{"title":"Fraser Lake fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence in Fraser Lake, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/fraser-lake","name":"Fraser Lake","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Village of Fraser Lake","url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca"},"short_answer":"In Fraser Lake a fence does not need a building permit. On a residential lot it can be up to 1.2 m (4 feet) high along the front and exterior lot lines, and up to 2 m (6 feet) high along the rear and interior lot lines.","aliases":["fence height fraser lake","fence bylaw fraser lake","fence permit fraser lake","retaining wall permit fraser lake"],"cost":"No building permit is needed for a fence, so there is no permit fee.","how_long":"Not applicable; no permit is needed for a fence.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village of Fraser Lake office","value":"250-699-6257","note":"Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m."},{"type":"email","label":"Chief Administrative Officer (bylaw questions)","value":"cao@fraserlake.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480"},{"title":"Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw (PDF)","url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Fraser Lake building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/building-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Fraser Lake zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Fraser Lake permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/vanderhoof","name":"Vanderhoof","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vanderhoof/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/fort-st-james","name":"Fort St James","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burns-lake","name":"Burns Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/houston","name":"Houston","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/prince-george","name":"Prince George","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/granisle","name":"Granisle","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/fence-rules/"}],"topic":{"title":"Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules/"},"facts":{"permit":{"label":"Permit","value":"No building permit: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence.","short":"No building permit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518","title":"Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 4.2(a)","quotes":["This bylaw does not apply to:","Retaining Walls or a fence;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"1.2 m (4 feet) along the front and exterior lot lines on a residential lot.","short":"1.2 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 4.3","quotes":["On a lot designated for Residential Use, a fence shall not exceed:","A height of 1.2 m (4 feet) along the front and exterior lot lines;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"2 m (6 feet) along the rear and interior lot lines on a residential lot.","short":"2 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 4.3","quotes":["A height of 2 m (6 feet) along the rear and interior lot lines;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"Nothing may be placed within the corner visibility triangle to a height greater than 1.2 m. The triangle extends at least 6.0 m along the parcel lines from the corner.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 3.6.1","quotes":["No hedge, planting, tree, fence, signs, or other structures shall be","erected, placed, or maintained within the corner visibility triangle to","a height greater than 1.2 m.","a minimum of 6.0 m boundary along the parcel lines"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Fences are allowed within required setbacks. Retaining walls over 1.2 m must be engineer-designed and need a Building Permit; walls may be built to lot lines. A fence in disrepair is a ticketable offence ($100).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"ss. 3.5.2, 4.1.3","quotes":["The following are permitted within the area of the setback required by this","Retaining walls exceeding 1.2 metres in height must be designed and","require the issuance of a Building Permit."]},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/566","title":"Bylaw 788 and Bylaw Notice Schedule A, Village of Fraser Lake (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, Bylaw 788","quotes":["6.8 Fences in disrepair $100 $50 $150 Yes"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"},"sources_differ":"The Building Bylaw s. 4.2(a) says it does not apply to retaining walls or a fence, while Zoning s. 4.1.3.1 requires a Building Permit for retaining walls over 1.2 m. Materials (barbed wire, electric) and pool fences are not covered in posted text."},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw, s. 4.3 (Fencing)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 4.3","quotes":["The maximum fence height is as follows:"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw](https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518) does not apply to a fence, so no building permit is needed. Height limits come from section 4.3 of the [Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw](https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480).\n\nOn a residential lot a fence may not exceed 1.2 m (4 feet) along the front and exterior lot lines (on a corner lot, the side facing a street), or 2 m (6 feet) along the rear and interior lot lines. Fences are allowed within required setbacks.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Measure which lot lines the fence will follow and keep to the height for each.\n2. On a corner lot, keep anything in the corner visibility triangle to 1.2 m or lower. The triangle extends at least 6.0 m along the parcel lines from the corner.\n3. If the fence is part of a retaining wall, check the retaining wall rule below.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Retaining walls over 1.2 m must be engineer-designed and need a building permit; walls may be built to lot lines. The Building Bylaw says it does not apply to retaining walls, so the two bylaws differ; confirm with the Village.\n- A fence in disrepair is a ticketable offence. A bylaw notice is $100.\n- Posted text does not cover fence materials (such as barbed wire or electric fences) or pool fences. Ask the Village office, 250-699-6257.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518","title":"Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/566","title":"Bylaw 788 and Bylaw Notice Schedule A, Village of Fraser Lake (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/contact","title":"Contact, Village of Fraser Lake","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/fence-rules.json"}}