Marysville, WA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned
- Barbed wire and razor wire
- Exception
- Livestock confinement fencing
- Exception
- Utility/transformer sites
- Exception
- Government security installations
Summary
Marysville bans barbed wire and razor wire on fences citywide, with narrow exceptions for livestock confinement, utility and transformer sites, and government security installations.
No barbed or razor-wire fence shall be permitted, except for the following:
(i) Confinement of livestock.
(ii) Public facilities, transmitter and transformer sites.
(iii) Government installations where security or public safety is required.
(3) Height.
(a) Access Streets.
(i) Front lot line: Four feet solid or six feet if entirely open-work fence.
(ii) Side lot line: Six feet.
(iii) Rear lot line: Six feet.
(b) Arterial Streets.
(i) Front lot line: Six feet; provided, that the top two feet are constructed as an open-work fence.
(ii) Side lot line: Six feet.
(iii) Rear lot line: Six feet.
(c) When a protective fence is located on top of a rockery, any portion of the fence above a height of six feet shall be an open-work fence.
(d) Open wire mesh or similar type fences may be erected in excess of the maximum heights permitted in this code on the periphery of playgrounds associated with private and public schools and parks, public facilities, transmitter and transformer sites, and government installations where security or public safety is required.
(e) The height of a fence or freestanding wall, retaining wall or combination of the same shall be measured from its top surface, board, rail, or wire to the natural elevation of the ground on which it stands.
(f) Where the finished grade is a different elevation on either side of a fence, the height may be measured from the side having the highest elevation.
(4) Setbacks.
(a)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4922912; v1 updated 2026-06-08; through 06-08-2026).
Full Breakdown
MMC § 22C.010.380(2)(b) prohibits barbed or razor-wire fencing on property in the city's residential zones, carving out only three exceptions: fences confining livestock, fences around public utility or transformer sites, and fences at government installations where security is required. The rule sits inside the general residential fence chapter, which also sets height and setback limits, so a barbed-wire fence installed for ordinary yard security is a code violation regardless of height.
Violations & Fines
Community Development can order removal of a nonconforming barbed or razor-wire fence; the director may grant a variance only within the code's listed exceptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put barbed wire on my fence in Marysville?
Does the ban cover electric fencing too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marysville
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Material Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle material restrictions.