence' as a barrier that passes at least 80 percent of light and air (wire mesh, steel mesh, chain link, louvered or transparent glass, stakes). Under RPVMC 17.76.030(F)(5) chain link is not allowed along arterials such as Hawthorne Boulevard, Palos Verdes Drive West, South and East, Miraleste Drive and Crenshaw Boulevard.
- Anything in a front setback, fences, walls and hedges alike, is capped at 42 inches. More than 42 inches needs a Minor Exception Permit or a Variance. Hedges need no City permit (Ordinance 546, April 1, 2014) and outside the front setback and corner visibility triangle may grow to any height that does not significantly impair a view, but hedges that do impair neighbors' views must be trimmed.
- Fence/Wall Permit process: file the Residential Planning Application, two copies of a site plan with topography and two of a side view drawing, a Pre-Application Fee (doubled if the fence was built first) and a Foliage Analysis fee. Staff visit the site; if no view impairment is found a Planning Clearance issues with conditions, otherwise a formal application with a vicinity map and mailing labels for every adjacent owner follows. The formal process typically takes 1 to 2 months.
- To approve a Fence/Wall Permit the City must find that the fence would not significantly impair a view from another property's viewing area or from public property (viewed standing unless the main viewing area is seated), that any of the applicant's foliage over 16 feet or above the ridgeline of the house that impairs a view is removed first, and that the fence meets the code and General Plan. The Director may approve despite a view impact for privacy or to meet swimming pool fencing rules where there is no other reasonable way.
- For building permits, the FAQ exempts fences not over 7 feet and retaining walls not over 4 feet (bottom of footing to top of wall), but the same page's 'permit needed' list says fences over 6 feet, and the Building & Safety page lists fences over 6 feet under plan check, so the 6 versus 7 foot line is inconsistent on the City site and should be confirmed.
- Retaining walls need a permit and stamped engineering when over 4 feet, when they support a surcharge (a slope steeper than 6:1, a driveway, a structure, a pool or a street), or when over 30 inches on or within 10 feet of a slope of 5:1 (20 percent) or steeper. Planning approval comes first (Planning (310) 544-5287, planning@rpvca.gov), then geology, Building & Safety, Public Works and then permit issuance, with inspections at footing, before grouting, before backfill and final.
Sources for these rules
Do you need a permit to build a fence in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Usually yes, and from Planning first. The City's Fence/Wall Permit handout (revised July 2025) requires a permit for any fence or wall up to 7 feet in a rear or side yard setback that touches another parcel. Three exemptions apply: the grade difference across the two lots, measured perpendicular to the line, is 2 feet or less; your lot is upslope of the neighbor's; or the top of your fence would sit below the upslope lot's pad.
Replacing a damaged fence needs no permit if it stays the same height or lower and is the same kind of barrier, or a less view-blocking one, such as iron where a stucco wall stood. Building and Safety is a second question. The City FAQ exempts fences not over 7 feet from a building permit, yet the same page's permit list and the Building and Safety page say fences over 6 feet, so the line is 6 or 7 feet depending on which page you read. Ask the counter at (310) 544-5280 and get the answer in writing.
The Municipal Code was not read, so every code section on this page is quoted as the City's handouts and forms give it.
How tall can a front yard fence or hedge be in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Forty-two inches. Anything in a front setback, whether fence, wall or hedge, is capped there, and going higher takes a Minor Exception Permit or a Variance. The City counts as a fence only a barrier that passes at least 80 percent of light and air, so a solid wooden panel is treated as a wall.
Hedges are looser. Under Ordinance 546 of April 1, 2014 a hedge needs no City permit, and outside the front setback and the corner visibility triangle it may grow to any height that does not significantly impair a view. A hedge that does impair a neighbor's view has to be trimmed.
Chain link is out along the arterials: Hawthorne Boulevard, Palos Verdes Drive West, South and East, Miraleste Drive and Crenshaw Boulevard. A fence of non-standard height or placement, such as ten feet tall and three feet inside the rear line, goes through the Minor Exception process, and the request must state the exact height and distance.
Can a neighbor's view stop my cedar privacy fence?
Yes, that is the test Planning applies. To approve a fence the City must find that it would not significantly impair a view from another property or from public land, measured standing unless the main viewing area is a seated one. Any of your own foliage over 16 feet, or above the house's ridgeline, that impairs a view must be removed first. The Director may approve a fence despite a view effect for privacy or to meet swimming pool fencing rules when no other reasonable way exists.
The process starts with a Residential Planning Application, two site plans with topography and two side-view drawings, a pre-application fee (doubled if the fence went up first) and a foliage analysis fee. Staff visit the site. Without a view problem, a Planning Clearance issues with conditions. Otherwise a formal application follows, with a vicinity map and mailing labels for every adjacent owner, and the formal route typically takes one to two months.
The City will not accept an application on a parcel with an open Municipal Code violation unless it corrects the violation.
Photograph the view from the neighbor's likely viewing spot before you pick the fence height.
What can you build on a steep lot, near a swale or inside the Portuguese Bend landslide area?
The City page on swales says no structure may stand in or above a drainage swale or on a slope of 35 percent or more, and owners must keep their swales clear, which limits posts near slope drains. Inside the landslide area, fence and wall permits are allowed only when they involve no grading or retaining walls, under a Landslide Exception Permit.
Retaining walls follow a separate path. The City's FAQ says they need a permit and stamped engineering when over 4 feet, when they hold back a surcharge such as a slope steeper than 6 to 1, a driveway, a structure, a pool or a street, or when over 30 inches on or within 10 feet of a slope of 5 to 1 or steeper. Planning approves first, then geology, Building and Safety and Public Works. The fee schedule lists a block wall over 7 feet at $1.64 per linear foot and a retaining wall inspection at $4.26 per linear foot on conventional footings.
What do pool fence rules and construction hours mean for a Rancho Palos Verdes fence job?
The City's handout points to Municipal Code 17.76.030(F)(3) for swimming pool fencing, and it lets the Director approve a view-affecting fence when denying it would prevent a pool fence from complying and there is no reasonable alternative. We did not read that section, so we print no barrier height or gate rule. Ask Planning for the current text before you design a gate.
Pool alterations need a building permit, and Planning approval where equipment is changed or removed. Inside the landslide area the regulations bar new pools and prohibit repairing existing ones under the ordinance adopted August 19, 2025, so a pool fence is rarely the first question there.
Plan the digging around the City's construction hours. The pages we read give Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. under Municipal Code 17.56.020, with nothing on Sundays or legal holidays, while the FAQ page lists slightly different times. Confirm the hours with Building and Safety before the auger arrives, because a noise complaint can stop a crew.
Who else has to approve a fence: the HOA, the neighbor and the property line?
The City says CC&Rs are private restrictions it does not enforce, and the handout tells owners to check the title report for deed restrictions and easements before filing. Its building permit application warns that an association may add rules or refuse work despite a City permit and suggests a letter from the HOA president. We found no count of associations in the city.
Planning's submittal checklist asks for a stamped land survey, which matters on small lots such as the 215 post-war homes of Mira Vista, where setbacks are often substandard. We did not find the adopted Development Code setback tables, and the table we have is an older exhibit to Ordinance 405, so we print no side or rear setback distance. For a shared line, Civil Code 841 presumes neighbors split a boundary fence equally, but it is rebuttable and asks for 30 days' written notice before you spend.
Four Equestrian overlay areas allow horses and other large animals: the Portuguese Bend community, Palos Verdes Drive East between Coral Ridge Road and Rolling Hills Estates, Via Campesina and 34 lots in east Ridgecrest. We did not read any fence rules written for those areas, so ask Planning before you build around a corral or paddock.
What does fence installation cost in Rancho Palos Verdes, and how do you pick a fence company?
No Rancho Palos Verdes survey exists, so we print no local figure. Los Angeles sources, including Angi's August 2026 page, HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr, support a planning range of $25 to $55 per linear foot for a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, $12 to $30 for chain link and $35 to $85 for aluminum or ornamental iron. A 100 foot run therefore lands near $2,500 to $5,500, before gates, removal of an old fence and slope work. Block walls have no independent per-foot source, so get a written quote.
Fences are CSLB class C-13, which excludes masonry walls, and block is a separate masonry license. Read our license check guide and ask each bidder:
- Who files the Planning permit and the building permit, and which height line is the City applying?
- Which licensed masonry subcontractor builds any block, and what is its license number?
- How deep are the posts on this slope, and what happens if they move?
- Is the deposit within the $1,000 or 10 percent limit?
Fence photos from Rancho Palos Verdes and nearby communities
Six fence scenes tied to Rancho Palos Verdes neighborhoods such as Ridgecrest, Miraleste and Mira Vista and to nearby communities like Rolling Hills and Palos Verdes Estates, covering hillside stepping, privacy panels, gates and pool barriers.
Where the Rancho Palos Verdes fence numbers come from
Every dollar figure on this page is a Los Angeles or national number, and the table on our fencing price page names each source and its date. A new fence usually sits next to other work, so see the roofing page, the painting page and the kitchen remodeling page for this city.
| 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 Rancho Palos Verdes
Rancho Palos Verdes fence company and fence installation questions, answered
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Usually yes. Planning's Fence/Wall Permit covers most fences and walls up to 7 feet in a rear or side setback along another parcel, unless a grade or upslope exemption applies. Building and Safety is a second review, and its height line reads 6 feet on some City pages and 7 on others, so ask.
What is the maximum height for a backyard fence in Rancho Palos Verdes?
The Planning permit covers fences up to 7 feet in a rear or side setback, and taller or differently placed fences go through a Minor Exception. We did not find the adopted Development Code setback tables, so we cannot give a by-right height or distance. Ask Planning at (310) 544-5287.
Can I put up a 7ft fence in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Possibly, with a Planning Fence/Wall Permit, which must find no significant view impairment. The City FAQ exempts fences up to 7 feet from a building permit but lists fences over 6 feet elsewhere, so the building side is unclear. Confirm both before ordering materials.
How tall can my front yard fence be in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Forty-two inches, for fences, walls and hedges in the front setback alike. Going higher takes a Minor Exception Permit or a Variance. Hedges need no permit, but outside the front setback they cannot significantly impair a neighbor's view and must be trimmed if they do.
How much does 200 ft of fencing cost?
For fence installation at the Los Angeles planning range of $25 to $55 per foot for wood or vinyl, 200 feet comes to roughly $5,000 to $11,000, before gates and old fence removal. Chain link runs lower and iron higher. Steep lots and block sections change it, and no local survey exists.
Does your neighbor have to pay for half the fence in California?
The law presumes neighbors share a boundary fence cost equally, and Civil Code 841 asks the owner to give 30 days' written notice before spending. The presumption can be rebutted, and a fence built wholly on your own lot is different. Survey the line first.
What are the new fence rules in California in 2026?
We found no single new statewide fence rule. Rancho Palos Verdes adopted the 2025 California codes effective January 1, 2026 and names no local fence amendment. Reports about a state ember-resistant Zone 0 rule conflicted on its status, so we state none. Ask Building and Safety.
What happens if I build a fence without a permit in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Building and Safety issues a Stop Work Notice and penalty fees, and building permit fees are tripled when work starts first. Planning doubles the pre-application fee for a fence built before filing and will not accept an application on a parcel with an open code violation.
Can I install my own backyard fence?
Often yes. The City lets the owner pull a permit as an owner-builder, and every owner who applies is treated as one. Planning still reviews the fence for view impact, and a retaining wall over 4 feet needs stamped engineering. Check CC&Rs in your title report first.
How do I choose a fence company in Rancho Palos Verdes?
Check CSLB class C-13 for fences, since it excludes masonry walls, and ask who files the Planning permit. A contractor pulling a building permit needs a current City business license and proof of workers' compensation. Get the deposit limit, $1,000 or 10 percent, in writing.
Describe your Rancho Palos Verdes fence
Tell us the street, the height you want, whether the lot slopes toward a neighbor and whether you belong to an association, and we plan the Planning filing around views and slopes.