Fence & Gate Contractor in Del Mar
Fence rules in Del Mar
City of Del Mar rules from the Del Mar Municipal Code (DMMC), each linked to its source. They apply inside city limits only.
| Front yard | 3.5 ft for fences and gates in a required front yard or a side yard along a street, rising 6 in for every 2 ft of setback from the property line, to a 6-ft maximum. Height is measured on the outside face, from the lower of natural or finished grade. DMMC §30.86.090(A)(1), (D) · as of Sept 2026 |
|---|---|
| Side and rear | 6 ft in rear and interior side yards. Inside the buildable area, a fence may be as tall as the building. DMMC §30.86.090(A)(2)–(3) · as of Sept 2026 |
| Building permit | Required for any fence over 12 in, under Del Mar's amendment to the state codes effective October 22, 2025. Retaining walls are exempt only up to 12 in, measured from the bottom of the footing, and only without a surcharge. DMMC §23.12.062 · as of Sept 2026 |
| Design review | Required for a new fence. Fences up to 6 ft can use Administrative Design Review: owners within 300 ft receive mailed notice, and an objection that can't be resolved sends the project to the Design Review Board. DMMC §§23.08.030, 23.08.035 · ADR guide · as of Sept 2026 |
| Pool barrier | 5 ft minimum, measured on the outside, around any pool or outdoor body of water deeper than 12 in, existing pools included. Gates self-close and self-latch, with the release at least 4 ft up; state law sets 60 in for new or remodeled single-family pools, so ask Building which applies. DMMC §30.86.170 · HSC §115923 · as of Sept 2026 |
| Coastal permit | Generally exempt at an existing single-family home, though all of Del Mar is in the Coastal Zone. The exemption does not apply in the Coastal Development Permit Appeals Area, on a beach or wetland, within 50 ft of a coastal bluff edge or of a wetland in the Lagoon Overlay, or within 20 ft of the top or 10 ft of the bottom of a steep slope in the Bluff, Slope and Canyon Overlay. DMMC §§30.75.020, 30.75.200 · as of Sept 2026 |
| Fire and Zone 0 | Check the 2025 map. Del Mar adopted a Fire Hazard Severity Zone map on June 16, 2025 that, the City says, significantly expanded its High and Very High zones; we found no local Zone 0 fence rule. The state's Zone 0 package was withdrawn on September 8, 2026 and has no effective date. DMMC §10.04.015 · City map page · OAL · as of Oct 2026 |
The coastal-exemption exceptions, the Administrative Design Review steps and links to the City's forms are in the Del Mar section of our San Diego County fence rules.
Three things to settle first in Del Mar
Design review brings in the block
Mailed notice under Administrative Design Review reaches every owner within 300 feet, and one unresolved objection moves the fence to the Design Review Board. Walking the plan past the neighbors who share the line or the view before applying can spare that step.
Retaining walls and fences, kept apart
On lots that drop toward the lagoon, a canyon or the street, a fence holding back more than 3 feet of soil must be designed or approved by a licensed engineer or architect, and a fence used as a retaining wall can rise only 1 foot above the soil. Drawing the wall and the fence as separate pieces keeps each within its own limit.
Salt air near the sand and bluffs
Close to the beach, salt settles on every rail, hinge and fastener. Powder-coated aluminum does not red-rust, so it is where we start; steel works with a galvanized base, a powder-coated finish and periodic touch-ups.
Aluminum, steel, gates and walls for Del Mar homes
Aluminum fencing in Del Mar
Open pickets that keep sight lines, in finish colors you can take to design review.
Steel fences and gates
Welded frames for front walks and courtyards, finished for salt air.
Manual gates in Del Mar
Side-yard, pedestrian and pool gates only, with no motorized or driveway gates.
Block walls in Del Mar
Retaining and boundary walls, drawn separately from the fence above them. Gabion walls too.
Our nearest published projects are a gabion wall in La Jolla and an ipe and wire-mesh fence in Carlsbad.
How a Del Mar fence moves from plan to build
- 01
Site review
Setbacks, grade, the distance to any bluff or steep slope, the pool and the house connection.
- 02
Proposal
Heights, materials, finish and hardware, set to Del Mar's limits.
- 03
Review and permit
Design review and the building permit come before fabrication; the City decides both.
- 04
Build
Fabricated in our Escondido shop, then installed on site.
Del Mar fence questions
Can I replace a wood fence with aluminum without design review?
No. A replacement skips design review only when it is like-for-like, built in the same material, location and style as the old fence, so a switch from wood to aluminum goes through review (City form). A fence up to 6 feet can take the shorter Administrative Design Review track.
Does my neighbor have to sign for a fence on the property line?
Yes. For a new or replacement fence or wall on a shared property line, including its posts and footings, every owner on that line signs the City's mutual agreement form.
Can an arbor or entry structure go in a Del Mar front yard?
Yes, with the Planning Director's approval. An open-work entry structure such as a trellis or arbor may sit in the front or street-side setback if it is no more than 10 feet high, 8 feet wide and 5 feet deep (DMMC §30.86.090(A)(4)).
Do Del Mar's fence rules apply in Del Mar Heights or Del Mar Mesa?
No. They cover lots inside Del Mar city limits. Del Mar Heights and Del Mar Mesa are in the City of San Diego, which has its own height and permit rules; see the City of San Diego section of our fence rules.
Nearby areas we serve
- Solana BeachJust north, with its own 42-inch rule.
- Carmel ValleyJust east, in the City of San Diego.
- Rancho Santa FeEstate lots to the northeast.
- La JollaSouth along the coast.
- EncinitasCardiff and Leucadia, past Solana Beach.
- EscondidoWhere our shop is, inland.
Start a Del Mar fence with the review in mind
Bring a survey if you have one. We'll walk the lot with you, talk through the review path and follow up with a proposal.
Most site reviews and estimates are free; we confirm before booking. Or call (619) 975-1883.