Moraga · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Moraga

Moraga sets its own fence heights and accessory-structure limits. Fence limits depend on the setback area and on zoning administrator or design review board approval.

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Key points

Fence height: Moraga limits fences to 3 ft in front and exterior side setbacks, 6 ft in side and rear setbacks, without approval.
Sheds: Moraga lets sheds and playhouses up to 120 sq ft and 8 ft high sit anywhere in required side or rear yards if screened.

Each rule below is marked Moraga code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Fences and walls

Moraga code What Moraga's code adds
Front yard height	No more than 3 feet. Applies: In a front yard or exterior side yard setback, unless the zoning administrator approves it first. § 8.68.040 · code text No fence or wall higher than three feet is permitted within a front yard or exterior side yard setback area without the prior approval of the zoning administrator. Up to 7 feet 6 inches. Applies: Front or exterior side yard setback, for fences or walls over 6 feet, with design review board approval. § 8.68.040 · code text Fences or walls exceeding six feet and up to seven feet six inches in height are permitted in the front or exterior side yard setback areas subject to approval of the design review board.
Side and rear yard height	Up to 6 feet. Applies: In side or rear yard setback areas. § 8.68.040 · code text Fences or walls up to six feet in height are permitted within side or rear yard setback areas. Up to 7 feet 6 inches. Applies: Side or rear yard setback, for fences or walls over 6 feet, with design review board approval. § 8.68.040 · code text Fences or walls exceeding six feet and up to seven feet six inches in height are permitted in side or rear yard setback areas subject to approval of the design review board.
Permit	Zoning administrator approval is needed first for a fence or wall over 3 feet. Applies: Front yard or exterior side yard setback area. § 8.68.040 · code text No fence or wall higher than three feet is permitted within a front yard or exterior side yard setback area without the prior approval of the zoning administrator. Design review board approval is needed for fences or walls over 6 feet and up to 7 feet 6 inches. Applies: Front, exterior side, side or rear yard setback areas. § 8.68.040 · code text Fences or walls exceeding six feet and up to seven feet six inches in height are permitted in the front or exterior side yard setback areas subject to approval of the design review board. No zoning administrator or design review board approval is needed. Applies: Open fencing up to 7 feet in rural residential, MOSO and non-MOSO open space districts. § 8.68.040 · code text Such fencing is not subject to other provisions in Section 8.68.040, and does not require approval from the zoning administrator or the design review board.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Moraga code What Moraga's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 8 feet. Applies: Shed, greenhouse or playhouse of 120 square feet or less in a required side or rear yard, screened from view from the front. § 8.70.020 · code text any shed, greenhouse or playhouse not exceeding a total of one hundred twenty (120) square feet in floor area, with a height of no more than eight feet, may be located anywhere within a required side or rear yard No more than 9 feet. Applies: A single arbor-style entry over a walkway in a residential front yard setback; also at most 5 feet wide and 3 feet deep. § 8.70.030 · code text A single arbor-style entry element in the front yard setback of a residential property is permitted if it is located over a walkway or pathway and does not exceed nine feet in height, five feet in width, three feet in depth and provided that such entry element does not create sight obstructions as set forth in Section 8.80.010.
Size or lot coverage	No more than 120 square feet of floor area. Applies: Shed, greenhouse or playhouse up to 8 feet tall in a required side or rear yard. Other accessory buildings use main-building setbacks. § 8.70.020 · code text any shed, greenhouse or playhouse not exceeding a total of one hundred twenty (120) square feet in floor area, with a height of no more than eight feet, may be located anywhere within a required side or rear yard
Side and rear setback	At least 3 feet. Applies: Accessory structure 8 feet tall or less, set back at least 50 feet from the front property line. § 8.70.030 · code text The minimum side and rear yard setback for an accessory structure of eight feet or less in height is three feet if the structure is set back at least fifty (50) feet from the front property line. No setback. May be placed anywhere in a required side or rear yard. Applies: Shed, greenhouse or playhouse up to 120 square feet and 8 feet tall, reasonably screened from view from the front. § 8.70.020 · code text any shed, greenhouse or playhouse not exceeding a total of one hundred twenty (120) square feet in floor area, with a height of no more than eight feet, may be located anywhere within a required side or rear yard, provided that it is reasonably screened from view from the front of the property by a fence, building, or landscaping.

Pets, chickens and bees

Moraga code No bee colonies. At most 4 honey bee colonies, plus 1 nucleus colony per permitted colony.

All 14 Moraga rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Other Moraga rules on this

Moraga's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

Storing an RV, boat or trailer at a home (§ 8.148.030)
Parking oversize vehicles and RVs on residential streets (Ch. 10.10) — on public streets in residential districts
Pool, spa and equipment setbacks (§ 8.70.050)
Permit to remove a native, orchard or historic tree (Ch. 12.12) — native, orchard and historic trees

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Moraga?

Moraga limits fences to 3 ft in front and exterior side setbacks, 6 ft in side and rear setbacks, without approval.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Moraga?

Moraga lets sheds and playhouses up to 120 sq ft and 8 ft high sit anywhere in required side or rear yards if screened.

General information, not legal advice.

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