Montgomery County sets no countywide retaining-wall ordinance. Structural retaining walls (typically over 4 feet, or those supporting a surcharge) usually need a building permit from your city, village, or township building department under the Ohio Building/Residential Code.
Retaining walls are treated as structures under local zoning and the state building code, not by a special county rule. In incorporated Montgomery County communities and in townships that administer building codes, a permit and engineered drawings are commonly required once a wall exceeds four feet in height (measured bottom of footing to top) or retains a surcharge such as a driveway. Setback from the property line, drainage, and safety guarding are all set locally. If a retaining wall also functions as a boundary fence, Ohio's partition-fence law (ORC Chapter 971) may apply to shared maintenance.
Building an oversized retaining wall without the required local permit can bring a stop-work order, fines, and an order to obtain engineering approval or remove the wall, per your municipality's building code.
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