King County, WA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt height
- Fences up to 6 feet (1.8 m)
- Governing section
- KCC § 16.02.240, substitutes IBC 105.2
- Applies to
- Unincorporated King County only
- Related exemption
- Retaining walls up to 4 feet
- Enforcement authority
- Building official under KCC Title 23
- Last amended
- Ordinance 19485 § 13, 2022
Summary
Unincorporated King County exempts fences up to 6 feet tall from a building permit under King County Code § 16.02.240, the county's local substitute for Section 105.2 of the International Building Code. Taller fences, and several other structures, fall outside that exemption and need a standard building permit before work starts.
16.02.240 Permits - Work exempt from permit. Section 105.2 of the International Building Code is not adopted and the following is substituted: Work exempt from permit (IBC 105.2). A building permit shall not be required for the following: Building: ... 3. Fences not over 6 feet (1.8 m) high. 4. Retaining walls that are not over 4 feet (1.2 m) in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding Class I, II or IIIA liquids. ... Exemption from the permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction.
Full Breakdown
2 with a county-specific exemption list. 02. The same list exempts other small structures nearby a fence project often touches: one-story detached accessory sheds and playhouses up to 200 square feet, agricultural accessory buildings up to 400 square feet, retaining walls up to 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall (unless the wall supports a surcharge or impounds Class I, II or IIIA liquids), and water tanks on grade up to 5,000 gallons. Fence height under this section is measured as built height, not lot grade differential, and the exemption applies only inside the unincorporated area; Seattle, Bellevue, Kent and King County's other incorporated cities administer their own building codes and are not covered by this section.
" That means a permit-exempt 6-foot fence can still be cited if it violates setback, sight-distance, easement or other separately enforced code sections; the exemption only removes the building-permit paperwork step, not compliance with the rest of the code. The section was last amended by Ordinance 19485 § 13 in 2022, part of a broader update to King County's local IBC amendments carried forward from Ordinance 17837 (2014) and Ordinance 12560 (1996).
Violations & Fines
A fence built over 6 feet without a permit, or exempt work that otherwise breaks another code provision, remains subject to enforcement. Under King County Code §§ 16.02.200 and 16.02.210, the building official issues notices and orders and may exercise right of entry to inspect, both "in accordance with the procedures specified in K.C.C. Title 23," the county's code-compliance chapter. Unpermitted over-height fence work can trigger a correction order requiring a retroactive permit or removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a fence in unincorporated King County?
Does a permit-exempt fence still have to follow the rest of the code?
Are retaining walls treated the same as fences?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
Compare King County to another location·View the Washington fence regulations overview
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