Washington County, UT Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Side/rear height
- 6 feet maximum on interior lots
- Front setback height
- 3 feet maximum
- Grade-difference max
- 10 feet combined, measured from finished grade
- Corner clear-view triangle
- No obstruction over 3 feet within 30 feet
- Recreational fence
- 12 feet for tennis/pickleball/pool enclosures
Summary
Washington County caps residential fence height at six feet along side and rear property lines and three feet in any front setback area under County Ordinance 10-15B-3. Corner lots add a 30-foot clear-view triangle where nothing over three feet is allowed, and a fence between lots with different grades can reach a ten-foot maximum measured from each side's finished grade.
A. Side And Rear Property Lines: On all interior lots, a fence, not to exceed six feet in height, may be erected along all side and rear property lines, but not in the front yard setback area. B. Front Setback Area: In any front setback area, no wall, fence, or hedge shall exceed three feet in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-15B-3 sets the baseline fence height rule for interior lots in unincorporated Washington County: a fence, wall, or hedge along side and rear property lines can rise to six feet, but anything placed in the front yard setback area is capped at three feet so it does not obscure sightlines from driveways and the street. Where a fence sits on the property line between two lots with different grades, § 10-15B-3(C) allows the fence to reach the maximum height permitted on either side, but the combined fence-and-berm height can never exceed ten feet on either side of the line, measured from each side's own finished grade, and the ground cannot be bermed up just to gain height.
Corner lots follow a separate rule at § 10-15B-4: a six-foot fence is allowed along the rear and interior side lot line, but no sight-obscuring fence or wall can go in the front yard setback or the portion of the street-side yard that overlaps it, and no obstruction taller than three feet can sit inside the 30-foot clear-view triangle formed where the two street property lines meet. A non-sight-obscuring fence, if the zone allows it, can still reach six feet within a street-side setback, provided it is not altered with plants or materials that block the view through it.
Separate height allowances apply outside § 10-15B-3: recreational fences enclosing a tennis court, pickleball court, or pool can run to 12 feet under § 10-15B-6(A), and fences required between commercial and residential zones under § 10-15B-7 must be six feet, sight-obscuring, dropping to three feet in the front setback.
Violations & Fines
A fence built over six feet on a side or rear line, over three feet in a front setback, or that blocks the 30-foot corner clear-view triangle violates Chapter 15B and is enforced under § 10-1-12 by the county building inspector; the Planning Commission can also order removal of a fence placed on the public right-of-way under § 10-15B-5, at the property owner's expense. Violations default to the general penalty in § 1-4-1.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my backyard fence be in unincorporated Washington County?
What is the clear-view triangle rule for corner lot fences?
Can a fence between two properties with different ground levels be taller than six feet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
How Washington County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Washington County to another location·View the Utah fence regulations overview
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