Tulsa, OK Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Building permit required, no size exemption
- Design
- Licensed Professional Engineer required
- Setback
- Cannot cross the property line into ROW
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000/day per Chapter 7
Summary
Tulsa requires a building permit and a licensed engineer's design for any retaining wall, and bars walls from extending past the property line into a street, alley, or right-of-way.
B. Permit Required. All retaining walls defined under this section, require a building permit for construction as defined in Title 51. Such walls must be designed by a Licensed Professional Engineer. C. Projection on street or alley or construction in rights-of-way prohibited. No part of any wall coming under the provisions of this section shall be built or constructed, which shall extend beyond the property line along any street or alley or any other public way.
Full Breakdown
Under Title 35 of the Tulsa Revised Ordinances, a retaining wall built to hold back a higher grade on one side needs a building permit under Title 51, and it must be designed by a Licensed Professional Engineer: there's no size threshold that exempts smaller walls. No part of the wall may project past the property line into a street or alley, and walls can't be built in a dedicated public utility easement or right-of-way without the Public Works Director's approval. The same permit-and-engineer rule covers wall fences (decorative or security walls where grade is level on both sides) and flood walls built to retain ponded water.
Violations & Fines
Building without the required permit is a Title 35 violation; Chapter 7's general penalty applies unless the section states otherwise, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine plus costs, with each day of the violation counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a small retaining wall in Tulsa?
Can a retaining wall sit on the property line in Tulsa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulsa
Compare Tulsa to another location·View the Oklahoma fence regulations overview
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Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle retaining walls.