Spokane Valley, WA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Spokane Valley regulates fence height under SVMC 22.70.020, summarized in the city's official Fence Installation Guidelines handout. In residential zoning districts, a fence located within the front yard (the area between the front lot line and the building setback line) may be no more than 3 feet tall if it is sight-obstructing, or up to 4 feet tall if it is non-sight-obstructing, such as an open chain-link fence. For flanking, side and rear yards behind the minimum required front-yard setback line, residential fences may be built up to 7 feet in height without a permit; anything over 7 feet up to a maximum of 8 feet requires a building permit and engineering, and fences may not exceed 8 feet in these yards. In nonresidential zoning districts, fences may not exceed 8 feet without a conditional use permit, except as otherwise allowed in SVMC 22.70.020(I). Where finished grade within 6 feet of the fence differs from one side to the other (for example a fence at the top of a slope or retaining wall), height is measured from the side with the lowest finished grade. Electric fences are allowed only to enclose outdoor storage in nonresidential zones or to confine animals in residential zones, and barbed wire in residential zones is allowed only to confine animals on lots meeting the animal-keeping requirements of SVMC 19.65.020. All fences must also stay out of the clearview triangle (SVMC 22.70.030).