Fence Regulations in Washington (2026)

Auburn caps residential fence height under ACC 18.31.020(C) at 42 inches in the front setback (72 inches for…

Bellingham, Washington caps fences at 54 inches in front yards, 42 inches on corner and flanking-street yards, 72…

In the City of Bothell, Washington, a fence or freestanding wall of six feet or less in nominal height can go up…

Fences in unincorporated Chelan County top out at seven feet in side and rear yards and four feet in front yards…

In unincorporated Clark County, a fence or wall (or a combined berm and fence/wall) may not exceed six feet above…

Edmonds limits fences to three feet within 10 feet of a street right-of-way or access easement, or within 30 feet of a…

Everett caps residential fences at 42 inches within 20 feet of the front lot line, 6 feet in street-side setbacks, and…

Federal Way caps ordinary fences and railings in required yards at six feet, and electrified fences at 10 feet, under…

In unincorporated Franklin County, fences on residential, retail business and office-zoned lots are capped at four feet…

In unincorporated Grant County, residential fences are capped at 4 feet in the front yard setback and 7 feet in side…

In Freeland's Non-Municipal Urban Growth Area, a wall or fence inside the required front yard setback cannot exceed…

In Kennewick's R districts, fences top out at 30 inches within the intersection sight triangle, 36 inches in a required…

Kent's zoning code sets six feet as the height standard for a fully sight-obscuring fence, and separately bans…

In unincorporated King County, fences over 6 feet tall must meet the zone's street and interior setback lines, not just…

Fences in Kirkland can be up to 6 feet tall almost anywhere on a lot, but not within 15 feet of a street curb unless a…

In the City of Lacey, Washington, a free-standing wall, fence or hedge in a residential front yard tops out at three…

Lakewood caps residential fences at six feet in the interior and rear yards and four feet in the front yard under LMC…

Lewis County does not cap fence height generally in unincorporated residential zones, but Lewis County Code §…

Lynnwood caps vision-obscuring fences, hedges and walls at six feet in residential zones (eight feet with a decorative…

Marysville caps front-yard fences at four feet solid (six if open-work) on local streets and six feet on side, rear…

Unincorporated Mason County's zoning definitions set the working fence height line at seven feet: a fence of that…

In the City of Olympia, Washington, a fence inside a required yard tops out at 48 inches in the front yard and 72…

Pasco caps fences, walls, and hedges at three and a half feet in front yards under PMC 25.180.050(1)(c), with an extra…

Fences in unincorporated Pierce County may be placed within required setbacks up to 6 feet without a permit, must be…

Fences in Port Townsend setbacks top out at 4 feet solid, 8 feet with open construction, and 30 inches in the corner…

In Puyallup's RS zones, fences and walls within 20 feet of the front lot line are capped at 3.5 feet, or 5 feet for…

RMC 4-4-040.D caps residential fences, hedges, and retaining walls at 72 inches, but drops that to 48 inches within…

In the City of Richland, Washington, open fences such as chain link, wrought iron or picket can reach six feet anywhere…

Citywide, Sammamish's adopted building code exempts fences up to 6 feet from a building permit under SMC…

In Seattle's Neighborhood Commercial and Commercial zones, SMC 23.47A.014.G.5 caps fences and freestanding walls inside…

In the City of Shoreline, SMC § 20.50.110(A) caps fences along a property line at six feet, subject to sight clearance…

In unincorporated Skagit County, fences up to six feet tall are exempt from Title 14 building setbacks entirely, and…

Snohomish County requires fences six feet or less to sit within any required landscaped-area width, or without a…

Spokane County caps residential fences at six feet and nonresidential fences at eight feet. In the front or flanking…

Spokane Valley caps residential front-yard fences at 36 inches if they block sight lines or 48 inches if they don't…

Along a public street, Tacoma caps free-standing fences, walls and hedges at 3 feet under TMC § 13.06.090K; Urban…

Within Thurston County's Village Center zoning overlay, fences top out at six feet in side and rear yards behind the…

Unincorporated Walla Walla County caps front yard fences at WWCC § 17.24.010: solid fences run no higher than forty-two…

Fences in a front yard setback area in unincorporated Whatcom County are capped at 4 feet, or 6 feet outside an urban…

Yakima caps residential fences at 4 feet in the front setback, 6 feet behind it and in side/rear yards, 8 feet in…

In unincorporated Yakima County, fences are capped at four feet in the required front setback in every zoning district…

Within the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve in unincorporated Island County, no fence goes up without a…

Spokane Valley doesn't require a permit for a standard residential fence, but a nonresidential fence over eight feet…

Thurston County's zoning code defines a fence as a "structure," so putting one up without a permit from the planning…

Auburn requires a building permit for any fence exceeding 84 inches in height under ACC 18.31.020(B)(3). Fences built…

Bellingham exempts fences up to 8 feet tall from building permits, as long as they carry no masonry or concrete…

Benton County only requires a building permit for a fence once it exceeds 7 feet in height; anything 7 feet or under is…

Unincorporated Clark County does not require a building permit for fences seven feet or less in height. Fences over…

Edmonds requires a fence permit for any fence over three feet tall that sits within 10 feet of a street right-of-way or…

Before erecting or re-erecting any fence in Everett, Washington, property owners must obtain a building and/or…

In unincorporated Grant County, a fence that stays within the standard 4-foot or 7-foot height limits needs no permit…

Kennewick's zoning code ties fence construction to the building code. KMC 18.27.040 requires all fences to conform to…

A Lakewood fence needs a permit in two situations under LMC 18A.60.090(B)(12): any fence over six feet outright…

Unincorporated Lewis County requires a building permit before erecting any "structure," and its zoning code defines a…

Marysville regulates fence height, setback and materials under Marysville Municipal Code § 22C.010.380. A solid…

A building permit is not required for fences 6 feet or under in unincorporated Pierce County. Fences taller than 6 feet…

Fences in Port Townsend can rise to eight feet depending on location and openness, but a building permit under the…

Puyallup only issues a fence permit under Puyallup Municipal Code § 11.08.080 for a fence built within the street…

Renton requires a building permit, or a written exemption from the Building Official, for any fence taller than six…

In the City of Richland, Washington, fences up to six feet high can be built inside the property line along arterial…

Unincorporated Snohomish County exempts fences up to eight feet high from a building permit, as long as they have no…

In unincorporated Spokane County, fences over 7 feet in height require a building permit. Fences at or under 7 feet do…

A fence up to seven feet high does not need a county building permit in unincorporated Grays Harbor County; a taller…

Unincorporated King County exempts fences up to 6 feet tall from a building permit under King County Code § 16.02.240…

In the City of Lacey, Washington, fences not over 7 feet high are exempt from a building permit, except fencing…

Lynnwood's code sets no separate standalone permit for a fence that already meets its height and location standards…

In the City of Olympia, Washington, property owners are responsible for keeping fences within property lines and for…

Pasco's residential (mobile/factory-assembled home) park rules say a permit may be required to erect, enlarge, alter…

Sammamish lets you build a fence up to six feet without a building permit. SMC 16.20.200(2)(b) exempts fences not over…

In the City of Shoreline, fences that meet the height and material standards of SMC § 20.50.110 (or § 20.50.190 in…

Tacoma doesn't require a building permit for a fence up to 7 feet tall, but zoning still limits height near the street…

A fence anywhere in unincorporated Whatcom County can go up without a building permit as long as it stays at 7 feet or…

Yakima's Residential Code amendment exempts fences up to seven feet tall from a building permit; taller fences require…

Most residential fences in Seattle do not require a building permit. Fences 8 feet or shorter without masonry or…

Washington's partition fence law requires adjoining landowners using a boundary fence for livestock to share…

A Bellingham fence over the zoning height limit needs written consent from every abutting property owner before the…

RCW 16.60 governs boundary fences and cost-sharing in Washington. ACC 18.31.020 controls height and placement. Spite…

Clark County does not set a cost-sharing rule for boundary fences; that is a private matter under Washington law…

Snohomish County Code does not assign shared-fence cost or ownership between neighbors, but it does limit what can sit…

Spokane County's general yard-setback rule keeps buildings out of required front, side and rear yards, but SCC…

Unincorporated Island County does not require fences to sit inside a property's building setback: Island County Code…

Pierce County zoning does not set a shared-cost or boundary fence-ownership rule; those are civil matters between…

Auburn's retaining wall rules under ACC 18.31.025 tier setback allowances by height: walls under 48 inches can go…

Bellevue exempts retaining walls up to four feet from a building permit under BCC 23.05.090, but anything taller, or…

Bellingham exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet in height from a building permit, but walls over that height, or any…

In the City of Bothell, Washington, retaining structures inside rear and front yard setbacks cannot exceed four feet…

In unincorporated Chelan County, a retaining wall needs no county building permit if it measures 4 feet or less from…

Clark County allows retaining walls four feet or less (and fences seven feet or less) within easements. Walls over four…

In unincorporated Cowlitz County, a retaining wall built under a valid building permit is exempt from the county's…

Edmonds requires a building permit before erecting a retaining wall under ECDC 18.40.010, but retaining walls of 4 feet…

Everett limits how tall a fence can be built on top of a retaining wall or berm: the normal fence-height max applies…

Federal Way caps residential rockeries and retaining walls at six feet, measured from finished grade to the top of the…

Stack a fence or hedge on top of a retaining wall in unincorporated Franklin County and the combined height cannot…

In the Freeland non-municipal urban growth area of unincorporated Island County, a terraced yard's retaining wall may…

Kennewick exempts retaining walls under four feet from a building permit, but any wall 60 inches or more above grade on…

Unincorporated King County requires a building permit for any retaining wall over 4 feet tall, or any wall of any…

Kirkland caps rockeries and retaining walls in a required yard at four feet high. Where a fence sits within five feet…

In unincorporated Kitsap County, any rockery or retaining structure taller than four feet, measured from the base of…

In the City of Lacey, Washington, a retaining wall is exempt from a building permit only when it is not over 4 feet in…

Lakewood allows a retaining wall or bulkhead within a required yard setback up to four feet tall on the front property…

In unincorporated Lewis County, a retaining wall built within a public road right-of-way must be reviewed by the county…

Where a rockery or retaining wall under six feet high sits in the planting strip between the sidewalk and the street…

Marysville retaining walls over 4 feet need a building permit, and any wall over 4 feet that is visible from the street…

In unincorporated Mason County, retaining walls come with their own permit track: Mason County Code § 14.44.050(b)(2)…

In the City of Olympia, Washington, no single retaining wall within a required yard can exceed 30 inches, measured from…

A retaining wall in unincorporated Pierce County needs no building permit if it stands four feet or less, measured from…

Port Townsend's zoning code exempts retaining walls under four feet from structure regulations; at four feet and…

Puyallup limits retaining walls near property lines under PMC § 20.58.005(2)(a). Within 30 feet of a front or…

Renton requires a building permit for any retaining wall four feet or taller, measured from the bottom of the footing…

In the City of Richland, Washington, anyone building a retaining wall inside a street right-of-way must get a permit…

Sammamish exempts retaining and rockery walls up to four feet from a building permit, but SMC 16.20.200(2)(d)-(e) draws…

In the City of Shoreline, a previously permitted rockery or retaining wall built to its engineered design is exempt…

In unincorporated Skagit County, a retaining wall or rockery four feet in height or less, measured from the bottom of…

In unincorporated Snohomish County, a retaining wall up to four feet high (measured from the bottom of the footing to…

Spokane County regulates retaining walls through two sections. SCC 3.10.020(d)(2) exempts the excavation for a wall…

Spokane Valley exempts retaining wall excavation from a grading permit only when the wall itself is authorized by a…

Tacoma exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet high from a building permit, unless the wall supports a surcharge or holds…

Thurston County exempts a retaining wall from the building-permit process only while it stands four feet or less from…

A retaining wall in unincorporated Whatcom County is permit-exempt only if it holds back 4 feet or less of unbalanced…

A fence stacked atop a retaining wall in Yakima's urban area can't exceed ten feet total height, measured from the…

Yakima County exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet tall, measured from the footing to the wall top, from building…

A retaining wall up to four feet high does not need a county building permit in unincorporated Grays Harbor County…

Lynnwood prohibits electric fences citywide except in the LI and P-I zones with administrator approval, and bans barbed…

In the City of Shoreline, SMC § 20.50.110(B) flatly prohibits electric, razor wire and barbed wire fences citywide. The…

In Thurston County's Village Center zoning district, walls and fences must match the main building's style and…

Auburn bans barbed wire fencing outside the P-1, M-1 and M-2 zones, with a one-acre pasture exception, under ACC…

Bellingham declares barbed-wire fencing within two feet of a public street, alley, or path, and all electrified fencing…

In the City of Bothell, Washington, electric fences are allowed only in residential zones and only for raising and…

Everett bans barbed wire, razor wire and similar materials on residential fences (except around utility, communications…

Federal Way bans razor wire fencing outright, allows barbed wire only atop a six-foot fence or wall or between two…

Barbed and razor wire fencing is banned in every residential district in unincorporated Franklin County, and…

Barbed wire fencing is banned in unincorporated Grant County's urban residential districts (UR1 through UR4) and its…

Barbed wire is barred in Kirkland except when it tops a fence or wall that's already at least 6 feet tall, and…

In the City of Lacey, Washington, electrified and other dangerous fences are prohibited. Barbed and razor wire is…

Lakewood bans barbed wire, razor wire, embedded glass, and other injury-causing anti-entry materials on fences in…

Marysville bans barbed wire and razor wire on fences citywide, with narrow exceptions for livestock confinement…

In the City of Olympia, Washington, a barbed or razor wire fence is barred within 10 feet of a street, alley or other…

Pasco bans barbed and razor wire fencing in all residential districts, the office district, and the central business…

Electric and barbed wire fencing is not allowed by right in Renton's residential zones. It only comes in through a…

In the City of Richland, Washington, barbed wire and electrically charged fences are prohibited citywide except in two…

Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing are banned on Tacoma residential properties, and chain link is…

Regardless of height or permit status, Benton County bans building a fence out of tires, pallets, tarps, sheet plastic…

Clark County requires screening fences to use permanent materials. Allowed materials include wood, metal, brick, and…

Kennewick limits residential fences to chain link, wood, masonry, ornamental iron, or equivalent synthetic materials…

Unincorporated King County bans barbed and razor-wire fences in R-4 through R-48 zones and tightly regulates electric…

Pierce County does not ban barbed wire outright. PCC 18A.15.040.B.2.d caps fences and retaining walls in required…

Port Townsend bans fences with barbs, spikes, broken glass or other sharp attachments citywide, but allows barbed wire…

Puyallup bans barbed wire and razor wire on any fence or wall in the RS single-family zones under PMC §…

Seattle prohibits placing or keeping a barbed wire or electric fence along the margin of any public place, the line…

SCC 14.22.030 confines razor wire to commercial, industrial and aviation-related zones and caps barbed wire fencing at…

Snohomish County allows up to three strands of wire on top of fences six feet or less high. Fences taller than eight…

Spokane County's zoning code does not mandate a specific fence material for standard residential fences, but it…

Spokane Valley limits barbed wire to the top quarter of a nonresidential security fence and bans it next to residential…

Where zoning requires a sitescreening fence between differing land uses, Yakima's Standard C option only allows wood…

Walla Walla County allows up to two strands of barbed wire or electric fence on animal enclosures in residential zones…