Federal Way, WA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard fence/railing height
- 6 feet maximum
- Electrified fence height
- 10 feet maximum
- Fence + retaining wall combined
- 6 feet maximum
- With safety guardrail
- Up to 9.5 feet combined
- Safety rail design rule
- Must have gaps, not solid surface
Summary
Federal Way caps ordinary fences and railings in required yards at six feet, and electrified fences at 10 feet, under FWRC 19.125.160(5). Stack a fence with a retaining wall and the combined height is still capped at six feet, with a narrow safety-rail exception.
(5) Fences and railings not over six feet in height, and electrified fences not over 10 feet in height, may be located in required yards subject to the fence regulations contained within this chapter. When a rockery or retaining wall is also located in the required yard within five feet of the fence or railing, the total combined height of the fence and the rockery or retaining wall may be no more than six feet high. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a rockery or retaining wall over two and a half feet high requires a safety guardrail or handrail for fall protection, or other protective feature in the interests of public safety, then a safety feature up to three and a half feet in height is permitted in conjunction with the rockery or retaining wall up to a total combined height of nine and a half feet.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-1049, passed August 11, 2026).
Full Breakdown
125 covering barbed wire, electrified fence equipment, and razor wire. The section anticipates the common case of a fence sitting on top of or next to a retaining wall: if a rockery or retaining wall sits in the same required yard within five feet of the fence or railing, the combined height of the wall plus the fence cannot exceed six feet total. There is one carve-out for safety hardware. If a rockery or retaining wall taller than two and a half feet needs a guardrail or handrail for fall protection, the code allows a safety feature up to three and a half feet tall in addition to the wall, pushing the maximum combined height to nine and a half feet, but that safety feature must use openings or gaps rather than a solid surface so it does not read as a full-height fence blocking visibility.
The same subsection (6) applies the identical combined-height and safety-rail logic to rockeries and retaining walls that are not attached to a fence but sit within five feet of one. 140, so a compliant six-foot fence still cannot use barbed wire unless it qualifies under the narrow agricultural exception.
Violations & Fines
A fence built over the six-foot cap, or an electrified fence over 10 feet, in a required yard is enforceable as a civil infraction under Chapter 1.15 FWRC. FWRC 1.15.110 sets the default penalty at $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation of the same nature, and $300 for a third or continuing violation, and the city can order the fence modified or removed to bring it into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my fence be in Federal Way?
Can I build a fence on top of my retaining wall?
Is there an exception for safety railings on a tall wall?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Federal Way
How Federal Way compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Federal Way to another location·View the Washington fence regulations overview
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Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle height limits.