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Kootenai County, ID Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Maximum fence height
8 feet countywide (LUDC 8.4.605(D))
Screening fence standard
Min. 6 feet, 100% sight-obscuring
Banned fencing material
Tires, manufactured-home parts, junk, auto parts
Corner visibility triangle
50 feet; clear zone 2'6" to 10'
Setback exemption
Fences under 8 feet skip yard setbacks
Alternative compliance appeal
Director's decision appealable to County Board

Summary

Kootenai County caps fencing at eight feet under LUDC 8.4.605(D), the same threshold that lets a fence skip the title's yard setbacks entirely. Fences serving as required screening around refuse containers or outdoor equipment storage must be at least six feet and 100% sight-obscuring. On corner lots, a separate fifty-foot visibility triangle rule limits how much of the fence can block sightlines near an intersection.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Kootenai County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A. Refuse Containers: Refuse containers shall be screened from view by a one hundred percent (100%) sight obscuring fence that is a minimum of six feet (6') in height. B. Storage Of Equipment, Materials And Goods: Equipment, materials or goods not housed within the primary building shall be stored within an accessory building or within a one hundred percent (100%) sight obscuring fence that is a minimum of six feet (6') in height. Materials and goods shall not be stored in any manner where they are visible from adjacent property or a public right-of-way. C. Fencing Material: Fencing material shall not consist of tires, manufactured home parts, salvaged building materials, automobile parts, junk, or garbage. D. Height: Fencing shall be limited to a maximum of eight feet (8') in height.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-10: Code current through: Ord. 633, passed December 23, 2025).

Full Breakdown

6 (Landscaping, Screening and Fencing), sets the county's baseline fence rules. 1106(C)(1) exempts any fence under eight feet from the title's standard front, side and rear yard setbacks, so a fence built to the maximum height can generally go right up to the property line without a separate setback review. Subsections A and B require a different kind of fence for commercial, light industrial and industrial development: refuse containers, and any equipment, materials or goods not stored inside a building, must sit behind a fence that is both a minimum of six feet (6') tall and 100 percent sight-obscuring, so nothing stored outdoors is visible from adjacent property or the public right-of-way.

Subsection C bans certain fencing material outright: tires, manufactured home parts, salvaged building materials, automobile parts, junk, and garbage cannot be used to build a fence anywhere the article applies. 5. 1403, nothing erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow may materially impede vision between two feet six inches (2'6") and ten feet (10') above street grade within the fifty-foot (50') triangle formed where two intersecting street lines meet. A solid eight-foot fence built inside that triangle is a violation even though it is within the general height cap.

Violations & Fines

The Community Development Department enforces fence height and screening standards as part of its zoning compliance review; a fence exceeding eight feet, built in banned material, or blocking the corner visibility triangle can trigger a code enforcement notice and required removal or modification. Property owners seeking relief from the standard, rather than simply exceeding it, must file for an alternative method of compliance under 8.4.606 before building; an unfavorable decision from the Director may be appealed to the Board of County Commissioners under Article 8.5 of Title 8.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum fence height allowed in unincorporated Kootenai County?
Eight feet (8') is the cap under LUDC 8.4.605(D). That is also the height threshold the county uses to define an exempt fence elsewhere in the code: a fence under eight feet skips the standard yard setback rules in 8.4.1106(C)(1), so it can typically be built close to the property line without a separate setback review.
Do I need a special fence for outdoor storage or trash cans?
If you are storing equipment, materials, goods, or refuse containers outdoors on commercial, light industrial or industrial-zoned property, LUDC 8.4.605(A)-(B) requires a fence at least six feet tall that is 100 percent sight-obscuring, so nothing stored is visible from neighboring property or the public right-of-way.
Can I build a solid fence on my corner lot?
Not inside the visibility triangle. LUDC 8.4.1403 bars anything, fences included, from blocking sightlines between two feet six inches and ten feet above street grade within fifty feet of where two intersecting streets meet, and this supplementary standard applies in every zone under 8.4.1401.
What fencing materials are prohibited?
LUDC 8.4.605(C) bars building a fence out of tires, manufactured home parts, salvaged building materials, automobile parts, junk, or garbage anywhere the article applies, primarily commercial, light industrial and industrial development where screening fences are required around outdoor storage and refuse areas.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kootenai County

All Kootenai County rules

How Kootenai County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Kootenai County to another location·View the Idaho fence regulations overview

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