Harford County, MD Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

' Under § 267-27C(6)(f), any retaining wall 4 feet or greater in height requires a zoning certificate from the Department of Planning and Zoning before it can be built. 00 per lineal foot plus a $100 non-refundable application fee for a residential wall or $200 for a commercial wall. The grading provisions of Chapter 214 independently require a retaining wall whenever a cut or fill slope cannot meet the standard grade transition to an adjoining property, and that wall must be built entirely on the land of the owner doing the grading and requires its own building permit.

As with all accessory structures, a retaining wall must also respect the setback rules of § 267-27C(6): a minimum of 3 feet from side or rear lot lines on a residential lot, or 10 feet on an agricultural lot, unless a recorded easement changes that distance.