La Plata County, CO Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Section 66-3 is titled Land use development not requiring a land use permit, with the note that building permits may be required. Subsection I says no land use permit is required for the listed developments unless other sections of the Land Use Code specifically require one, and item F lists decks, fences, retaining walls and sidewalks. A fence in unincorporated La Plata County therefore does not go through Community Development land use review on its own.

The building permit question is answered in Chapter 18. Section 18-35 (105.2) lists work exempt from permits, and item 1 under Building is fences not over 8 feet high. A fence taller than 8 feet falls under § 105.1, which requires the owner or authorized agent to apply to the building official and obtain all required permits before constructing it. Applications go through the Building Department Permit Portal under § 105.3.

The exemptions come with limits. Section 105.2.4 states that they do not exempt a structure from other provisions of the La Plata County Code, including setback requirements from property lines, height limitations in the Animas Valley, Chapter 19 and Chapter 78 on floodplain management. Section 105.3 requires all development within mapped flood hazard zones to comply with the county's flood plain regulations, including a FEMA elevation certificate where required. Section 70-6(I)(A)(6) of the Land Use Code exempts fences and screening, buffering, privacy, and retaining walls from the setback table.

Fences the county requires as buffers follow § 70-17, which caps them at eight feet, and the most of the county outside the Animas Valley is unzoned, so no zone district sets a fence rule.