Fence Companyin Westminster, CA
A fence company in Westminster builds to a 3 foot cap in the front setback and 6 feet in R1 side and rear yards. The City exempts masonry walls and fences up to 4 feet from a building permit, but its wording never says whether a taller wood fence needs one, so confirm that with the Building Division.
Westminster, Orange County, California, was farmland before it was a suburb. Wikipedia lists dairy, walnuts, strawberries, celery and lima beans, then sugar beets and goldfish farms, and says the varied residential landscape came from relatively early homeowner development of less uniform spaces. The Census Bureau's 2024 one-year estimates count 28,953 housing units, 53.6 percent of them detached houses and 74.5 percent built before 1980. Those shares come with wide margins of error. The R1 district sets a 6,000 square foot minimum lot, 6,500 on corners, so most fence runs here surround small tract lots.
On a fence job, MDG Builders (CSLB #1040337) reads the height table against your lot, walks the property line with you and holds the schedule. Licensed subcontractors build it: a C-13 fencing contractor for wood, vinyl and metal, and a masonry contractor for block, because CSLB's fencing class leaves masonry walls out. Our fencing page holds the sourced prices, the Westminster overview covers the other trades, and neighbors with their own height tables are covered in the guides for Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Santa Ana.
What Westminster's municipal code says about fences and walls
Where fencing permits come from in Westminster: City of Westminster Community Development Department, Building Division.
- The City's exemption list says a building permit is not required for 'masonry walls or fences not over 4 feet high from grade on either side' and for retaining walls not over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. The wording does not say whether a 4 foot limit also applies to wood fences, so confirm with the Building Division, and zoning height limits apply to every fence regardless of the permit.
- Westminster's fence table (Table 3-2) sets 3 feet as the maximum height of a fence, hedge or wall inside the required front setback (and the required rear yard of a through lot), 6 feet in R1 side and rear yards, and 8 feet in side and rear yards in other zones when the fence does not abut an R1 property. A flag lot may have 6 feet in its front setback but only 3 feet within the 20 foot front yard of the flag pole.
- On a corner lot the 3 foot limit applies at any point within 25 feet of the intersection of two streets (or street and alley), and within 10 feet where a corner lot abuts an alley. Fence height is measured from the higher natural or established grade of the two abutting properties, and from the right-of-way grade if the wall is within 5 feet of the public right-of-way.
- The fence table adds that an R1 property abutting a freeway right-of-way may have fence, hedge and wall height 'no less than 8 feet'. The wording reads like a drafting slip for a maximum, so ask the Planning Division before building above 6 feet next to a freeway.
- The City bans chain link, corrugated metal, fiberglass fencing and tennis windscreens in front yards and street side yards, names redwood, wrought iron, textured block and formed concrete with reveals as the preferred materials, bars electrified fences, razor wire, concertina ribbon and pointed or sharp elements (wrought iron arrowhead tips are allowed), and prohibits barbed wire in the R1 to R5 zones.
- Multiple-family properties in R2 to R5 may have a 6 foot fence in the 20 foot front setback only if it stays at least 90 percent open above 3 feet (the code's example is 1 inch balusters about 9 inches apart), is decorative and not only vertical wrought iron balusters, sits behind a 5 foot landscaped strip where site features allow, and keeps vehicle gates 20 feet back from the property line.
- Under California Civil Code 841, adjoining owners are presumed to share equally in the reasonable cost of building, maintaining or replacing a boundary fence unless they agree otherwise in writing, and an owner who plans such work must give each affected neighbor at least 30 days' prior written notice with the problem, the proposed fix, estimated costs, the cost-sharing proposal and the timeline.
- CSLB defines the C-13 Fencing classification as constructing, erecting, altering or repairing all types of fences, railings and gates, excluding masonry walls, so a block wall is not C-13 work.
Does a fence need a building permit in Westminster?
Up to 4 feet, a masonry wall or fence does not, according to the exemption list in the City's Administrative Code (section 301.2.1). The wording is 'not over 4 feet high from grade on either side'. Retaining walls up to 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, are exempt too. The text does not say whether a wood fence taller than 4 feet needs a permit, and we found no City statement either way, so a six foot wood fence is a question for the Building Division and not an assumption.
Two limits sit on top of that. Zoning height rules apply to every fence whether or not a permit is needed, and the City's exemption language says exempt work must still obey every code. Never read '4 feet exempt' as '6 feet allowed'. The code text comes from the GoCodebook mirror, a third-party copy we did not check against the City's own, and the Building Division's hours, phone number and fees did not open for us, so confirm with the Building Division.
Ask for the permit answer in writing for the exact height and material before any panels are ordered.
How tall can a fence be in a Westminster front yard or on a corner lot?
Three feet. The City's fence table caps a fence, hedge or wall inside the required front setback at 3 feet, and the same cap covers the required rear yard of a through lot. On a corner lot the 3 foot limit applies at any point within 25 feet of the intersection of two streets or a street and an alley, and within 10 feet where the corner lot abuts an alley.
Height is measured from the higher natural or established grade of the two abutting properties, or from the right-of-way grade if the wall sits within 5 feet of the public right-of-way, so a lot that slopes toward the street can measure differently from what a tape shows. A flag lot may have 6 feet in its front setback but only 3 feet within the 20 foot front yard of the flag pole.
Front yards must also stay landscaped, and a driveway with its walkways may cover 50 to 75 percent of the front yard depending on lot width. Plan a new gate and a wider driveway together.
Have the fence company mark the required setback line and the 25 foot corner area on the proposal drawing.
How tall can a backyard fence be in Westminster, and what about a freeway wall?
Six feet in R1 side and rear yards. In other zones the table allows 8 feet in side and rear yards when the fence does not abut an R1 property. On a typical single-family street, then, a six foot privacy fence is the ceiling, and the permit question from the first section still applies to it.
The freeway line is where the code looks odd. The San Diego Freeway and a short segment of the Garden Grove Freeway cross the city, and the table says an R1 property abutting a freeway right-of-way may have a fence, hedge and wall height 'no less than 8 feet'. That reads like a slip for 'up to 8 feet', but the printed words say something else, so ask the Planning Division before building above 6 feet beside a freeway.
Ask the fence company to confirm the height in writing for each side of the lot, since a freeway edge, a corner and a neighbor's grade can all measure differently.
Is chain link allowed in Westminster, and which fence materials are banned?
Not in front yards or street side yards. Chain link, corrugated metal, fiberglass fencing and tennis windscreens are banned there. The code names redwood, wrought iron, textured block and formed concrete with reveals as preferred materials. It also bars electrified fences, razor wire, concertina ribbon and pointed or sharp elements, though wrought iron arrowhead tips are allowed, and it prohibits barbed wire in the R1 to R5 zones.
Block is a separate trade from wood. CSLB's C-13 fencing class excludes masonry walls, which belong to a masonry contractor (C-29), so a block wall with a wood gate means two subcontractors and a proposal that says who builds what. The site planning chapter also exempts fences and landscaping from setback requirements, so a fence may stand in a setback, but only at the height the table allows.
List the post material, panel material and gate hardware separately on the proposal, so a banned or mismatched part cannot slip in.
What fence rules apply to apartments and townhomes in the R2 to R5 zones?
Westminster is not only single-family. About 10.3 percent of units sit in buildings of two to four units, 18.3 percent in buildings of five or more, and 45.8 percent of occupied units are rented. Those are one-year estimates with wide margins of error, but they explain why a property manager may be the one ordering iron for a courtyard or driveway.
For multiple-family properties the code allows a 6 foot fence in the 20 foot front setback only if the part above 3 feet stays at least 90 percent open, and its example is 1 inch balusters about 9 inches apart. The design must be decorative and not only vertical wrought iron balusters, it sits behind a 5 foot landscaped strip where site features allow, and vehicle gates stay 20 feet back from the property line. Hand those four conditions to the contractor before the drawing starts.
Ask the contractor to draw the 90 percent open area and the landscaped strip on the elevation before the job is priced.
What fence does a swimming pool need in Westminster?
For a new or remodeled private single-family pool or spa, the City's Residential Code amendment asks for an isolation enclosure that meets the state pool safety act plus at least one more drowning-prevention feature from the state's list of seven. A prefabricated pool skips a building permit only if it is less than 18 inches deep, holds 5,000 gallons or less and sits entirely above ground.
Zoning sets the layout. Pools, spas and hot tubs need 5 feet from walled structures, 3 feet from open patio cover supports and 3 feet from side and rear property lines in the residential zones. We did not read the barrier height or gate hardware sections, so we state no number for them. Plan the barrier, the gate latch and the plaster date as one schedule.
Ask the Building Division which barrier items it inspects, and when, before the gate hardware is ordered.
How much does fence installation cost in Westminster, and who should I hire?
We found no Westminster fence price survey, so these figures come from Los Angeles sources. Angi's Los Angeles page, dated August 4, 2026, gives a range of $15 to $60 per foot, and HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr land in similar territory. A federal wage survey for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area puts the mean fence erector at $28.00 an hour for May 2025, a labor check and not a billing rate. Blending the sources, a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence runs about $25 to $55 per linear foot installed, aluminum or ornamental iron about $35 to $85, and a 100 foot backyard run about $2,500 to $5,500. We print no block wall price because we found no source we trust.
Look up the license class before you sign, using our license checking guide, and read how general contractors use subcontractors to see who answers for which part. Under Business and Professions Code 7159, a fence contract's down payment is limited to $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is smaller.
Ask for footing depth, post spacing and the number of gates on the proposal, since those lines explain most gaps between bids.
Fence photos from Westminster and nearby communities
Fencing scenes tied to Westminster blocks and to nearby places such as Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach and Seal Beach, from open iron fronts and block walls to wood privacy runs and pool barriers.
Where these Westminster fence figures come from
The table on our fencing price page lists each fence price with its source, so you can check how the range was built. A new fence often goes up alongside other work, and the Westminster rules for it are on the roofing page, the painting page and the kitchen remodeling page. For a city with hillside walls to compare, read the Glendale fencing guide.
| 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 Westminster
Westminster fence questions, answered
How much does it cost to have 100 feet of fence installed?
Roughly $2,500 to $5,500 for a 6 foot wood or vinyl privacy fence, from our blend of Los Angeles figures by Angi, HomeGuide, Thumbtack and Fixr. Gates, old fence removal, slopes and block walls change that, and we found no Westminster survey, so the written proposal after a site visit is the real price.
Do I need a permit for fence installation in Westminster?
Not for a masonry wall or fence up to 4 feet, which the City's Administrative Code exempts. The wording does not say whether a wood fence over 4 feet needs one, and we found no City statement, so ask the Building Division. Zoning height limits apply to every fence either way.
Can I put a privacy fence in my front yard?
Not above 3 feet. The City caps a fence, hedge or wall in the required front setback at 3 feet and bans chain link, corrugated metal and fiberglass fencing in front and street side yards. Apartment properties may use 6 feet of mostly open decorative fence under set conditions.
Is an 8 foot privacy fence too high in Westminster?
For most houses, yes. In R1 side and rear yards the table stops at 6 feet, and 8 feet is allowed only in other zones when the fence does not abut an R1 property. Beside a freeway the printed wording is unclear, so ask Planning before building above 6 feet.
What is the maximum height for hedges in Westminster?
In the required front setback, 3 feet, the same cap the table gives fences and walls. We did not find a separate side or rear hedge limit in the text we read, so ask Planning. The 3 foot limit also applies within 25 feet of a street corner, so trim corner hedges for sight lines.
Is chain link allowed in Westminster?
Not in front yards or street side yards, where chain link, corrugated metal, fiberglass fencing and tennis windscreens are banned. The code's preferred materials are redwood, wrought iron, textured block and formed concrete with reveals. Barbed wire is prohibited in the R1 to R5 zones.
What is the maximum height of a retaining wall without a permit?
Four feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, under the City's exemption list. A fence on top of a retaining wall adds to the height people see, and zoning limits still apply, so ask the Building Division how a combined wall and fence is counted.
What are the new fence rules in California in 2026?
No statewide change for 2026 could be verified, so we name none. A Westminster fence follows local rules: the 3 foot front cap, the 6 foot R1 side and rear limit, the 4 foot masonry permit line, the banned materials list and the pool enclosure requirements.
What fence does a swimming pool need in Westminster?
A new or remodeled single-family pool needs an isolation enclosure meeting the state pool safety act plus at least one more of seven drowning-prevention features. We did not read the barrier height or gate sections, so we give no number. Ask the Building Division before ordering a glass or metal barrier.
Who should install a block wall, a fence company or a mason?
A masonry contractor, because CSLB's C-13 fencing class excludes masonry walls. Many jobs mix block pilasters with wood or iron, so the proposal should name who builds each part. With MDG Builders you can ask for each subcontractor's license number and certificate of insurance.
Get a fence plan for your Westminster lot
Tell us which yard the fence is for, whether it is a corner lot and what material you have in mind. We check the height table and the permit question before we call you.