In unincorporated Boulder County, fences 6 feet high or under (measured from existing grade) need no building permit. Fences over 6 feet require a permit and must meet the zoning district's setbacks. Fences of any height in a floodplain need a permit.
Boulder County's Fence Requirements publication (P/28) governs the unincorporated area only; cities and towns set their own rules. Fences 6 feet and under from existing grade are permit-exempt, but building on a berm or platform changes the measured height. Fences over 6 feet need a building permit, must sit entirely on the owner's property (footings included), may require engineered footing plans, and cannot stand in the road right-of-way. Fences of any height cannot interfere with the sight triangle at road intersections, which varies by posted speed. Subdivision covenants may impose stricter limits than the county code, though the county does not enforce those covenants.
Building a fence over 6 feet without a permit, or within the road right-of-way or sight triangle, is a Land Use Code violation subject to correction orders and penalties by Community Planning & Permitting.
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