---
title: "Abbotsford fence rules: permits and height limits"
question: "Do I need a permit to build a fence, and how high can it be?"
place: Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/abbotsford
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Abbotsford
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/fence-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/fence-rules.json"
---

# Abbotsford fence rules: permits and height limits

**Question:** Do I need a permit to build a fence, and how high can it be?

**Short answer:** In the City of Abbotsford a fence itself does not need a building permit, but a retaining wall 1.2 m or higher does. Fence height limits are in an image in the Zoning Bylaw that has no text. The City's 2021 FAQ gives 1.2 m in front yards and 1.8 m in side and rear yards, but confirm with the City.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Abbotsford, https://www.abbotsford.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit fee for the fence itself.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Planning Services (zoning), 604-864-5510
- Phone: Building Permits Division, 604-864-5525
- Email: Planning, planning-info@abbotsford.ca
- Email: Building Permits Division, building-info@abbotsford.ca

## Key facts

- **Permit:** No building permit is needed for a fence itself. A building permit is needed for a retaining wall 1.2 m or higher, including one that a fence sits on. (Sources differ: The FAQ says a retaining wall 'over 1.2 m' needs a permit; the Building Bylaw says 1.2 m or greater (bylaw followed). The bylaw's definition of Structure excludes fences.)
  - Source: [Fences in Residential Areas FAQ, Fences FAQ (2021)](https://www.abbotsford.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/Fences%20in%20Residential%20Areas%20FAQ.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A: No. However, if the fence is to be built on top of a retaining wall over 1.2 m (3.9 ft), a building permit is required for the retaining wall."
  - Source: [Building Bylaw, 2018 (No. 2883-2018), s. 3 (Structure), s. 28(b)](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2018b2883)
  - Official wording: "excludes landscaping, fences, and freestanding decks less than 0.6 m in height" … "a retaining wall which is 1.2 m in height or greater"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, front yard:** Limits are in Figure 3 of Zoning Bylaw s. 140.5.2, an image with no text. The rule covers any zone with a house, duplex, rowhouse, townhouse or apartment as principal use, except A, I, RR, CR, SR and C zones (C zones: 1.8 m). The City's 2021 fence FAQ says 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in RS and RM front yards; confirm with the City.
  - Source: [Fences in Residential Areas FAQ, Fences FAQ (2021)](https://www.abbotsford.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/Fences%20in%20Residential%20Areas%20FAQ.pdf)
  - Official wording: "1.2 m (3.9 ft) high in your front yard"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2400-2014, Section 140 General Regulations, s. 140.5.2(a), (b)](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140)
  - Official wording: "except A, I, RR, CR, SR, and C zones, no fence" … "exceed the maximum Height indicated in Figure 3 for the portion of the" … "exceed 1.8 m in Height" … "Townhouse or Apartment is a Principal Use, except A, I, RR, CR, SR, and C zones, no fence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, side and rear yards:** Limits are in Figure 3 of Zoning Bylaw s. 140.5.2, an image with no text. The City's 2021 fence FAQ says 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in RS and RM side and rear yards next to private property, a park or a walkway, and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in side yards next to public roads; confirm with the City. Not limited in A, I, RR, CR, SR zones; C zones 1.8 m.
  - Source: [Fences in Residential Areas FAQ, Fences FAQ (2021)](https://www.abbotsford.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/Fences%20in%20Residential%20Areas%20FAQ.pdf)
  - Official wording: "1.2 m (3.9 ft) high in your side yards when next to public roads" … "1.8 m (5.9 ft) high in your side/rear yards when next to another private property, park or walkway"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2400-2014, Section 140 General Regulations, s. 140.5.2(a), (b)](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140)
  - Official wording: "Townhouse or Apartment is a Principal Use, except A, I, RR, CR, SR, and C zones, no fence" … "exceed the maximum Height indicated in Figure 3 for the portion of the" … "exceed 1.8 m in Height"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** On a corner, nothing (fence, building, landscaping) may block the line of sight between 1.0 m and 3.0 m above street grade within the sight triangle: 3.0 m from the corner along each street, out to 25.0 m along the other street.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2400-2014, Section 140 General Regulations, s. 140.4.9](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140)
  - Official wording: "There shall be no obstruction to the line of vision by landscaping, Buildings or Structures" … "between the heights of 1.0 m and 3.0 m above the established grade of Streets within an area bounded by the intersection"
  - Source: [Fences in Residential Areas FAQ, Fences FAQ (2021), page 2](https://www.abbotsford.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/Fences%20in%20Residential%20Areas%20FAQ.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a point along each street 3.0 m (10 ft) from their junction drawn to a point 25.0 m from their junction on the opposite street"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other rules:** Height is measured from existing grade at the base of the fence. A fence on a retaining wall counts the wall's height too if they are under 1.0 m apart (except where the Building Code requires a barrier or the wall borders a Sensitive Ecosystem Area). No electrified, barbed wire or razor wire fences, except in A, RR and CR zones (3.0 m setback from neighbours not in those zones).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2400-2014, Section 140 General Regulations, s. 140.5.2(c)-(e)](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140)
  - Official wording: "Fences and walls shall not be electrified of constructed of barbed wire or razor" … "shall be required along the abutting Lot lines" … "The Height of fences and walls shall be measured from Existing Grade at the" … "the Height of the fence shall include the Height of the retaining wall if they are located less than 1.0 m from each other" … "except where a barrier is required by the BC Building Code, or where a retaining wall borders a Sensitive Ecosystem Area"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw, 2014 (Bylaw No. 2400-2014), s. 140.5.2 (Fences and Walls) and s. 140.4.9 (Visibility at Intersections)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2400-2014, Section 140 General Regulations, s. 140.5.2, 140.4.9](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140)
  - Official wording: "Fences and Walls (B/L 3249-2022)" … "Visibility at Intersections (B/L 3249-2022)" … "Zoning Bylaw No. 2400-2014"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Abbotsford's [Zoning Bylaw](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140) limits fence height on lots where the main use is a house, duplex, rowhouse, townhouse or apartment. The limits are shown in Figure 3 of section 140.5.2, which is an image with no text, so this page could not read them.

The Building Bylaw does not count a fence as a structure, so the fence needs no building permit. A building permit is needed for a retaining wall 1.2 m or higher, including one that a fence sits on.

## Steps

1. Find your zone with the City's Property Information Search, or call Planning Services.
2. Ask Planning for the current height limits for your yard. The City's 2021 fence FAQ says, for RS and RM zones: 1.2 m in the front yard and in side yards next to public roads; 1.8 m in side and rear yards next to private property, a park or a walkway.
3. On a corner lot, keep the line of sight clear: nothing may block the view between 1.0 m and 3.0 m above street grade within the sight triangle (3.0 m from the corner along each street, out to 25.0 m along the other street).
4. Confirm where your property line is before you build (see the property lines answer).

## Good to know

- The FAQ is from 2021 and was written before the 2022 and later zoning changes. Confirm the limits with the City before you build.
- The bylaw's height rule does not apply in A, I, RR, CR and SR zones. C zones are limited to 1.8 m. The FAQ lists only A, RR and CR as having no limit.
- Height is measured from existing grade at the base of the fence. If a fence sits less than 1.0 m from a retaining wall, the wall's height counts too, except where the Building Code requires a barrier or the wall borders a Sensitive Ecosystem Area.
- Electrified, barbed wire and razor wire fences are not allowed, except in A, RR and CR zones (3.0 m setback from neighbours not in those zones).
- A fence cannot cross an easement unless the easement holder allows it. The FAQ suggests calling BC One Call (1-800-474-6886) before you dig.
- The sources read do not cover pool fencing.

## Official forms and pages

- [Fences in Residential Areas FAQ (PDF, 2021)](https://www.abbotsford.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/Fences%20in%20Residential%20Areas%20FAQ.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw 2400-2014, Section 140 General Regulations](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140)

## Related questions

- [Abbotsford permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Abbotsford zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Mission](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/fence-rules.md)
- [Township of Langley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/fence-rules.md)
- [Chilliwack](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chilliwack/fence-rules.md)
- [Langley City](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/fence-rules.md)
- [Maple Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/fence-rules.md)
- [Pitt Meadows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pitt-meadows/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Fences in Residential Areas FAQ (PDF), City of Abbotsford](https://www.abbotsford.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/Fences%20in%20Residential%20Areas%20FAQ.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2400-2014, Section 140 General Regulations](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2014b2400140) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Bylaw, 2018 (No. 2883-2018), City of Abbotsford](https://laws.abbotsford.ca/civix/document/id/coa/coabylaws/2018b2883) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Abbotsford. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/fence-rules/_