Edmonds, WA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit-exempt height
- 4 feet or less to top of wall
- Permit required above
- 4 feet, or if surcharged/hazardous
- Issuing authority
- Edmonds building official
- Subdivision walls
- Approved via civil plans, no separate permit
- Adopted code
- 2021 IBC as amended by WSBC
Summary
Edmonds requires a building permit before erecting a retaining wall under ECDC 18.40.010, but retaining walls of 4 feet or less, measured from finished grade at the exposed toe to the top of the wall, are exempt from that permit unless they support a surcharge, hold hazardous liquids, or sit in a critical area regulated under Chapter 23.10 ECDC.
“Retaining walls,” including shoring structures, are structural systems that provide lateral support for vertical or near-vertical slopes in soil, including fill. The term “retaining wall” shall not include a rockery, and the city of Edmonds does not consider rockeries to be retaining walls. ... Except as provided in ECDC 19.00.010 and herein below, no person shall erect a retaining wall without first obtaining a permit from the building official. ... Retaining walls 4 feet (1,219 mm) in height or less measured vertically from the finished grade at the exposed toe of the retaining wall to the highest point in the wall, unless: i. Supporting a surcharge; or ii. Impounding Class I, II, III-A liquids; or iii. Subject to the provisions of Chapter 23.10 ECDC.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4444, passed August 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020. Before erecting a retaining wall, the property owner must obtain a permit from the building official, who sets the submittal requirements for review and approval. If the wall is part of an approved subdivision or short plat, a separate retaining wall permit is not required, but the wall details must appear on the subdivision or short plat civil plans, and the city engineer's approval of those plans serves as the wall approval. 025(G), the city's local amendment to the International Building Code's exemption list, excuses retaining walls that are 4 feet (1,219 mm) or less in height, measured vertically from the finished grade at the exposed toe of the wall to its highest point, from the building permit requirement.
10 ECDC. Because Edmonds adopts the 2021 International Building Code as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council, any permitted retaining wall must otherwise meet the design and construction standards of that adopted code, and walls built without required permits remain subject to code enforcement regardless of height.
Violations & Fines
Building without a required permit is a code violation. ECDC 19.00.025(C) amends IBC Section 104.3 to authorize the building official to use Chapter 20.110 ECDC's civil compliance procedures, including notices and orders and stop work orders, in addition to any remedy available under the adopted building code. An unpermitted retaining wall over 4 feet can be ordered removed, modified, or brought into compliance, with the owner bearing the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a 3-foot retaining wall in Edmonds?
Are rockeries the same as retaining walls under Edmonds' code?
Who approves a retaining wall built with a subdivision in Edmonds?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
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Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle retaining walls.