Retaining Walls
Fence Regulations
Height limits and permit requirements for retaining walls, including engineering requirements for taller walls on sloped lots.
How Retaining Walls Rules Differ by Place
Lafayette, LA: Lafayette Retaining Walls Skip the Setback Line
Few RestrictionsLafayette's setback-encroachment table lets a retaining wall sit anywhere inside a required yard. Code of Ordinances § 89-38(e)(4) lists 'Retaining Walls' with no restriction on how…
Rockville, MD: Rockville Retaining Wall Height Rules
Few RestrictionsRockville places no height cap on retaining walls that hold back earth along a lot line, they may be built to any height needed, measured from the lower grade, but if the wall also…
Plymouth County, MA: Plymouth County Retaining Wall Regulations
Few RestrictionsNo county permits retaining walls. Under the state building code, 780 CMR, a retaining wall up to four feet high, measured from the footing, needs no building permit unless it supports…
Birmingham, AL: Front-yard retaining wall: 2 ft setback per 4 ft of height
Some RestrictionsA retaining wall is defined in Birmingham's ordinance as a block, brick, or stone structure erected to retain or prevent encroaching soil. A front-yard retaining wall built to level…
Huntsville, AL: Huntsville Retaining Wall Permit & Engineering Rule
Some RestrictionsHuntsville requires a building permit and a state-licensed engineer's sealed design for any retaining wall holding back more than four feet of earth above the footing; walls under four…
Jefferson County, AL: Jefferson County US 280 Retaining Wall Rule
Some RestrictionsUnder Sec. 1502.08 of Jefferson County's U.S. Highway 280 Corridor Overlay, any retaining wall over eight feet tall that is visible from public property must be screened with…
Cities & Counties with Retaining Walls Rules
445 locations
Alabama
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Tennessee
Virginia
Other Fence Regulations Topics
Height Limits
Maximum fence heights for front, side, and back yards, including privacy fences, corner-lot visibility rules, and how height is measured on slopes and retaining walls.
Fence Permit Requirements
Whether you need a building permit to install or replace a fence, and what the permit process and fees look like.
Neighbor Fence Rules
Rules about shared boundary fences, including who pays for construction and maintenance, and which side faces the neighbor.
Material Restrictions
Specific materials that are prohibited for fencing, such as barbed wire, razor wire, or electric fencing in residential zones.