Burbank Neighbor Fence Rules Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

California Civil Code Section 841 — commonly called the Good Neighbor Fence Law — governs shared boundary fences throughout California, including Burbank. The law presumes that adjoining landowners share equal benefit from a fence dividing their properties and are therefore equally responsible for the reasonable costs of construction, maintenance, and replacement unless a written agreement between the neighbors specifies otherwise. This presumption applies to the shared fence along a property boundary, not to fences a property owner builds entirely on their own land set back from the boundary.

Before a landowner incurs shared costs for a boundary fence, they must provide each affected adjoining landowner with at least 30 days' prior written notice. The notice must include: notification of the presumption of equal responsibility, a description of the problem requiring attention, the proposed solution, the estimated total cost, the proposed cost-sharing approach, and the proposed construction timeline. The 30-day notice requirement gives the neighbor an opportunity to discuss alternatives, select a different contractor, or formally dispute their obligation. The presumption of equal responsibility may be rebutted by demonstrating that equal cost-sharing would be unjust under the circumstances — for example, if one neighbor derives no benefit from the fence because their property is vacant, or if the proposed fence is a luxury upgrade far exceeding what is necessary. In Burbank, all shared fences must still comply with local ordinances including the 6-foot maximum height in side and rear yards, the 3.5-foot limit in front yards, and the prohibition on barbed wire, razor wire, and electric wire regardless of what the neighbors agree to between themselves. California's spite-fence law (Civil Code Section 841.4) also prohibits any fence built or maintained maliciously to injure a neighbor.