In unincorporated Pierce County, fences and retaining walls may reach a maximum height of 6 feet within required setbacks, or up to 8 feet for security fencing serving a Utility, Industrial, or Agricultural Use. Sight-distance rules still apply at corners and driveways.
Pierce County Code Title 18A zones unincorporated land, and PCC 18A.15.040.B.2.d caps fences and retaining walls in required yards at 6 feet. Security fencing for a Utility, Industrial, or Agricultural Use may reach 8 feet. Height is measured from the ground immediately adjacent to the fence to the top, including all attachments, ornamentation, and security devices such as barbed wire. Cities like Tacoma, Puyallup, and Lakewood set their own limits, so verify the local municipal code before building.
Fences exceeding the 6-foot limit without a permit, or blocking corner sight distance under Title 17B PCC, can trigger a code-enforcement notice and required removal or lowering. Incorporated cities enforce separately.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard residential composting is allowed and encouraged in Pierce County with no permit, but a compost pile that creates odor, attracts vermin, or otherwis...
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Pierce County government sets no county-wide residential watering schedule; outdoor watering rules are set by your water provider — mainly Tacoma Water and l...
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Every Pierce County landowner has an enforceable duty under RCW 17.10.140 to eradicate class A noxious weeds and control listed class B and C weeds. The Pier...
See how Pierce County's height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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