Broomfield, CO Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- General rule
- Barbed/razor/electric fences banned citywide
- I-1/I-2 exception
- Up to 4 strands barbed wire, 6-8 ft high
- RR district exception
- Barbed wire to 72 in., side/rear only
- Electric fences
- RR internal only, never facing out
- Governing section
- § 17-32-140(G)-(I)
Summary
Electrified, razor wire, and barbed wire fences are prohibited across every Broomfield zone district, with narrow carve-outs. Section 17-32-140(G) sets the ban, while (H) allows limited barbed wire on industrial screening fences and (I) allows some barbed wire and internal electric fencing on RR-district lots.
(G)Electrified, razor wire, and barbed wire fences are prohibited in all zone districts, except as provided in subsection (H) and (I) below.(H)Fences in an I-1 or I-2 districts: ... (2)May include up to four strands of barbed wire. This barbed wire must be a minimum of six feet and a maximum of eight feet from the ground. The barbed wire segment may be placed at a forty-five-degree angle.(I)Fences installed in RR districts are subject to the following requirements:(1)Open fences of not more than forty-two inches in height are permitted in front yards.(2)Barbed wire fences of not more than seventy-two inches in height are permitted in side and rear yards.(3)Electric fences are permitted as internal fences but not as external fences.
Full Breakdown
Section 17-32-140(G) states flatly that electrified, razor wire, and barbed wire fences are prohibited in all zone districts, except as provided in subsections (H) and (I). Subsection (H) carves out the I-1 and I-2 districts: fencing required to screen outdoor storage or operations there must use chain-link with inserted slats, mesh privacy or wind screen material at 80% or greater opacity, wood or vinyl privacy fencing, or a solid material such as stucco, brick, or stone, and if the screening runs along an arterial street or highway it must be solid material.
Within that same I-1/I-2 exception, clause (H)(2) allows up to four strands of barbed wire added atop the fence, set between six and eight feet from the ground and installable at a forty-five-degree angle. Subsection (I) sets separate rules for RR-zoned lots: open fences up to forty-two inches are allowed in front yards, barbed wire fences up to seventy-two inches are allowed in side and rear yards, and electric fences are permitted only as internal fences, never as the fence facing outward on the property line.
Outside those two carve-outs, no zone district in the city, residential, business, or otherwise, may use an electrified, razor wire, or barbed wire fence at all. The distinction matters for anyone fencing livestock, storage yards, or acreage: a rural RR property gets meaningfully more latitude for barbed and electric fencing than any other district in Broomfield.
Violations & Fines
Installing an electrified, razor wire, or barbed wire fence outside the (H) and (I) exceptions is a zoning violation. It carries the citywide general penalty under section 1-12-020: a fine up to $2,650.00, up to 364 days in jail, or both, with each day the prohibited fence remains standing charged as a separate offense, and Community Development can order the fencing removed or reconfigured to comply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put barbed wire on my fence in Broomfield?
Are electric fences allowed anywhere in the city?
Can a business use barbed wire to secure an outdoor storage yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broomfield
Compare Broomfield 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.