Weber County, UT Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Weber County Land Use Code § 108-7-3
- Cut wall treatment
- Fence height ignores the retaining wall
- Fill wall treatment
- Wall height counts toward fence total, 4-ft fence cap on top
- Hillside trigger
- 25% average slope, § 108-14-3
- Hillside requirement
- Engineer-stamped retaining wall plans, § 108-14-4
Summary
Weber County lets a fence sit on top of a cut-slope retaining wall at whatever height the zone would otherwise allow, but a fence on top of a fill retaining wall counts that wall's height toward the total, capped at a four-foot fence on top. Hillside sites over 25% slope also need engineer-stamped retaining wall plans.
Where a retaining wall protects a cut below the natural grade, such retaining wall may be topped by a fence, wall or hedge of the same height that would otherwise be permitted at the location if no retaining wall existed. Where a retaining wall contains a fill, the height of the retaining wall built to retain the fill shall be considered as contributing to the permissible height of a fence, solid wall, or hedge, provided that in any event a protective fence or wall not more than four feet in height may be erected at the top of the retaining wall. These provisions shall comply with the requirements of Section 108-7-7.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: ?).
Full Breakdown
Section 108-7-3 treats a retaining wall differently depending on whether it holds back a cut or a fill. Where the wall protects a cut below natural grade, a fence, wall or hedge on top of it can reach whatever height would otherwise be allowed at that location if there were no retaining wall at all, essentially ignoring the wall's own height. Where the wall instead retains fill, the code flips that treatment: the retaining wall's height itself counts toward the total permissible height of any fence, solid wall or hedge built on top, though in every case a protective fence or wall up to four feet may still be added at the top of a fill wall.
Both scenarios remain subject to the corner clear-view triangle standards in Section 108-7-7. A separate, stricter track applies on steep ground: Section 108-14-3 triggers hillside development review whenever a parcel's natural terrain averages 25 percent slope or greater, and Section 108-14-4 requires that the development application include detailed engineering plans and profiles for any retaining wall along with the cuts and fills involved, plus retaining wall designs carrying an engineer's stamp where applicable. Neither the Planning Division nor the Building Official may issue land use or building permits on a hillside-qualifying parcel until those engineered plans have been reviewed for compliance. This retaining wall and fence framework was amended under Ordinance 2020-23 and again under Ordinance 2026-09, effective May 26, 2026.
Violations & Fines
Building a fence taller than the retaining wall rules allow, or skipping required engineered retaining wall plans on hillside terrain, is a Land Use Code violation under Section 102-4-4: a class C misdemeanor or civil penalty, with a 14-day cure notice before administrative citations of $100, $200, then $400 per violation per day, followed by abatement and a lien for fines that go unpaid. On hillside parcels, the Planning Division and Building Official can also simply withhold permits until engineered plans comply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a fence be on top of a retaining wall in Weber County?
Does a retaining wall need engineered plans in Weber County?
Can I get a building permit before my hillside retaining wall plans are reviewed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weber County
Compare Weber County to another location·View the Utah fence regulations overview
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