Edmonds, WA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

000 sets Edmonds's fence permitting trigger. A permit is required whenever a fence exceeds three feet in height and is located within 10 feet of a street right-of-way or access easement, or within 30 feet of a street corner; height is measured from the top of the fence down to the lowest original grade at that point. A permit is also required for any fence built within a critical area or its buffer, regardless of height. Absent a variance, no fence anywhere in the city may exceed six feet in height measured the same way, from fence top to lowest original grade.

000(D) lets the fence be built without a variance up to four feet above the top of the wall or the finished grade, whichever is less, as a safety accommodation. 035 lets a trellis add up to two feet to a fence (eight-foot maximum) if the combined trellis length facing a property line does not exceed 25 percent of that line, and an arbor over a gate or walkway can add three feet (nine-foot maximum) without a variance. 020 for the permit fee schedule. Fences that do not meet the height or setback triggers, for example a four-foot fence in a rear yard away from any street or corner, do not need a permit under this section.