Zone zero gates: what California's rule would require

This page covers gates only. The full set of fence provisions is on our Zone 0 fence requirements page.

Are zone zero gate rules in effect yet?

Not statewide. The Board filed the rule with the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on 28 August 2026 (file 2026-0828-03E) and withdrew it on 8 September 2026, before OAL ruled. On 10 November 2026 OAL’s list of emergency regulations under review showed no Board of Forestry entry. Every deadline below runs from the date OAL approves the rule and it is filed with the Secretary of State.

San Diego is the main exception. Its Zone 0 Guidelines (Rev. 4/22/2026) already apply to new structures in its Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and they target full compliance for existing homes by 28 February 2029, which “includes replacing fences and gates that do not comply.”

What does the rule say about gates?

The rule handles gates and fences together. From the 19 August 2026 text, 14 CCR 1298.04 (local Very High zones) and 1299.03 (State Responsibility Area):

• “Combustible fences and gates shall not be attached to an Occupied Structure.” (1298.04(b)(8); 1299.03(d)(8).)
• Fences and gates attached to the house or within 1 foot of it “shall have a five (5) foot Noncombustible span from the point of attachment or the point closest to the Occupied Structure.” (1298.04(b)(9)(A); 1299.03(d)(9).)
• “After the effective date of this regulation, no new Combustible fences or gates (whether attached or parallel to the Occupied Structure) are permitted within five (5) feet of an Occupied Structure.” (1298.04(b)(9)(B). The SRA version omits the words in parentheses.)

The Board’s rule summary names the gate as the typical fix: “Examples could include replacing a wooden gate with a non-combustible metal gate.”

When does a gate fall inside the 5 foot span?

Measure along the fence from the house wall, or from an attached deck, stair or pergola, which the rule treats as part of the structure (1298.02(h)).

• Gate hinged or latched at the wall. Inside the span. This is the case the Board’s example describes.
• Gate a few feet out from the wall. In our reading, if any part of it sits within 5 feet of the attachment point, it is inside the span, and so is the fence section between it and the house.
• Gate more than 5 feet out along the fence. Outside the span. The Board’s July 2026 staff memo says “Fences more than five feet from the structure are not impacted by the draft regulation,” and an existing wood gate there can stay.
• Gate in a fence that runs parallel to the house within 5 feet. No new combustible gate is allowed there once the rule is effective. Unless the fence comes within 1 foot of the house, the rule does not order an existing one out, though the Board’s guidance asks owners to upgrade that section. San Diego’s local rules are stricter on parallel fencing.

Does the gate post at the wall count?

Yes, in our reading. The span starts at “the point of attachment,” which for a gate at the wall is the post set against the house or fastened to it. The rule does not mention posts by name, so confirm with your inspector, because a metal gate hung on a wood post would leave wood at the attachment point.

Fire Safe Marin tells contractors to “pay close attention to every place where a fence or gate attaches to siding, trim, decks, stairs.” In our reading, that includes a latch post if the gate closes against the house.

What materials work for the frame, infill and hardware?

The rule’s test for noncombustible is ASTM E136, “thus meeting the standard for ‘noncombustible materials’ described in Section 501.4.1” of the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (1298.02(f)). Applied to a gate:

• Frame and infill. Steel and aluminum are the usual choices. Fire Safe Marin says “ready-made steel and aluminum products are widely available and can be a strong upgrade,” and adds that “Fiber cement products can also be used.” The Aluminum Association puts the melting point of aluminum at about 660 C, which is a separate property from burning; our page on whether aluminum is noncombustible covers the test results.
• Wood-look gates. A metal gate with a woodgrain finish is still metal. Fire Safe Marin shows “an aluminum fence and gate, painted brown to look like wood.” A metal frame with wood slats is a different product: the rule names wood as combustible (1298.02(a)).
• Coatings. Section 501.4.1 has an exception for a noncombustible base with a surfacing no thicker than 0.125 inch and a flame spread index of 50 or less under ASTM E84. In our reading, that is what a powder-coated gate relies on. Ask the seller for an E136 report on the metal and an E84 result on the coating.
• Hog wire. Fire Safe Marin: “it is not recommended to use hogwire as a gate connecting to a structure, as it does not meet Zone 0 standards.”
• Hinges, latches and other hardware. The rule has no separate clause for hardware. If any part of the gate assembly is plastic or wood, ask your inspector whether it is acceptable.

The rule sets up no approval or listing program for gates, so a “Zone 0 approved” label on a product page is the seller’s own claim.

Can I put a metal gate on my wood fence?

Yes. The rule leaves existing wood fences in place and allows wood repairs to them (1298.04(b)(9)(C)). UC ANR’s fence table calls a metal gate on a combustible fence a “safe choice,” while warning that if the fence ignites, “the house could be exposed to radiant heat.” It recommends replacing “the last 5 feet with a non-combustible section (e.g., metal gate).”

Watch the width. If your gate is narrower than 5 feet, a metal gate alone leaves wood inside the span. The fix is a metal post at the far side of the gate and a metal filler panel or second post out to the 5 foot mark.

The IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home checklist, which some insurers use, goes further than the rule and calls for replacing “wood or vinyl fencing within 5 feet of the home with noncombustible fencing (e.g. metal).”

Does a gate need to stay usable in a fire?

The rule says nothing about gate operation, but a side gate may be the way out of a back yard. NIST’s 2022 fence study recommends avoiding “combustible fences where they can impact egress, to protect life safety.”

When would an existing wood gate have to be replaced?

The Board’s guidance says the gate or panel is due “within five years of the Zone 0 regulation adoption.” The rule text governs, and in local Very High zones it sets 3 years unless the local agency allows more.

What does a Zone 0 gate cost?

JJ’s Fence Company in San Diego County lists a Zone 0 aluminum section with a gate from $3,000 (undated page, checked 10 November 2026). EmberPro, a vendor, estimates $500 to $2,000 per gate with no stated basis (page dated 25 September 2026). Our side gate replacement cost page breaks down what drives the price. If your fence has no gate at the house, see wood fence attached to house for the panel options.

Before: wood at the wall

After: metal for the first 5 ft