Boulder, CO Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- General rule
- Barbed wire and electric fences prohibited
- Construction-site exception
- Barbed wire ≥8 ft up, ≤2 ft above fence
- Livestock exception
- A district only, internal fence only
- Electric fence permit
- Required, plus UL-listed controller
- Commercial/industrial exception
- 12 ft setback required for barbed wire
Summary
Boulder outlaws barbed wire and electrically charged fencing citywide under Section 9-9-15(d), B.R.C. 1981, with narrow carve-outs for active construction sites and for containing livestock or protecting crops in the city's Agricultural and low-density residential districts, where an electric fence also needs its own fence permit.
(d)Electric or Barbed Wire Fences: No barbed wire or other sharp, pointed, or electrically charged fence may be erected or maintained except as follows:(1)Temporary Construction Fences: A temporary fence on a site to protect the property during the period of construction which has an active building permit may be topped with barbed wire where the barbed wire is not less than eight feet above the ground and does not extend more than two feet above the temporary fence;(2)Fences to Contain Livestock: In the A district, a barbed wire or electrically charged fence may be permitted provided it is used as an internal fence, not on the periphery of the property, to contain livestock;(3)Location of Electric Fences: Electric fences may be permitted in the A district when used as an internal fence not on the periphery of the property to contain livestock, and in the A, RR, RE, and RL districts, as an internal fence not on the periphery of the property to protect crops and plantings. No person shall maintain an electric fence without a fence permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 167 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
C. 1981, states flatly that no barbed wire or other sharp, pointed, or electrically charged fence may be erected or maintained in Boulder, except in four defined situations. A temporary construction fence protecting a site during an active building permit may be topped with barbed wire, but only if the wire sits at least eight feet above the ground and extends no more than two feet above the fence. In the A (Agricultural) district, a barbed wire or electrically charged fence is permitted if it is used as an internal fence, not on the property's periphery, to contain livestock.
Electric fences get slightly broader allowance: they may be used as an internal, non-perimeter fence to contain livestock in the A district, and as an internal fence to protect crops and plantings in the A, RR, RE, and RL districts. Anyone maintaining an electric fence under that allowance must first obtain a fence permit, and the fencing has to meet several technical conditions: its controller must be Underwriters Laboratories approved and labeled, it cannot sit within five feet of the property's periphery and must be located interior to a complete nonelectric perimeter fence, it cannot be located in a landscaped setback or a required sight triangle under Section 9-9-7, and it cannot block access for emergency equipment and personnel.
A separate carve-out lets barbed wire top a fence or wall set back at least twelve feet from the property line in the B, IM, IG, IS, and P (commercial, industrial, and public) districts, again capped at not less than eight feet above ground and extending no more than two feet above the fence.
Violations & Fines
Erecting or maintaining a barbed wire or electric fence outside these exceptions, or maintaining an electric fence without the required fence permit, is a zoning violation. It carries Boulder's general penalty under Section 5-2-4, B.R.C. 1981, a fine of up to $2,650 per violation plus up to ninety days in jail, and the city manager can require the fence be removed or brought into compliance, with appeal available to the Board of Zoning Adjustment under Subsection 9-9-15(f).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up an electric fence around my Boulder yard?
Is barbed wire ever allowed on a residential fence in Boulder?
What happens if I install a barbed wire fence without qualifying for an exception?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder
Compare Boulder to another location·View the Colorado fence regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Material Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Boulder County handle material restrictions.