Chelan County, WA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Side/rear yard max
- 7 feet
- Front yard max
- 4 feet
- Public/utility/commercial fence max
- 8 ft side/rear, 4 ft front
- Corner lot fence in setback
- 4 ft (3 ft in clear-view triangle)
- Permit threshold
- Fences over 7 ft need a building permit
- Outside required yards
- No height limit
Summary
Fences in unincorporated Chelan County top out at seven feet in side and rear yards and four feet in front yards; public, utility, industrial, agricultural and commercial fences can run to eight feet side/rear. Corner lots drop to four feet in the street setback, and the clear-view triangle cuts that to three feet, under Chelan County Code Section 11.88.170.
§ 11.88.170. Accessory uses and structures. ... (1) (A) Fences shall be erected and maintained to a height not to exceed seven feet in the side or rear yard area and four feet in the front yard, except on corner lots. (B) Fences for public facilities, utilities, industrial, agricultural and commercial uses may be erected and maintained to a height not to exceed eight feet in the side or rear yard area and four feet in the front yard, except on corner lots. (C) On corner lots, all fences located in the building setback for either street shall not exceed four feet, except where superseded by a clear view triangle (Section 11.88.090) which limits height to three feet. (D) Fences outside of the building setback or required yard areas do not have a height restriction. (E) All fences over seven feet (or as required by the International Building Codes, Section 3.04.100(2)) require a building permit.
Full Breakdown
170(1) of the Chelan County Code sets the county's fence-height standard for every zoning district. A residential fence may not exceed seven feet in a side or rear yard, or four feet in a front yard, except on corner lots. Fences built for public facilities, utilities, industrial, agricultural or commercial uses get an extra foot in the side or rear yard, up to eight feet, but the four-foot front-yard cap still applies. 090, the limit drops to three feet between three and ten feet above the road centerline grade, so nothing planted, built or parked can block sight lines at an unsignalized intersection or railroad crossing.
The clear-view triangle itself runs eighty feet along each street centerline from the intersection, provided each street extends at least one hundred feet from that point. Once a fence sits outside a required setback or yard area altogether, the code drops the height restriction entirely. 100(2) of the building code, even though shorter fences are permit-exempt.
Violations & Fines
An oversized or unpermitted fence is a zoning code violation Community Development can pursue with a notice and order under Chapter 16.06, giving the property owner a deadline to bring the fence into compliance or remove it. Missing that deadline carries a $750 civil fine for a first violation and $1,500 for a repeat violation under Chapter 16.16, and a fence built without the required permit for heights over seven feet is also subject to the building code's misdemeanor penalty under Section 3.04.020, up to $500 or ninety days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my backyard fence be in unincorporated Chelan County?
What is the clear-view triangle rule for corner lots?
Do I need a permit for a tall fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
How Chelan County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington fence regulations overview
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