In unincorporated Adams County, any fence or wall taller than 42 inches (3.5 ft) requires a building permit through the Adams County E-Permit Center. Fences 42 inches and shorter do not require a permit. All fences - regardless of height - must be structurally sound and maintained in good repair. Outdoor storage screening requires a 6-foot opaque fence under Section 4-09-01-04 of the Adams County Development Standards and Regulations. Permits and inquiries: epermitcenter@adamscountyco.gov or 720.523.6800.
Adams County regulates fences through its Development Standards and Regulations and through the adopted 2018 International Building Code/International Residential Code. The countywide threshold for a fence permit is 42 inches in height: barriers up to and including 42 inches are exempt, and anything taller requires a permit application through the E-Permit Center. Specific zone districts (R-E, R-1-A, R-1-C, etc.) may carry their own setback and corner-lot sight-triangle restrictions; check the underlying zone in Chapter 3 of the Development Standards. Section 4-09-01-04 of the Adams County Development Standards requires outdoor storage to be screened by a six-foot tall opaque fence. Fences in front yards, on corner lots, and within sight-distance triangles at intersections may be limited to lower heights to preserve traffic visibility. Adams County does not have a statewide-style 'spite fence' statute; disputes between neighbors over a fence on or near the property line are civil matters. Colorado has no state fence-height limit. Cities within Adams County (Thornton, Westminster, Brighton, Northglenn, Federal Heights, Aurora, Commerce City) each have their own fence rules - typically 4 ft front / 6 ft rear - that supersede county rules within incorporated limits.
Building a fence over 42 inches without a permit can result in a code-compliance notice and a stop-work order from Adams County. Owners must apply for an after-the-fact permit (often at higher fees) or remove the fence to come into compliance. Fences that have fallen into disrepair can be cited as a property maintenance violation by Adams County Neighborhood Services.
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