Grays Harbor County, WA Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Grays Harbor County's amended International Building Code, § 15.04.020(K), item (4), exempts retaining walls that are not over four feet in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, from the county's building permit requirement, unless the wall supports a surcharge or impounds Class I, II, or IIIA liquids, in which case a permit is required no matter the height. A wall over four feet falls under the general permit requirement of amended IBC § 105.1 (§ 15.04.020(I)), requiring the owner to apply to the building official before construction.

Like fences, retaining walls are addressed separately in the zoning code: § 17.64.010(G) states that fences and retaining walls are exempt from all yard requirements, so a retaining wall of any permitted height does not have to observe the front, side, or rear setback distances that otherwise apply in the district. The county's amended International Residential Code carries a nearly identical exemption for one- and two-family home sites, exempting retaining walls not over four feet high unless they support a surcharge, without the liquid-impoundment clause. Submittal for a permit-triggering wall follows the same document rules the county applies to other permitted work under amended § 107.1.