Washington County, OR Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies within
- mapped Riparian Wildlife Habitat, inside UGB
- Min. bottom rail clearance
- 18 inches off ground
- Max. top rail height
- 42 inches
- Banned materials
- woven wire, cyclone fencing, barbed wire
- Chain link exception
- only at CWS water-quality facilities
Summary
Inside mapped Riparian Wildlife Habitat within the urban growth boundary, Washington County allows new fencing only if it lets wildlife pass through: a split-rail-style design with the lowest rail 18 inches off the ground, the top rail no higher than 42 inches, and no woven wire, cyclone fencing or barbed wire.
G. Fencing provided it is split rail or other design that allows for the passage of wildlife by meeting the following design requirements: 1. The lowest horizontal fence element must be at least 18 inches off the ground. 2. The highest horizontal fence element must be no more than 42 inches in height. 3. Fencing shall not include woven wire, cyclone fencing, or contain barbed wire elements.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Community Development Code: Supplement 2 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
2 of the Community Development Code bars any new or expanded alteration of vegetation or terrain within mapped Riparian Habitat except for a short list of allowed uses and activities. Fencing is one of them, but only under a wildlife-passage design standard set out in subsection G: the lowest horizontal fence element must sit at least 18 inches off the ground so animals can pass beneath it, the highest horizontal element cannot exceed 42 inches, and the fence cannot include woven wire, cyclone fencing, or barbed wire elements.
A narrow companion exception in subsection H allows chain link fencing and signage around water quality facilities, but only when authorized by Clean Water Services (CWS). 1. Property owners outside a mapped Riparian Habitat boundary, including most rural and many suburban unincorporated parcels, are not subject to this particular material restriction under this section. G applies to their project.
Violations & Fines
Washington County will not issue a development permit where an existing Code violation is on file, per Section 215-2, and may deny or condition the permit until it is cured. Violations of the riparian habitat development standards, including non-conforming fencing built inside the habitat boundary, are prosecuted under Chapter 1.14 of the Washington County Code per Section 215-3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is barbed wire banned everywhere in Washington County?
What kind of fence can I build inside a riparian habitat area?
How do I know if my property is in a mapped Riparian Habitat area?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Oregon fence regulations overview
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