Foster Center, RI Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Rhode Island adopts the International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC) through the State Building Code Council under RIGL §23-27.3. Per IRC R105.2, walls not over 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall are exempt from permit, UNLESS they support a surcharge (driveway, structure, or slope) — in which case a permit is always required. Walls over 4 feet or with surcharges require engineered plans stamped by a Rhode Island-licensed Professional Engineer under RIGL §5-8 (Engineers Practice Act). Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket, and other Providence County building departments enforce these rules locally. Rhode Island's glacial till and clay soils plus freeze-thaw cycles make drainage and frost protection critical — footings must extend below the frost line (typically 42 inches in RI). Coastal properties regulated by CRMC under RIGL §46-23 face additional erosion-control review. Setbacks from property lines follow local zoning, typically 3 to 5 feet in Providence County. Stormwater runoff redirected by walls may trigger review under RIGL §45-61 (Soil Erosion) and state stormwater rules.