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

# Belcarra 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 Belcarra a fence that meets the Zoning Bylaw needs no building permit. Fences may be up to 1.8 m (5.9 ft) high in the front yard and 2 m (6.6 ft) behind the front face of a building. A retaining wall or berm is capped at 2.4 m.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Belcarra, https://belcarra.ca)  
**Cost:** No fence permit fee is stated; a fence permitted under the Zoning Bylaw needs no building permit.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Hall, 4084 Bedwell Bay Road, Belcarra, BC V3H 4P8 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed statutory holidays).)
- Phone: Village Office, 604-937-4100
- Email: Village Office, belcarra@belcarra.ca

## Key facts

- **Permit:** No building permit is needed for a fence permitted under the Zoning Bylaw (Building Bylaw s. 14). A fence on the public road allowance may not be replaced without the Village's written permission.
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), s. 14(1)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a fence permitted to be constructed under the Village"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 361, 2004 (PDF, consolidated), s. 5.1.4(j)(ii)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-361-2004-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "any fence located on public road allowance shall not be replaced without written permission from the municipality"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, front yard:** 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in the front yard.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 219(1)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fences shall not exceed a height of 1.8 metres (5.9 feet) in the front yard"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, side and rear yards:** 2 m (6.6 ft) to the rear of the front face of a building.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 219(1)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
  - Official wording: "or a height of 2 metres (6.6 feet) to the rear of the front face of a building"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** On a corner parcel nothing may block the line of vision between 1.0 m and 3.0 m above the road grade within the sight triangle, formed by extending 4.5 m along both parcel lines from the corner.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 218](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
  - Official wording: "On a corner parcel in any zone there shall be no obstruction to the line of vision between the heights of 1.0 metres (3.3 feet) and 3.0 metres (9.8 feet) above the established grade of a highway" … "a triangular area formed by extending a 4.5-metre (14.8-foot) boundary along the parcel lines"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** Retaining wall or berm, including a guard, max 2.4 m (7.9 ft); combined with a fence or guard it is still capped at 2.4 m, measured from the wall's grade. Fences must not be unsightly, unstable or unsafe. A pool needs a barrier at least 1.06 m high, non-climbable, with self-closing, self-latching gates.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 219(2)-(3)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A Retaining Wall or berm, including a Guard, shall not exceed a height of 2.4 metres (7.9 feet);"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 361, 2004 (PDF, consolidated), s. 5.1.4(j)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-361-2004-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a fence to become unsightly, unstable or unsafe"
  - Source: [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), s. 142(2)(b) Swimming pool](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "minimum 1.06 metre barrier comprised of non-climbable fencing, self closing and self latching gates"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Belcarra Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018, s. 219 (Fences and Retaining Walls)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 219](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
  - Official wording: "219 – Fences and Retaining Walls" … "Village of Belcarra Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Belcarra's [Zoning Bylaw No. 510](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf), s. 219, sets fence heights. Under the [Building Bylaw](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf), s. 14, no building permit is needed for a fence permitted under the Zoning Bylaw. The Zoning Bylaw mentions no separate fence permit.

- Front yard: up to 1.8 m (5.9 ft).
- To the rear of the front face of a building: up to 2 m (6.6 ft).
- Retaining wall or berm, including a guard: up to 2.4 m (7.9 ft). A fence or guard on top still counts toward the 2.4 m, measured from the wall's grade.

## Good to know

- On a corner parcel, nothing may block the line of vision between 1.0 m and 3.0 m above the road grade within the sight triangle, formed by extending 4.5 m along both parcel lines from the corner.
- Fences must not be unsightly, unstable or unsafe (Good Neighbour Bylaw).
- A fence on the public road allowance may not be replaced without the Village's written permission.
- A swimming pool needs a barrier at least 1.06 m high that cannot be climbed, with self-closing, self-latching gates.
- The Zoning Bylaw does not say how height is measured. Ask the Village Office, 604-937-4100.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf)
- [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF)](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/fence-rules.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/fence-rules.md)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/fence-rules.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/fence-rules.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/fence-rules.md)
- [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-510-2018-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/09/Bylaw-355-Building-and-Plumbing-Regulation-Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 361, 2004 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2021/05/Bylaw-361-2004-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-Consolidated.pdf) (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 Village of Belcarra. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/fence-rules/_