{"title":"Gibsons fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence in Gibsons, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","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":"Town of Gibsons","url":"https://www.gibsons.ca"},"short_answer":"In Gibsons a fence needs no building permit, but zoning sets the height. Fences and hedges are limited to 1.5 m in front; behind the front setback of the principal building they may reach 2.4 m. Retaining walls and pool fences have their own rules.","aliases":["fence height gibsons","fence permit gibsons","hedge height gibsons","retaining wall gibsons"],"cost":"No permit fee for a fence. A retaining wall that needs a building permit pays the fees in the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"No permit is needed for a fence, so there is no processing time.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Planning and Development","value":"604-886-2274"},{"type":"email","label":"Planning and Development","value":"planning@gibsons.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Building Department","value":"604-886-2274"},{"type":"email","label":"Building Department","value":"building@gibsons.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025","url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/"},{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020 (adopted copy)","url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Gibsons building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/building-permit/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Gibsons permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Gibsons zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"tree-removal","title":"Gibsons tree removal rules and permits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/tree-removal/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/bowen-island","name":"Bowen Island","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lions-bay","name":"Lions Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sechelt","name":"Sechelt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/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 for a fence: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence except as set out in Part 11 (Retaining Walls). A retaining wall needs a building permit (s. 11.1), though s. 3.3(c) excludes a soil wall under 1.22 m on a single-family parcel. Pool fences fall under the pool permit. Zoning height rules still apply.","short":"No building permit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 3.3(a)","quotes":["except as set out in Part 11 [Retaining Walls] of this bylaw, a fence;"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 11.1","quotes":["No person may construct, or structurally repair, a retaining wall without a building permit."]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.3, 11.1","quotes":["except as set out in Part 11 [Retaining Walls] of this bylaw, a fence;","a wall supporting soil that is less than 1.22 metres in height","No person may construct, or structurally repair, a retaining wall without a building permit."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"1.5 m. Fences and hedges over 1.5 m (up to 2.4 m) are allowed only behind the front lot line setback required for the principal building.","short":"1.5 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.4.1(1)","quotes":["fences and Landscape Screens, including hedges, not exceeding 1.5 m in height may be sited in any location on a Lot"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.4.1(2)","quotes":["may be located anywhere on a Lot behind the Front Lot Line Setback for a Principal Building"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"2.4 m, anywhere on the lot behind the front lot line setback for the principal building.","short":"2.4 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.4.1(2)","quotes":["Fences and Landscape Screens, including hedges not exceeding 2.4 m in height","may be located anywhere on a Lot behind the Front Lot Line Setback for a Principal Building"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"Sight triangle: nothing may block visibility between 1 m and 2 m above the road surface within a triangle formed by points 9 m from the corner of two streets (6 m from a street-and-lane corner).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.4.1(7)","quotes":["a line joining points 9 m from the intersection of two Streets","a line joining points 6 m from the intersection of a Street and a Lane","visibility between 1 m and 2 m in height above the adjacent road surface within a sight triangle"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Retaining walls under 1.2 m high may go anywhere on the lot (tiered walls need 1.2 m separation, two tiers max); over 1.2 m must meet zone setbacks. Swimming pool, spa or hot tub fences: at least 1.22 m high, no openings over 100 mm, self-closing and self-latching gate.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.4.1(3), (4)","quotes":["Retaining Walls with a height greater than 1.2 m must meet Setbacks as provided in the zone."]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 14.3","quotes":["having a minimum height of 1.22 metres and no openings greater than 100 mm at their greatest"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"s. 14.4","quotes":["a self-closing and self-latching gate"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025 (s. 3.4.1) and Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020 (s. 3.3 and Part 11)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","section":"s. 3.4.1","quotes":["3.4.1. Fences, Retaining Walls and Landscape Screens"]},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","section":"title","quotes":["BUILDING BYLAW NO. 1284, 2020"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Building Bylaw](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/) does not apply to a fence, except for retaining walls (Part 11). So a fence needs no building permit. The [Zoning Bylaw 1342](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/) (s. 3.4.1) still sets height limits, and the Town's guide lists fences and patios less than two feet off the ground as exempt.\n\nHeight limits:\n\n- **Front:** 1.5 m. Fences and hedges over 1.5 m, up to 2.4 m, are allowed only behind the front lot line setback required for the principal building.\n- **Side and rear:** 2.4 m, anywhere on the lot behind that front setback.\n- Hedges and landscape screens count as fences for height.\n- Exceptions: up to 3.5 m on PR or PO lots to screen tennis courts and similar, and in CI-1, CI-2, CM-1, CM-2 or CF zones to screen permitted outdoor storage.\n\nCorner lots: nothing may block visibility between 1 m and 2 m above the road surface within a triangle formed by points 9 m from the corner of two streets (6 m from a street-and-lane corner). This applies to fences, hedges, retaining walls and other vegetation.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your zone and setbacks with Planning (604-886-2274, planning@gibsons.ca).\n2. Keep the fence within the height limits above.\n3. If you are building a retaining wall or pool fence, read the points below first.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- A retaining wall needs a building permit (s. 11.1), except a wall supporting soil under 1.22 m on a single-family parcel (s. 3.3). Under zoning, retaining walls under 1.2 m high may go anywhere on the lot; tiered walls need 1.2 m of separation, two tiers at most. Walls over 1.2 m must meet zone setbacks.\n- Pool, spa or hot tub fences must be at least 1.22 m high, with no openings over 100 mm and a self-closing, self-latching gate. They fall under the pool permit.\n- The bylaws read do not state how fence height is measured, or any rule on barbed wire or electric fences. Ask Planning.","sources":[{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89642/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 1284, 2020, Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2024-07-Building-permit-guide-1.pdf","title":"Building Permit Application Guide, July 2024 (PDF), Town of Gibsons","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","title":"https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/85212/","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","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/gibsons/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/fence-rules.json"}}