Coconino County, AZ Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 4.6.D
- Permits required
- Building, Environmental Quality, Engineering
- Height needing Variance
- Over 6 feet
- Review body for tall fences
- Chapter 5 Variance/Admin Adjustment
- State-mandated fences
- Exempt under § 4.6.B
- Max daily fine
- $750 individual, $10,000 entity
Summary
Any wall or fence project in unincorporated Coconino County goes through Building, Environmental Quality, and Engineering permit review, with Planning and Zoning checking the plans as part of that process. A fence or wall taller than 6 feet needs more than a permit: it requires a Variance or Administrative Adjustment from Chapter 5 first.
4.6.D. Permits and Administration: 1. Applicable Building, Environmental Quality, and Engineering Permits apply. Planning and Zoning review shall be conducted through the issuance of such permits. 2. Walls or fences exceeding 6 feet in height may be permitted only through the Variance or Administrative Adjustment procedure set forth in Chapter 5, Administration, and subject to the granting of a Building Permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
D routes fence and wall construction through the county's standard permit tracks rather than a stand-alone fence permit: Building, Environmental Quality, and Engineering Permits apply, and Planning and Zoning conducts its review of setback, height, and material compliance through that same permit issuance rather than a separate approval step. 6, including the 3-foot front and street-side setback cap for solid fencing, the 6-foot cap for non-opaque fencing and for interior side and rear walls, the ban on barbed wire and electric fencing outside Industrial zones, and the encapsulation requirement for any wall built of tires.
A height of 6 feet is the hard ceiling for administrative permit approval. 2 requires a Variance or Administrative Adjustment under Chapter 5's administration procedures first, and only after that approval can the Building Permit for the taller structure be granted. B exempts any wall or fence that state law or a state agency requires from this permit and review scheme entirely. 14 if the built fence departs from what the permit approved.
Violations & Fines
Building a fence or wall over 6 feet without first securing a Variance or Administrative Adjustment, or building any fence without the Building, Environmental Quality, or Engineering permit Section 4.6.D requires, is a Zoning Ordinance violation under Section 5.14.B. It is treated as a public nuisance per se with each day counted as a separate offense, and a Hearing Officer can impose a civil fine of up to $750 per day for an individual or $10,000 per day for a business until it is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Coconino County?
What if I want a fence taller than 6 feet?
Is a fence required by state law exempt from these permits?
Who reviews my fence plans?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coconino County
Compare Coconino County to another location·View the Arizona fence regulations overview
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