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The Timeline · City of Malibu · checked September 19, 2026Zone 0 Dates in Malibu: What Applies Now and What Is Proposed
The dates that exist, and the ones that do not
One local date is in force. The statewide dates are proposals. Do not read the statewide draft as a Malibu deadline.
Aug 12, 2020
Malibu Municipal Code Ch. 17.53 in force for projects requiring permits: no hedges or flammable fences and walls within 5 feet of a building; nonflammable mulch only. Exemptions in MMC 17.53.030(B).
Statewide draft
No effective date. Approved as a draft August 19, 2026; OAL file 2026-0828-03E listed withdrawn September 8, 2026.
No retrofit deadline found
We found no retrofit deadline for existing structures. Confirm with the City of Malibu and Los Angeles County Fire.
Before any deadline
Book the free city assessment now. Clearing the first five feet is effective prevention whether or not a rule applies to your project.
Your local authority sets the specifics
No statewide clock is running, because no statewide Zone 0 regulation is in force. What applies to a Malibu property is the City of Malibu's own code and existing state law, with the Los Angeles County Fire Department as the fire authority.
The city also staffs Fire Safety Liaisons, offers free home wildfire hardening assessments, and ran a dedicated rebuild process after Woolsey.
Deadline questions, answered
Is there a statewide Zone 0 deadline?
No. As of September 19, 2026 there is no statewide Zone 0 regulation in force in California, so there is no statewide effective date and no phase-in clock. The Board of Forestry approved a final draft on August 19, 2026; the state's own record lists OAL file 2026-0828-03E as withdrawn on September 8, 2026.
What is the date that matters in Malibu?
August 12, 2020, the date Malibu Municipal Code Chapter 17.53 took effect. It applies to projects requiring permits after that date, with exemptions in MMC 17.53.030(B).
When must existing Malibu homes clear the first five feet?
We did not find a retrofit deadline for existing structures in Chapter 17.53, and no statewide deadline exists. Clearing the first five feet is Recommended now as prevention. Confirm with the City of Malibu and Los Angeles County Fire.
I'm still rebuilding from Woolsey. Which rules apply to me?
Chapter 17.53 applies to projects requiring permits after August 12, 2020, with exemptions in MMC 17.53.030(B), so ask the City of Malibu what applies to your permit. No statewide Zone 0 requirement is in force. Using nonflammable materials in the first five feet is Recommended now.
Have a question about your lot?
Send a request and the team will follow up by email.