Fence Regulations in Fort Collins, CO (2026)
5 verified fence regulations for Fort Collins, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Fort Collins caps fences at four feet in the front yard and along the front property line, six feet in required side and rear yard setbacks, and 42 inches inside a visual clearance triangle at intersections, under Section 3.8.11(C) of the Transitional Land Use Code.
Fort Collins Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Transitional Land Use Code § 3.8.11(C)
(C)Fences or walls shall be:(1)no more than four (4) feet high between the front building line and front property line;(2)no more than four (4) feet high if located in the front yard, or within any required side yard setback area in the front yard, except if required for demonstrated unique security purposes;(3)no more than six (6) feet high if located within any required rear yard setback area...
Fence Permit Requirements
Fort Collins doesn't require a building permit for a fence 6 feet or shorter. City Code Section 5-30 amends the adopted 2024 International Residential Code so that Section R105.2 exempts 'fences not over 6 feet' from permitting, but a taller fence, or any fence inside a required zoning setback, still needs City sign-off.
Fort Collins Fence Permit Height Threshold
Light RestrictionsFort Collins City Code § 5-30 (2024 International Residential Code § R105.2)
R105.2 Work exempt from permit. Exemption from permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction. Permits shall not be required for the following: Building: ... 2.Fences not over 6 feet (1829 mm) high.
Neighbor Fence Rules
Fort Collins does not have an ordinance splitting the cost of a shared boundary fence between neighbors. Instead, Municipal Code § 20-32 makes a structurally unsound fence or wall a nuisance and puts the repair duty on the property owner: any fence or wall must be kept in good repair with no broken, loose or missing parts, whoever built it.
Fort Collins Fence and Wall Repair Duty
Some RestrictionsFort Collins Municipal Code § 20-30; § 20-32
No owner or occupant of any real property within the City shall permit the maintenance or existence on such property of dirt yards or dilapidated fences or walls as said conditions are more particularly addressed and regulated by provisions of this Article, and such conditions are hereby declared to be a nuisance and a menace to the public welfare. ... All fences and walls shall be structurally...
Retaining Walls
Fort Collins exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet tall from a building permit, but only if the wall does not support a surcharge; taller walls, or any wall carrying extra load, need a permit and engineered plans reviewed by the Building Official.
Fort Collins Retaining Wall Permit Rule
Some RestrictionsFort Collins City Code Sec. 5-27 (amending 2024 IBC Sec. 105.2, item 4)
Retaining walls that are not over 4 feet (1219 mm) in height measured from the low side grade to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge provided the horizontal distance to the next uphill retaining wall is at least equal to the total height of the lower retaining wall.
Material Restrictions
Fort Collins bans barbed wire, other sharp-pointed fencing, and electrically charged fencing in every zone district under Section 3.8.11(B) of its Transitional Land Use Code. Chain-link fencing, slatted or not, cannot be used for screening. Electric fencing is allowed only in the Urban Estate, Rural Land, and Foothills Residential districts, and only to manage livestock and pasture under strict voltage and signage rules.
Fort Collins Bans Barbed Wire, Electric Fencing
Significant RestrictionsFort Collins Transitional Land Use Code § 3.8.11(B)
(B)Materials: Chain-link fencing with or without slats shall not be used as a fencing material for screening purposes. Except as permitted below, no barbed wire or other sharp-pointed fence and no electrically charged fence shall be installed or used in any zone districts.(1)In the Urban Estate (U-E), Rural Land (R-U-L) and Foothills Residential (R-F) Districts, barbed wire and portable electri...
Looking for Larimer County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fort Collins city rules.
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