Fence Regulations in Arapahoe County, CO (2026)
4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Arapahoe County, Colorado.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
In unincorporated Arapahoe County, a fence in front of a building is capped at three feet. Side and rear yard fences of any class can run up to six feet, excluding hedges, but a side-yard fence can't pass the front building line unless the owner provides a 16-foot sight-distance triangle and sets the fence back at least eight feet from the corner side property line.
Arapahoe County Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsArapahoe County Land Development Code §§ 4-1.5.C.2-C.3
b. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, fences erected in front of any building on a zone lot shall not exceed three feet in height. c. Side and rear yard fences may be of any class, as defined in Section 4-1.5.B herein, but shall not exceed a height of six feet excluding hedges; provided that a side yard fence shall not extend past the lot's front building line or the adjacent neighbo...
Fence Permit Requirements
No one may erect, build, enlarge, alter or move a fence in unincorporated Arapahoe County without first getting a fence permit from the PWD Building Division. The Division won't issue the permit unless the applicant shows the fence complies with the Fence Regulations chapter, and the Board of County Commissioners sets and can change the permit fee.
Arapahoe County Fence Permit Requirement
Some RestrictionsArapahoe County Land Development Code §§ 4-1.5.A.1-A.3
a. No person, firm or corporation shall erect, construct, enlarge, alter or move any fence in the County without first obtaining a fence permit from the PWD Building Division, pursuant to this Section. b. No fence permit shall be issued by the PWD Building Division unless the applicant for such permit demonstrates compliance with the provisions of this Section. c. Fees for fence permits issued ...
Retaining Walls
In unincorporated Arapahoe County, a retaining wall over four feet high, measured from finished grade on the low side, must be designed and sealed by a Colorado-licensed structural engineer before the county's PWD Building Division will issue the fence permit covering it. Inside a 30-foot corner sight triangle, retaining walls are capped at three feet regardless of the four-foot engineering trigger, and the rule sits inside the county's Fence Regulations section of the Land Development Code.
Arapahoe County Retaining Wall Engineering Rule
Some RestrictionsArapahoe County Land Development Code § 4-1.5.3.e.vi
Retaining walls exceeding a height of four feet from the finished grade on the low side of the wall shall be designed by a licensed structural engineer, and plans submitted for a fence permit shall show the seal of such engineer. Retaining walls within 30 feet sight triangles cannot exceed three feet in height.
Material Restrictions
Arapahoe County Land Development Code §5-2 regulates fence materials by zoning district. Wood, vinyl, wrought iron, chain-link, and tubular steel are generally permitted. Barbed wire is restricted to agricultural and industrial zones. HOAs in Centennial, Aurora master-planned communities, and Cherry Hills Village commonly impose stricter material standards.
fences/materials
Some RestrictionsC.R.S. § 35-46-101
Overview of Open Range and Fence Out Concepts", see 43 Colo. Law. 29 (March 2014). 35-46-101. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Lawful fence" is a well-constructed three barbed wire fence with substantial posts set at a distance of approximately twenty feet apart, and sufficient to turn ordinary horses and cattle, with all gates equally as good as...
Fence Regulations by City in Arapahoe County
2 cities in Arapahoe County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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