Benton County, WA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned materials
- Tires, pallets, tarps, sheet plastic, bed springs, sheet metal, rims
- Applies regardless of height
- Yes, even permit-exempt fences under 7 feet
- Color rule
- Multi-colored fencing barred unless manufactured for fencing
- Governing section
- BCC 11.42.070(c)
- First violation penalty
- Civil penalty up to $500, BCC 11.43.170
Summary
Regardless of height or permit status, Benton County bans building a fence out of tires, pallets, tarps, sheet plastic, bed springs, corrugated sheet metal, wheel rims and similar salvaged materials, under BCC 11.42.070(c). Multi-colored fencing is barred too, unless it's material actually manufactured for fencing.
(c) Fences, regardless of height, shall comply with the following construction standards: Fences shall not be constructed out of tires, pallets, tarps and/or sheet plastic, bed springs, multi-colored materials, except colored materials manufactured specifically for fencing (i.e., slats of chain link fences), corrugated sheet metal, wheel rims and similar or like materials not traditionally manufactured or used for fencing purposes.
Full Breakdown
070(c) applies a construction standard, not just a permit rule: fences, regardless of height, shall not be constructed out of tires, pallets, tarps and/or sheet plastic, bed springs, multi-colored materials, corrugated sheet metal, wheel rims and similar or like materials not traditionally manufactured or used for fencing purposes. 070(a). The listed materials read like a catalog of common DIY and salvage fencing: old tires stacked and wired together, wooden shipping pallets, tarps or sheet plastic stretched over a frame, box-spring panels, sheet metal roofing repurposed as panels, and wheel rims, all of which are barred outright rather than merely discouraged.
The carve-out for multi-colored materials is narrow: colored fencing is fine only if the color comes from material actually manufactured for fencing use; the code's own example is the colored slats woven into chain-link fence, so a fence assembled from mismatched painted scrap does not qualify for that exception. The rule sits in the same section as the county's permit threshold and flood-area permit requirement, so a compliant fence has to clear all three standards at once: material, height-based permit need, and flood-zone permitting where applicable.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining a fence out of a prohibited material is a first-time infraction under BCC 11.43.170, carrying a civil penalty of up to $500 plus court costs and restitution; a second violation of the same standard becomes a misdemeanor. Code enforcement can require the noncompliant fence to be removed or rebuilt in compliant materials, and the county may seek an injunction under BCC 11.43.030 if the owner does not correct it voluntarily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a fence out of old wood pallets in Benton County?
Is a colorful fence allowed?
Does the material rule apply even if my fence doesn't need a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
Compare Benton County to another location·View the Washington fence regulations overview
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