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

# Colwood 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 Colwood an ordinary fence does not need a building permit, but a fence around a swimming pool does, and so do retaining walls over 1.2 m. The bylaws we read set no general fence height limit; the only limits found are in the R4 zone. Confirm with the Building Department.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Colwood, https://www.colwood.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit fee for an ordinary fence. A swimming pool and fence permit is $100.  
**Where:**
- Email: Building Department, building@colwood.ca
- Email: Planning (zoning), planning@colwood.ca
- Phone: City Hall, 250-478-5999

## Key facts

- **Permit:** The Building Bylaw does not require a building permit for an ordinary fence: it defines 'structure' to exclude fences. A fence enclosing a swimming pool needs a building permit (pool and fence fee $100), as do retaining walls over 1.2 m high. Confirm with the Building Department.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 977 (consolidated to January 22, 2024), s. 1.1.3](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/164)
  - Official wording: "the construction or alteration of a fence that encloses a swimming pool or pool ladder or access point" … "retaining walls over 1.2 metres in height" … "excludes landscaping, fences, paving, and retaining structures less than 1.2 metres in height" … "Every application for a building permit for a fence enclosing a pool, ladder, or access point to a pool"
  - Source: [Building Fees, Schedule A of the Building Bylaw, Appendix A, A.1(i)](https://www.colwood.ca/sites/default/files/2024-06/Building%20Fees%20-%20Schedule%20A%20of%20the%20Building%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Swimming Pool, Pool and Fence $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, front yard:** The only stated limit is in the R4 zone: a fence within 5 m of the front lot lines of a through lot may be at most 1.3 m high. No general front-yard fence limit found.
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (consolidated to August 24, 2026), s. 5.9.08(3) (R4 zone)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
  - Official wording: "The maximum height of a fence within 5m of the front lines of a through lot shall be 1.3 m."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, side and rear yards:** No general side or rear yard fence height limit found. R4 zone only: a fence on a rear lot line where a detached dwelling backs on to a park may be at most 5 m high, as the bylaw is written.
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (consolidated to August 24, 2026), s. 5.9.08(4) (R4 zone)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
  - Official wording: "The maximum height of a fence on a rear lot line where a detached dwelling use backs on to a park use shall be 5 m."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** At an intersection of highways 6 m or more wide, no fence or other structure wider than 0.6 m may be placed within the sight triangle (6 m along each road boundary from the corner) if it blocks the view: an eye 0.9 m above one road must see an object 0.9 m above the other.
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (consolidated to August 24, 2026), s. 2.1.12](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
  - Official wording: "shrub, plant, fence or other structure with horizontal dimension exceeding 0.6 m within the sight triangle" … "above an elevation such that an eye 0.9 m above the surface elevation of one highway cannot see an object" … "0.9 m above the surface elevation of the other highway"
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (consolidated to August 24, 2026), Definitions](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
  - Official wording: "means the area formed by a triangle in the angle formed by the highway right of way boundaries or boundaries produced and two points on those boundaries 6m from the point of intersection"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other rules:** Retaining walls: 1.2 m maximum; a series of walls must be spaced at a maximum 1:1 ratio of height to horizontal separation. Pool fences: close boarded lumber, chain link, solid masonry or 9 mm plywood; at least 1.5 m high; no more than 10 cm gap under it; openings 5 cm or less; self-latching gates. Nothing found on barbed wire or electric fences.
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (consolidated to August 24, 2026), s. 2.1.20](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
  - Official wording: "No portion of a retaining wall may exceed a height of 1.2 meters." … "walls must be spaced at a maximum 1:1 ratio of height to horizontal separation"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 977 (consolidated to January 22, 2024), s. 6.2.1 and 6.2.3](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/164)
  - Official wording: "Every fence and gate which encloses a pool shall be not less than 1.5 metres ( 4.9 feet) in height above the ground at any point" … "having no openings greater than 5cm (2 inches)" … "All gates to a pool shall be operated by self-latching spring hinge" … "Every pool shall be enclosed within a fence constructed of close boarded lumber, chain link wire, solid" … "clear the ground by not more than 10cm ( 4 inches) at any point"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Land Use Bylaw No. 151, 1989 (s. 2.1.12 sight triangle, s. 2.1.20 retaining walls, s. 5.9.08 R4 zone); Building Bylaw No. 977, 2008 (s. 1.1.3, Part 6 pools)
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (consolidated to August 24, 2026), s. 2.1.12, 2.1.20, 5.9.08](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
  - Official wording: "Colwood Land Use Bylaw No. 151, 1989"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 977 (consolidated to January 22, 2024), Whole bylaw](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/164)
  - Official wording: "Building Bylaw No. 977, 2008"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Building Bylaw 977](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/164) does not require a building permit for an ordinary fence, because it defines "structure" to leave fences out. It does require a permit for a fence that encloses a swimming pool (the pool and fence fee is $100) and for retaining walls over 1.2 m high. Confirm with the Building Department for your project.

[Land Use Bylaw 151](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999) sets no general front, side or rear yard fence height limit that we found. The only fence heights stated are in the R4 zone:

- A fence within 5 m of the front lot lines of a through lot may be at most 1.3 m high.
- A fence on a rear lot line where a detached dwelling backs on to a park may be at most 5 m high, as the bylaw is written. That figure looks unusually high, so confirm it with Planning.

Some other zones mention fences only as screening, such as a solid decorative fence at least 1.5 m high along lot lines.

## Steps

1. Check where your property line is before building (see the property lines answer).
2. Email building@colwood.ca or planning@colwood.ca, or call 250-478-5999, to confirm the rules for your zone and fence type.
3. For a pool fence or a retaining wall over 1.2 m, apply for a building permit.
4. Keep corners clear (see below).

## Good to know

- At an intersection of roads 6 m or more wide, no fence or other structure wider than 0.6 m may block the view in the sight triangle (6 m along each road boundary from the corner). An eye 0.9 m above one road must see an object 0.9 m above the other. A bylaw notice for impairing visibility is $100, and a municipal ticket is $100.
- Retaining walls: 1.2 m maximum. A series of walls must be spaced at a maximum 1:1 ratio of height to horizontal separation.
- Pool fences must be close boarded lumber, chain link, solid masonry or 9 mm plywood, at least 1.5 m high, with no more than a 10 cm gap under it, openings of 5 cm or less, and self-latching gates. These rules apply to private pools, hot tubs and spas 0.6 m or deeper. A pool rim 1.5 m or more above grade needs only a fence around the ladder or access points.
- The bylaws we read say nothing on how fence height is measured, or on barbed wire or electric fences. Ask the Building Department.

## Official forms and pages

- [Land Use Bylaw 151 (PDF)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999)
- [Building Bylaw 977 (PDF)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/164)

## Related questions

- [Colwood building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/building-permit.md)
- [Colwood permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/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)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/fence-rules.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/fence-rules.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/fence-rules.md)
- [Victoria](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/fence-rules.md)
- [Metchosin](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/fence-rules.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Land Use Bylaw No. 151 (consolidated to August 24, 2026) (PDF)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Bylaw No. 977 (consolidated to January 22, 2024) (PDF)](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/164) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Fees, Schedule A of the Building Bylaw (PDF)](https://www.colwood.ca/sites/default/files/2024-06/Building%20Fees%20-%20Schedule%20A%20of%20the%20Building%20Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Permits, City of Colwood](https://www.colwood.ca/business-building-development/building/building-permits) (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 Colwood. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/fence-rules/_