---
title: "Barriere fence rules: permits and height limits"
question: "Do I need a permit to build a fence in Barriere, and how high can it be?"
place: Barriere, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/barriere
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Barriere
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/fence-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/fence-rules.json"
---

# Barriere fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** In Barriere no separate fence permit is described. Under Zoning Bylaw No. 111, residential fences can be up to 1 m high in the front yard and 2 m in side and rear yards. Retaining walls over 1.2 m need a building permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Barriere, https://www.barriere.ca)  
**Cost:** No fence permit fee is described. A retaining wall over 1.2 m needs a building permit; see the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** Not applicable for an ordinary fence.  
**Where:**
- Phone: District Office (planning and zoning), 250-672-9751
- Email: District Office, inquiry@barriere.ca
- In person: District Office, 4936 Barriere Town Road, Barriere, BC V0E 1E0 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Permit:** No separate fence permit is described. The Building Regulations Bylaw's definition of 'structure' leaves out landscaping, fences, paving and retaining structures under 1.2 m (4 ft). Retaining walls with a grade difference over 1.2 m are covered by the bylaw.
  - Source: [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128, s. 2.18 and s. 1.3.1.8](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=211d9f63-a68b-4b0d-ad78-53d0fa10838b)
  - Official wording: "but specifically excludes landscaping, fences," … "retaining structures less than 1.2 m (4 ft) in height." … "the design and construction of retaining walls where the difference in finish grade elevation is greater than"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, front yard:** 1 metre (front yard, residential zones).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.12(a)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242)
  - Official wording: "Maximum fence heights in residential zones, shall be:" … "1 metre within the front yard;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, side and rear yards:** 2 metres in side and rear yards. A fence along a side lot line may step up from 1 metre to 2 metres, reaching the full 2 metres at the minimum front yard requirement for the zone.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.12(a) and (b)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242)
  - Official wording: "2 metres in side and rear yards." … "may be stepped in equal size steps, from 1 metre to 2 metres, attaining the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** No obstruction to the line of vision above 0.8 metres from the established grade of the highway, within the area bounded by the centre lines of intersecting highways and a line joining points 24 metres from their intersection along each centre line.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.11](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242)
  - Official wording: "There shall be no obstruction to the line of vision in any zone above the height of 0.8 metres" … "a line joining a point on each of the centre lines 24 metres from"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** Fences and decorative walls are permitted in any zone, subject to the zoning bylaw's siting and height rules. Retaining walls with a grade difference over 1.2 m (4 ft) fall under the Building Regulations Bylaw.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.13(g) and Division One definitions](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242)
  - Official wording: "decorative walls, fences, planting strips, walkways and other landscaping structures" … "subject to the siting and height regulations contained herein;" … ""Fence" means a barrier, constructed as an obstruction to passage or as a visual screen."
  - Source: [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128, s. 1.3.1.8](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=211d9f63-a68b-4b0d-ad78-53d0fa10838b)
  - Official wording: "the design and construction of retaining walls where the difference in finish grade elevation is greater than"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 111, s. 3.12 (Fences) and s. 3.11 (Visibility at Intersections)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), ss. 3.11 and 3.12](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242)
  - Official wording: "3.12 FENCES" … "3.11 VISIBILITY AT INTERSECTIONS"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District of Barriere's [Zoning Bylaw No. 111](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242) permits fences and decorative walls in any zone, subject to its siting and height rules. No separate fence permit is described. The Building Regulations Bylaw leaves fences and retaining structures under 1.2 m (4 ft) out of its definition of a structure.

In residential zones (section 3.12) a fence can be up to 1 metre high in the front yard and 2 metres high in side and rear yards. A fence along a side lot line may step up from 1 metre to 2 metres, reaching the full 2 metres at the minimum front yard requirement for the zone. The section sets no limits for other zones.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone with the District Office (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Keep the fence within the height limits above.
3. Keep clear of the corner sight triangle if you are on a corner lot.
4. If you are building a retaining wall with a grade difference over 1.2 m, get a building permit first.

## Good to know

- On corner lots, nothing may obstruct the line of vision above 0.8 metres from the grade of the road, within the area bounded by the centre lines of the two roads and a line joining points 24 metres from their intersection along each centre line. This covers fences, hedges and other structures in any zone.
- Retaining walls with a grade difference over 1.2 m (4 ft) fall under the [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=211d9f63-a68b-4b0d-ad78-53d0fa10838b).
- The bylaws we read set no rules for barbed wire, electric or pool fences. Ask the District Office.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242)
- [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128 (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=211d9f63-a68b-4b0d-ad78-53d0fa10838b)

## Related questions

- [Barriere building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/building-permit.md)
- [Barriere permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Barriere zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Sun Peaks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/fence-rules.md)
- [Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/fence-rules.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/fence-rules.md)
- [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/fence-rules.md)
- [Cache Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cache-creek/fence-rules.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128 (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=211d9f63-a68b-4b0d-ad78-53d0fa10838b) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 District of Barriere. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/fence-rules/_