Prescott Valley, AZ Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Fences sit inside the Town's general building permit rule. Section 7-01-140(A) of the Prescott Valley Town Code names all fences among the work that needs a permit from the building official, and subsection (C)(2) carves out an exemption: masonry or concrete fences not over four feet in height and wood fences or other material fences not over six feet in height need no building permit. The same item ends with a short, firm line: a zoning permit is required. Subsection (B) repeats the point, stating that an exemption from building permit requirements is not an exemption from zoning or engineering permit requirements.

Height caps come from the zoning chapter, § 13-07-090(D), and they apply whether or not a building permit is needed. On residentially zoned lots the maximum is four feet in the front yard and six feet in side or rear yards. Commercially zoned lots allow six feet along the front lot line and along the side lot lines to the face of the nearest building, and eight feet behind the face of the nearest building and along the rear lot line. Industrially zoned lots allow eight feet. On a corner lot, a fence or freestanding wall in the required exterior side setback area cannot exceed four feet, while one outside that area can reach six feet. Height is measured from the finished grade on the higher side to the top of the fence. Decorative gates and entrance ways can rise to nine feet if the gate width does not exceed 25% of the lineal footage of the attached fence or wall. All of this is subject to the sight visibility triangle rules of § 13-07-120.

Materials are regulated too. Section 13-07-075 prohibits plastic tarps, fabric mesh, barbed wire, razor wire, wood pallets, plywood, electrified fencing and similar hazardous materials in all residential zoning districts. Fences enclosing storage areas in commercial or industrial districts can carry barbed wire or razor ribbon when it is located more than six feet above grade, and barbed wire is also allowed where livestock keeping is permitted. A freestanding wall cannot differ by more than one foot in height from one side to the other; if topography requires more, a retaining wall must be installed at least five feet from the freestanding wall. Retaining walls not over 32 inches are exempt from the building permit under § 7-01-140(C)(5).