Tigard, OR Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Tigard treats fences as residential accessory features under CDC Chapter 18.210. The city does not require a separate planning-only fence permit, but a Tigard Building Division permit is required for any fence or wall 7 feet or more in height, consistent with the Oregon Residential Specialty Code adopted under ORS 455.020. Below the 7-foot threshold, fences are exempt from a building permit but remain fully subject to the CDC Chapter 18.210 fence-height limits (3 feet in a local-street front setback, 6 feet in an arterial/collector front setback, and 8 feet in side, street side, and rear setbacks) and the CDC Chapter 18.930 (Vision Clearance Areas) sight-distance triangle. Retaining walls greater than 4 feet in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, generally require a building permit under the Oregon Residential Specialty Code regardless of whether they include a fence on top; retaining walls supporting a surcharge load are evaluated as engineered structures. Fences in the public right-of-way or on a public easement require a separate public works permit from the Tigard Engineering Division. Electrified, barbed-wire, and razor-wire fences are prohibited in residential zones under CDC Chapter 18.210. Before installing a fence, owners should call 811 (Oregon Utility Notification Center) for a utility locate and confirm the property line, because the City of Tigard does not survey private property lines as part of the permit process and a fence on the wrong side of the line may be subject to civil action by an adjoining owner.