Fences and walls in Culver City: the local rules

Each rule below links to the section of the Culver City Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Culver City's code says

Culver City code What Culver City's code adds
Corner visibility	No more than 4 feet high. Any part above 30 inches must be open design. Applies: Residential zones, within a 15-foot intersection safety sightline. § 17.300.030 · code text Residential Zones - Within a 15 foot intersection safety sightline. \| 4 feet (2) \| The portion of the fence or wall above 30 inches in height shall be of an openwork design (e.g., wrought iron or other material), to ensure adequate visibility for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. No more than 4 feet high. Any part above 30 inches must be open design. Applies: Residential zones, within a 5-foot side or rear yard driveway safety sightline. § 17.300.030 · code text Residential Zones - Within a 5 foot side or rear yard driveway safety sightline. \| 4 feet (2) \| The portion of the fence or wall above 30 inches in height shall be of an openwork design (e. g., wrought iron or other material), to ensure adequate visibility for pedestrian and vehicular traffic adjacent to a street right-of-way.
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 6 feet high. Applies: Any one retaining wall. § 17.300.030 · code text Retaining walls shall not exceed six feet in height for any one wall, nor 12 feet for any combination of walls (including required freeboard). No more than 12 feet high in total. Applies: Any combination of retaining walls, including required freeboard, with walls at least 3 feet apart horizontally. § 17.300.030 · code text Retaining walls shall not exceed six feet in height for any one wall, nor 12 feet for any combination of walls (including required freeboard).
Front yard height	No more than 4 feet high. Applies: Residential front setbacks. Within 10 feet of a street and 5 feet of a driveway or alley, the part above 30 inches must be open. § 17.300.030 · code text Residential Zones - Within the required front setback \| 4 feet (2)
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet high. Applies: Residential side or rear setbacks, not hedges or landscaping. Two owners may agree to an 8-foot fence between their abutting rear yards. § 17.300.030 · code text Residential Zones - Within a required side or rear setback. \| 6 feet (3)(4) No more than 8 feet high. Applies: Residential side or rear setbacks next to an alley or a non-residential zone. § 17.300.030 · code text Residential Zones - Within a required side or rear setback adjacent to an alley right-of-way or abutting a non-residential zone. \| 8 feet \| Alley adjacent rear and side yard fences are not eligible for fence height waivers.

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Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Culver City?

Residential fences are limited to 4 feet in the front setback and 6 feet in side and rear setbacks.

Fences and walls in Culver City

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What Culver City's code says

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