Snohomish County, WA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Wire strands allowed
- Up to 3 on 6-ft fences
- Masonry limit without permit
- 6 feet
- Permit-exempt fence height
- 8 feet
- High security fences
- Open wire mesh permitted
- Code sections
- SCC 30.28.040, 30.50.103
Summary
Snohomish County allows up to three strands of wire on top of fences six feet or less high. Fences taller than eight feet, or those with masonry or concrete elements above six feet, lose the building-permit exemption and require a permit.
Up to three strands of wire are allowed on top of fences six feet or less in height.
(4) Fences and freestanding walls six feet or less in height shall be set back the width of any required landscaped area, or where no landscaped area is required, may be allowed without a setback in any required front, side, or rear yard.
(5) An open wire mesh or similar type fence may be erected in excess of the maximum heights permitted in this section on the periphery of play grounds associated with private and public schools and parks, public facilities, industrial and commercial uses, transmitter and transformer sites, and government installations where security or public safety is required.
(6) Site-obscuring fences and freestanding walls in excess of six feet shall meet the required building setback or the width of any required or approved landscaped area if less than the required building setback. (Added by Amended Ord. 02-064, Dec. 9, 2002, Eff date Feb. 1, 2003).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through legislation passed August 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
SCC 30.28.040(3) permits up to three strands of wire on top of fences six feet or less in height. The permit exemption in SCC 30.50.103(1)(b) applies only to fences not over eight feet that do not have masonry or concrete elements above six feet; a fence with masonry or concrete above six feet therefore requires a building permit. The exemption calculation excludes wire strands on top of eight-foot fences when they are permitted under Title 30. Open wire-mesh fences may exceed the height limits around schools, parks, public facilities, and secured industrial, commercial, or government sites under SCC 30.28.040(5).
Violations & Fines
Adding masonry above six feet or wire beyond the allowance without permitting is a code violation subject to PDS enforcement and possible required removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is barbed or top wire allowed on a fence?
Do masonry walls need a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
Compare Snohomish County to another location·View the Washington fence regulations overview
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