What can I use instead of chain link at a Stockton home?

Wood, vinyl, or open metal such as tubular steel or aluminum. For dogs, welded wire panels in a wood frame or an aluminum fence are common alternatives; confirm the material with the city first.

Is barbed wire allowed in Stockton?

Barbed and razor wire are prohibited in residential districts. In commercial and industrial districts they are prohibited next to public rights-of-way, and elsewhere must be at least 7 feet above ground and not visible from the adjacent street.

Rules guide

Can you have a chain link fence in Stockton?

Q: Can you have a chain link fence in Stockton?

Not at a home in a residential district. Stockton Municipal Code section 16.48.070 prohibits chain link in residential districts and for residential uses in nonresidential districts. In commercial and industrial districts, chain link must be vinyl-coated and kept at least 10 feet from front and street-side property lines.

Updated October 2026

Not at a home inside Stockton city limits. Stockton Municipal Code section 16.48.070 prohibits chain link in residential districts and for residential uses in other districts. It depends on zoning: in commercial and industrial districts chain link is allowed if it is vinyl-coated and kept at least 10 feet back from front and street-side property lines. Outside city limits, other cities and the county set their own rules.

What exactly does Stockton's code say?

Residential districts: chain link is prohibited, including for residential uses in nonresidential districts.
Commercial and industrial districts: chain link is not allowed within 10 feet of a front or street-side property line, and any chain link must be vinyl-coated.
Barbed and razor wire: prohibited in residential districts and next to public rights-of-way elsewhere; where allowed, at least 7 feet above ground and hidden from the street.
Tarp fencing: prohibited in all districts.

I already have chain link. Do I have to remove it?

This guide covers new fences. Whether an older fence can stay, and what happens when you replace it, is a question for the City of Stockton. We will not install new chain link at a home in a residential district.

What should a homeowner use instead?

Wood

Lowest-cost full privacy. A good replacement for a chain link back fence that also blocks the view.

Vinyl

Higher up-front cost, no painting, and indifferent to sprinklers.

Aluminum or steel

Open like chain link, but allowed, and it looks finished from the street.

Wood frame with wire infill

A see-through, pet-friendly look; confirm the infill material with the city before building.

Where do we still install chain link?

On commercial and industrial sites in Stockton, following the coating and setback rules, and on farm and rural properties where the governing agency allows it. See chain link and commercial fencing and ranch and farm fencing.

Do Lodi, Manteca, Tracy and Lathrop ban it too?

This guide covers Stockton only. The other cities have their own codes, and we check them for each address rather than assume.

Sources

Stockton Municipal Code Chapter 16.48, section 16.48.070 (Fence and wall materials), as reproduced in the City of Stockton residential fence handout and Stockton Development Code text. This is general information and not legal advice. Confirm with the City of Stockton for your property.