Flint, MI Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 17-4(h), Fences chapter
- Fence rules apply?
- No: excluded by definition
- Applicable code
- State-adopted Building Code
- Enforcing agency
- Building and Safety Inspections
Summary
In the City of Flint, retaining walls are excluded from the fence ordinance entirely and must instead meet Building Code requirements enforced by Building and Safety Inspections.
No building wall, retaining wall, or similar structure shall be considered to be a part of a fence. Said walls shall be constructed in accordance with the requirements of the Building Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2016 Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 3821, passed 3-1-2012).
Full Breakdown
Section 17-4(h) of the City of Flint's fence ordinance states that no building wall, retaining wall, or similar structure counts as a fence, so the height, setback, and material limits set for fences in the rest of § 17-4 do not apply to them. Instead, retaining walls fall under Michigan's state-adopted Building Code, administered locally by the Division of Building and Safety Inspections. Homeowners building a retaining wall in Flint need a building permit and must meet the structural requirements of that code, not the residential six-foot fence cap.
Violations & Fines
Building a retaining wall without the required Building Code permit is enforced as a building-code violation by the Division of Building and Safety Inspections, separate from the fence civil-infraction penalty in § 17-99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Flint's fence height limits apply to retaining walls?
What code governs retaining wall construction in Flint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Flint
Compare Flint to another location·View the Michigan fence regulations overview
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