Adams County, CO Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- No-permit fence height
- Up to 7 feet, per local amendment
- Base IBC threshold
- 42 inches before Adams County's amendment
- Pool fences excluded
- Governed separately by Section 305.1 barrier rule
- Governing ordinance
- Ordinance No. 12, effective July 1, 2026
- Maximum fine
- $1,000 per violation, per day
Summary
In unincorporated Adams County, a residential fence up to 7 feet tall does not need a building permit at all, but the Building Code still requires a standard permit for anything taller and for any fence built to enclose a swimming pool. The 7-foot threshold is Adams County's own amendment; the base 2024 International Building Code exempts only fences up to 42 inches.
105.2 Work exempt from Permit Buildings:
2. Fences, other than swimming pool barriers, not over 42 inches (1067 mm) 7 feet (2134 mm) high.
Full Breakdown
2 of the Building Code of Adams County lists 'Work exempt from Permit,' and Adams County rewrote item 2 of that list when it adopted the 2024 International Building Code through Ordinance No. 12, effective July 1, 2026. 1 of the county's Swimming Pool and Spa Code. Anything at or under 7 feet, other than a pool enclosure, can go up without a Building Safety Division permit. A fence built taller than 7 feet is treated like any other structure under the code: the owner must apply to the Building Safety Division, and unpermitted work is subject to the same penalty in Section 6 for proceeding without one.
This building-permit exemption is separate from the Adams County Development Standards and Regulations, which set the actual height, setback and location rules a fence must follow once it is built. A fence can be exempt from the building permit and still have to comply with those separate zoning standards, and vice versa; the two reviews are not the same process.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a fence over 7 feet without a Building Safety Division permit exposes the owner to the Ordinance No. 12 penalty of up to $1,000 for each separate violation under C.R.S. § 30-28-409, with every day the unpermitted fence remains standing counted as its own offense until a permit is obtained or the fence is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a 6-foot backyard fence in unincorporated Adams County?
Does the 7-foot exemption apply to a pool fence?
What if I want to build an 8-foot fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Adams County
Compare Adams County to another location·View the Colorado fence regulations overview
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