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

# Greenwood fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** Greenwood's Zoning Bylaw limits solid screening, such as a fence, wall or hedge, to 1.3 metres (4 feet) closer to a street than the building setbacks allow. Open fencing has no height or location limit. The bylaw does not mention a fence permit; ask City Hall.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Greenwood, https://www.greenwoodcity.com)  
**Cost:** No fence permit or fee is stated by the City.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Greenwood City Hall, 250-445-6644
- Email: Greenwood City Hall, reception@greenwoodcity.ca
- Phone: RDKB building permits, 250-442-2708

## Key facts

- **Permit:** Not confirmed. The Zoning Bylaw does not say whether a fence needs a permit.
- **Height, front yard:** Screening (fences, walls, hedges) 2 m (6.5 ft) or less is limited to 1.3 m (4 ft) when closer to any street than the required building setbacks for the zone. Open fencing is not restricted as to height or location.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997, s. 305(1), (3)](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/greenwoodcity-013-ca/media/kd3p3rea/zoning-bylaw-no-683-1997.pdf)
  - Official wording: "screening shall be limited to a" … "maximum height of 1.3 metres (4 feet) when sited closer to any street than the required" … "Open fencing shall not be restricted as to height or location."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, side and rear yards:** Screening 2 m (6.5 ft) or less may be sited on any portion of a lot (subject to the 1.3 m limit near a street). Screening over 2 m must meet the building setbacks of the zone. Open fencing is not restricted.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997, s. 305(1)-(3)](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/greenwoodcity-013-ca/media/kd3p3rea/zoning-bylaw-no-683-1997.pdf)
  - Official wording: "screening which is 2 metres (6.5 feet) or less in height may" … "be sited on any portion of a lot" … "Screening greater than 2 metres (6.5 feet) in height shall be sited in accordance with the" … "Open fencing shall not be restricted as to height or location."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** None set. The Zoning Bylaw does not give a separate rule for corner lots.
- **Other rules:** Zoning Bylaw s. 305 regulates 'screening', defined as a fence, wall, berm, vegetative barrier or similar buffer. No rules on barbed wire, electric fences, retaining walls or pool fences were found in the bylaw.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997, s. 103](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/greenwoodcity-013-ca/media/kd3p3rea/zoning-bylaw-no-683-1997.pdf)
  - Official wording: ""FENCE" means a linear structure which provides a separating, protective or confining barrier;" … ""SCREENING" means a fence, wall, berm, vegetative barrier or similar buffer, and any"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997, s. 305 (Screening and Fences)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997, s. 305](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/greenwoodcity-013-ca/media/kd3p3rea/zoning-bylaw-no-683-1997.pdf)
  - Official wording: "305. Screening and Fences"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/greenwoodcity-013-ca/media/kd3p3rea/zoning-bylaw-no-683-1997.pdf) section 305 regulates "screening", defined as a fence, wall, berm, vegetative barrier or similar buffer.

- Screening 2 metres (6.5 feet) or less may go on any part of a lot, but it is limited to 1.3 metres (4 feet) when it is closer to a street than the required building setbacks for the zone.
- Screening over 2 metres must meet the building setbacks of the zone.
- Open fencing is not restricted as to height or location.

## Steps

1. Check your lot's zone and setbacks with City Hall at 250-445-6644.
2. Ask City Hall and the RDKB (250-442-2708) whether your fence needs a permit. The bylaw does not say.

## Good to know

- The bylaw does not give a separate rule for corner lots.
- No rules on barbed wire, electric fences, retaining walls or pool fences were found in the bylaw.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997 (PDF)](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/greenwoodcity-013-ca/media/kd3p3rea/zoning-bylaw-no-683-1997.pdf)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Grand Forks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/fence-rules.md)
- [Osoyoos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/fence-rules.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/fence-rules.md)
- [Oliver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/fence-rules.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/fence-rules.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 683, 1997 (PDF), City of Greenwood](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/greenwoodcity-013-ca/media/kd3p3rea/zoning-bylaw-no-683-1997.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Forms & Permits, City of Greenwood](https://www.greenwoodcity.com/services/forms-permits/) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Greenwood. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/fence-rules/_