Fence Companyin Simi Valley, CA
Fence installation in Simi Valley is capped by zoning at 6 feet along most property lines outside the front setback, even though the building code exempts fences up to 7 feet from a permit. Inside the front yard setback a solid fence stops at 42 inches. Planning also asks for a Zoning Clearance with a plot plan.
Simi Valley is a city of lots built in waves. The Census Bureau's 2024 estimates count 45,201 housing units, with about 74 percent single-family detached and 74 percent of occupied homes owner-occupied, and the median year built is 1979. Wikipedia says rapid residential growth began in 1960, and the census count rose from 8,110 that year to 59,832 by 1970, so thousands of backyards were laid out in a single decade, mostly on land from the old Rancho Simi grant. Wood Ranch is described as the newest major development as of 2025, and the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains frame the edges, where slopes begin.
On a fence, MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) is the general contractor: we measure the run, settle height and setback questions with the City, and bring in licensed fencing and masonry subcontractors to build it. The sourced per-foot ranges are on our fencing page, and neighboring cities answer the same questions under their own codes: Glendale, Pasadena, Los Angeles and Santa Clarita. Thousand Oaks and Moorpark, the Ventura County cities next door, are not on our site yet, so check each one directly.
What Simi Valley's zoning and building code say about fences
Where fencing permits come from in Simi Valley: City of Simi Valley Department of Environmental Services, Building & Safety Division.
- SVMC 8-5.03(a)(2): a building permit is not required for fences not over 7 feet high. The zoning code is tighter: property line fences and walls outside the front setback may not exceed 6 feet measured from the highest adjacent grade unless authorized by law (SVMC 9-30.050.A.2.b), so a 7-foot fence can be exempt from a building permit and still be over the zoning limit.
- SVMC 9-30.050 (third-party Zoneomics copy of the code): inside the front yard setback a fence, wall or hedge may not exceed 42 inches and a see-through fence may not exceed 6 feet, with a combined design allowed if the solid part stays at 42 inches and the total stays at 6 feet; a solid landscaped hedge up to 6 feet may sit at the side property line if it is at least 10 feet back from the front property line.
- SVMC 9-30.050.A.1 (third-party Zoneomics copy): inside the Traffic Safety Sight Area, fences, walls and hedges over 24 inches high in the public right-of-way, or over 36 inches high on private property (measured from the nearest street curb), are not allowed without a permit authorized by law.
- SVMC 9-30.050.A.2.d (third-party Zoneomics copy): a rear or side residential fence, wall or hedge may be raised up to two additional feet where the property abuts an arterial street or a residential lot next to a commercial or industrial zone, and the change must match the existing design theme, colors and materials. The City's home improvement page says the same situation can allow up to eight feet.
- Chain link, barbed wire, electrified fence and razor wire are prohibited in residential zones unless a government agency requires them (SVMC 9-30.050.D and 9-30.030.A.6.e); wood and vinyl fences are allowed only in residential areas, wood must be of adequate and sound design as judged by the Deputy Director/City Planner, and vinyl must have steel-reinforced rails or metal stiffeners to resist high wind loads. Third-party Zoneomics copy.
- The City's home improvement page says a fence or wall needs a Zoning Clearance from Planning (a plot plan showing location, type and height), that a building permit is not required for most residential fences and walls, and that a building permit may be required for a wall or fence over 6 feet or for a retaining wall.
Can I put up a 7ft fence in Simi Valley?
Not safely, and the reason is two rulebooks that disagree. SVMC 8-5.03(a)(2) says a building permit is not required for fences not over 7 feet high. The zoning code is tighter: property line fences and walls outside the front setback may not exceed 6 feet, measured from the highest adjacent grade, unless authorized by law (SVMC 9-30.050.A.2.b). A 7 foot fence can therefore be exempt from the building permit and still be over the zoning limit. The wording comes from the code as published by third parties (gocodebook for Title 8, Zoneomics for Title 9).
The City's home improvement page adds the rest of the picture. A fence or wall needs a Zoning Clearance from Planning, with a plot plan showing location, type and height, a building permit is not required for most residential fences, and one may be required for a wall or fence over 6 feet. A rear or side fence may rise up to two additional feet where the property abuts an arterial street, or a residential lot next to a commercial or industrial zone, if the change matches the existing design theme, colors and materials.
Draw the height on the plot plan from the highest adjacent grade, because the zoning cap is measured that way and a sloped lot can add inches.
How tall can a front yard fence or hedge be in Simi Valley?
Inside the front yard setback, a fence, wall or hedge may not exceed 42 inches, and a see-through fence may reach 6 feet. A combined design is allowed if the solid part stays at 42 inches and the whole stays at 6 feet. A solid landscaped hedge up to 6 feet may sit along the side property line if it is at least 10 feet back from the front property line (SVMC 9-30.050, Zoneomics copy).
Corners have their own limit. Inside the Traffic Safety Sight Area, fences, walls and hedges over 24 inches high in the public right-of-way, or over 36 inches high on private property measured from the nearest street curb, are not allowed without a permit authorized by law. So a corner lot in Big Sky or around Sinaloa Lake may carry a lower limit near the street than the rest of its frontage.
Which fence materials does Simi Valley allow, and is chain link banned?
In residential zones, chain link, barbed wire, electrified fence and razor wire are prohibited unless a government agency requires them (SVMC 9-30.050.D and 9-30.030.A.6.e). Wood and vinyl fences are allowed only in residential areas. Wood must be of adequate and sound design as judged by the Deputy Director or City Planner, and vinyl must have steel-reinforced rails or metal stiffeners to resist high wind loads. That is the Zoneomics copy of the code, so ask Planning for the current text.
The vinyl rule is the one a quote most often misses. A bargain vinyl panel with hollow rails may not meet it. The University of California's pest program says drywood termites are most prevalent in southern California and infest fences, so for wood ask about termite-resistant lumber or a concrete footing where posts meet soil.
Do retaining walls and block walls follow different rules than fences?
Yes. SVMC 8-5.03(a)(5) exempts retaining walls not over 4 feet high, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless they carry a surcharge or hold back certain liquids. Zoning is stricter: within the front or street-facing side setback a retaining wall may not exceed 36 inches, and no other garden or retaining wall may sit within 3 feet of one, measured from the lowest adjacent grade (SVMC 9-30.050.A.2.c).
Slopes add paperwork. Under the City's amended Appendix J, a geotechnical report on slope stability must go in with plans when an excavation, retaining wall or similar structure reaches into the projected plane of a 3:1 or steeper slope. Block walls also change who builds them: CSLB class C-13 fencing excludes masonry walls, which belong to class C-29, so a block wall needs a masonry license holder on the job.
What changes for a fence near an oak tree or on a hillside lot in Simi Valley?
Mature native oaks, roughly a 5 inch trunk or larger by our arithmetic from the code's 20 square inch definition, are protected even in single-family yards. Under SVMC 9-38 their removal needs a Tree Removal Permit, and the violator's remedy is planting or donating trees worth twice the value removed. Pruning that does not endanger the tree's life is exempt. Post holes and trenches near roots are not addressed in the text we read, so ask Planning before digging inside the canopy.
Parcels outside the valley floor boundary come under the Hillside Performance Standards in SVMC 9-32, which keep development off natural slopes of 20 percent or more except as allowed and call for a signed slope map from a civil engineer or surveyor with a hillside application. A fence alone may not be a development application, and we did not read the grading rules, so confirm before a stepped fence goes onto a slope.
Who pays for a shared fence in Simi Valley, and what about the HOA?
California's Civil Code 841 presumes that adjoining owners share the cost of a boundary fence equally and asks for 30 days' written notice before one owner incurs costs. The presumption can be rebutted, and the statute is state law, not a Simi Valley rule. Because the City's Zoning Clearance wants a plot plan showing the fence location, know where the line is first. Stakes from a surveyor settle an argument that a tape measure cannot.
We found no list of Simi Valley homeowners associations and no review rule for fences, so we cannot say which neighborhoods have one. The City does advise asking the association, if there is one, about added restrictions on exterior work. Get its approval in writing before you order materials.
How much does fence installation cost in Simi Valley, and who should build it?
We found no Simi Valley fence survey and print no Simi Valley price. The planning range for Los Angeles, from Angi, HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr, is $25 to $55 per linear foot for a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, so a 100 foot backyard run lands at roughly $2,500 to $5,500. Angi's Los Angeles page, updated in August 2026, reports a $3,051 average and a $29 per foot average while its own 100 foot row implies $21 to $24, a disagreement worth knowing about. Block walls, gates and slope work have no independent price here, and the written proposal sets them.
Wood and vinyl fences are C-13 work. Business and Professions Code 7159 caps a down payment at the lesser of $1,000 or 10 percent and requires progress payments to follow finished work. Ask for the subcontractor's license number and certificate of insurance, and read our contractor license check guide before comparing bids.
Fence and gate photos from Simi Valley and nearby communities
Six fence and gate scenes tied to Simi Valley streets in Wood Ranch, Big Sky and near Sinaloa Lake and to nearby places such as Bell Canyon and West Hills, from wood privacy runs to hillside steps.
Where the Simi Valley fence numbers come from
The Los Angeles per-foot ranges come from four published sources with a federal wage check, and the full table with each one is on our fencing price page. Fences usually sit beside other yard work, so see concrete work in Los Angeles for footings and walkways and deck builders in Los Angeles for the next step up, then the Simi Valley roofing page and house painting page. Agoura Hills and Calabasas write their own fence codes, so their heights do not apply here. The general contractors and subcontractors article explains who answers for each part of a job, and the Simi Valley overview lists every trade we offer in town.
| 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 Simi Valley
Simi Valley fence questions, answered
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Simi Valley?
Usually a Zoning Clearance from Planning, but often not a building permit. SVMC 8-5.03(a)(2) exempts fences not over 7 feet, while the City says a building permit may be required for a fence or wall over 6 feet. Zoning caps most property line fences at 6 feet, so confirm your plan with Planning before you order materials.
Can I put up a 7ft fence?
Probably not along a property line. The building code exempts fences up to 7 feet from a building permit, but SVMC 9-30.050.A.2.b caps property line fences and walls outside the front setback at 6 feet from the highest adjacent grade unless authorized by law. A rear or side fence can gain up to two feet next to an arterial street.
How much should I pay for a fence installation?
For Los Angeles, our sources point to $25 to $55 per linear foot for a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, so a typical 100 foot run costs about $2,500 to $5,500. We found no Simi Valley survey. Block walls, gates and sloped lots are priced in the written proposal.
How much does 200 ft of fencing cost?
At the Los Angeles planning range of $25 to $55 per linear foot for wood or vinyl privacy fence, 200 feet runs about $5,000 to $11,000, our multiplication of the range. HomeGuide's own range of $4,000 to $12,000 for 200 feet is similar. Gates, slopes and old fence removal add to either figure.
Can I build a fence in my front yard in Simi Valley?
Yes, but low. Inside the front yard setback a fence, wall or hedge is limited to 42 inches, a see-through fence may reach 6 feet, and a combined design keeps its solid part at 42 inches. Near a corner the Traffic Safety Sight Area limits private-property fences to 36 inches high.
Does your neighbor have to pay for half the fence in California?
Generally yes. Civil Code 841 presumes adjoining owners share the cost of a boundary fence equally, but an owner who plans to build must give 30 days' written notice, and the presumption can be rebutted. It is state law, so it applies in Simi Valley, and the City does not settle the dispute.
Can chain link fence be used in Simi Valley residential zones?
Generally no. The code as copied by Zoneomics prohibits chain link, barbed wire, electrified fence and razor wire in residential zones unless a government agency requires them. Wood and vinyl are allowed in residential areas, and vinyl needs steel-reinforced rails or metal stiffeners. Ask Planning for the current text before you choose a material.
What is the maximum height of a retaining wall without a permit in California?
State model code exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top, unless they carry a surcharge. Simi Valley's SVMC 8-5.03(a)(5) says the same. Zoning separately caps retaining walls in a front or street-facing side setback at 36 inches, and a slope can require a geotechnical report.
Do I need a permit for a block wall in Simi Valley?
Not always for the building permit, but the zoning rules apply. The 7 foot fence exemption in SVMC 8-5.03 is written for fences, a retaining wall exemption stops at 4 feet, and the City says a wall over 6 feet may need a building permit. Block walls are CSLB class C-29 work, not C-13.
How do I choose a fence company in Simi Valley?
Start with the CSLB license: class C-13 covers wood and vinyl fencing and C-29 covers masonry walls. Ask for the written contract Business and Professions Code 7159 requires, proof of insurance, and the height and Zoning Clearance plan, since the 6 foot cap is a zoning limit. Compare two proposals line by line.
Plan your fence project in Simi Valley
Send the street, the length and height you have in mind and any oaks or slopes near the line. We check the 6 foot cap, the front yard limit and the oak questions before the site visit.