Fence Regulations in Kennewick, WA (2026)
5 verified fence regulations for Kennewick, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Under Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27 (Accessory Buildings, Structures and Uses), fences in residential zones are limited to 36 inches in a required front yard, 30 inches within a sight-distance triangle, and 6 feet above grade elsewhere on the site. Fences over 36 inches must be built with steel or pressure-treated wood posts, and over-height fences require a variance.
Kennewick Fence Height Limits and Sight Triangle
Some RestrictionsPermit Requirements
Most residential fences six feet or less in height in Kennewick do not require a separate building permit under WAC 51-50 (the adopted Washington State Building Code, IBC Section 105.2 exemption), but all fences must comply with the zoning, sight-triangle, and material standards in Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27. Pool barriers and over-height fences do require a permit.
Kennewick Fence Permits and Application Process
Some RestrictionsNeighbor Fence Rules
Boundary, partition-fence, and 'spite fence' disputes in Kennewick are governed by Washington State common law and statute, not the city zoning code. RCW Chapter 16.60 addresses livestock/partition fence cost-sharing in rural areas, and Washington recognizes the common-law spite-fence doctrine as a private nuisance. Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27 sets height and location but does not resolve private boundary disputes.
Kennewick Neighbor Fence and Spite-Fence Rules
Some RestrictionsPool Barriers
Pool barriers in Kennewick are governed by the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and IBC Appendix G, both adopted by reference in the Washington State Building Code at WAC 51-50, and implemented locally through Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 15.44 (Swimming Pool Code). A residential pool barrier must be at least 48 inches high, climb-resistant, with self-closing/self-latching gates and openings small enough that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass.
Kennewick Pool Barrier Fence Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsApproved Materials
Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27 does not prescribe a closed list of permitted fence materials, but requires that all fences over 36 inches use steel or pressure-treated wood posts. Barbed wire, electric, and razor wire are generally prohibited in residential zones. Standard materials - wood, vinyl, aluminum, ornamental iron, chain link - are permitted subject to the height and 'good side out' rules.
Kennewick Fence Material Standards
Some RestrictionsLooking for Benton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Kennewick city rules.
Fence Regulations in Benton County →