Thurston County, WA Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited materials
- Barbed wire, razor wire, stockade, guard rail
- Governing law
- Thurston County Code § 21.50.060(B)(12)(d)
- Where it applies
- Village Center Ordinance zoning district only
- Solid wood fences
- Allowed rear and side yards only
- Enforcing agency
- Resource Stewardship Department
Summary
In Thurston County's Village Center zoning district, walls and fences must match the main building's style and materials: highway-style guard rail, stockade construction, and security fencing like barbed wire or razor wire are flatly prohibited.
Walls and fences shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, and colors of the principal building on the same lot. Stone walls or brick walls with a stone or cast stone cap, wood fences, decorative metal, or cast iron fences, masonry or stucco walls, and stone piers shall be encouraged. Solid wooden fences are permitted in rear and side yards only. Highway-style guard rail, stockade, or contemporary security fencing such as barbed wire or razor wire are prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 77).
Full Breakdown
Thurston County Code Section 21.50.060(B)(12) sets architectural-compatibility standards for walls and fences inside the county's Village Center Ordinance district, the planned neotraditional neighborhood zone that mixes single-family homes, duplexes, townhouses, and apartments under one master plan. Stone or brick walls with a stone cap, wood fencing, decorative metal or cast iron fencing, masonry or stucco walls, and stone piers are the encouraged materials, and solid wooden fencing is limited to rear and side yards only. The same subsection bans highway-style guard rail, stockade fencing, and security fencing such as barbed wire or razor wire anywhere in the district, including on residential lots.
Violations & Fines
A noncompliant fence can hold up site plan approval or a building permit, trigger a correction notice from Resource Stewardship Department reviewers, or force removal and replacement of the fencing before final inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a barbed wire fence in a Thurston County Village Center development?
What fence materials does Thurston County encourage in Village Centers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Thurston County
Compare Thurston County to another location·View the Washington fence regulations overview
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