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

# Houston fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** The District of Houston's pages and bylaws list no fence permit. Under the Zoning Bylaw a fence can be up to 1.2 m high in a front yard and 1.8 m in a side or rear yard. Check the highway exception and the corner-lot rule below.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Houston, https://houston.ca)  
**Cost:** No fence permit is listed in the bylaws or pages read.  
**How long:** Not applicable for a fence.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Community Development Department, 250-845-2238
- Email: Community Development email, ecdev@houston.ca
- In person: Municipal Office, 3367 12th Street, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Permit:** Fences are excluded from the definition of "structure" in both the Building Regulations Bylaw and the Zoning Bylaw. The District's building permit page lists no fence permit; it lists retaining walls over 1.22 m (4 ft) that are part of a building or structure supporting occupancy.
  - Source: [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005, s. 1.10](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/)
  - Official wording: "specifically excludes landscaping, fences, paving and retaining structures not supporting an occupancy"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 3 (definition of "structure")](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "the following shall not be Structures: • a fence;"
  - Source: [Building Permits and Inspections, Building Permits and Inspections page, "Accessory Buildings & Structures"](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/permits-and-inspections/)
  - Official wording: "Building retaining walls over 1.22 meters (4.0 feet) in height"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, front yard:** 1.2 m. Exception: 1.8 m for a lot in a Rural or Residential zone that abuts a provincial highway, or an arterial or collector road designated in the Official Community Plan. (Sources differ: The Zoning page gives 1.2 m for residential front yards and leaves out the 1.8 m highway and arterial exception in s. 5.6(3). The bylaw (adopted October 6, 2026) governs.)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 5.6(2)(a) and 5.6(3)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "(a) 1.2 metres when located within a front yard; and" … "the maximum height of a fence located within a front yard is 1.8 metres." … "for any lot within a Rural or Residential zone abutting a provincial highway, or an arterial or collector road as designated by the Official Community Plan"
  - Source: [Zoning, "Fencing, Screening and Landscaping"](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/)
  - Official wording: "For Residential properties, the front yard fence has a maximum height of 1.2 meters."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, side and rear yards:** 1.8 m in a rear or side yard.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 5.6(2)(b)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "(b) 1.8 metres when located within a rear or side yard."
  - Source: [Zoning, "Fencing, Screening and Landscaping"](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/)
  - Official wording: "Fences may not exceed 1.8 meters in height on any property inside the District."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** On a corner lot, no fence, wall, building, landscaping or other object may be over 1.0 m high inside the triangle formed by measuring 6.0 m along the two adjoining exterior lot lines and joining the ends.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 5.7](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "On any corner lot, no building, structure, fence, retaining wall, landscaping, screening, or" … "maximum height of 1.0 metre within the triangular space formed by measuring 6.0 metres along the two adjoining exterior lot lines"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** Height is measured from the mean landscape grade 1.0 m from both sides of the fence. Retaining walls, alone or with a fence: 1.8 m in Residential zones, 2.4 m in Rural, Commercial, Industrial and Public Use zones. Required landscape screens cannot be plywood, corrugated metal or chain link without slats.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 5.6(1), 5.6(4) and 5.8.3(4)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "The height of a fence shall be determined by measurement from the mean landscape grade 1.0 m from both sides of the fence." … "Residential Zones 1.8 metres 1.8 metres" … "Rural, Commercial, Industrial, and Public 2.4 metres 2.4 metres" … "A landscape screen shall not consist of plywood, corrugated metal, or chain link fencing, except for chain link fencing that contains slat inserts."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 5.6 (fences and retaining walls) and s. 5.7 (visual clearance at intersections).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 1.1, 5.6, 5.7](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw will be cited as “Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026.”" … "5.6 FENCES AND RETAINING WALLS" … "5.7 VISUAL CLEARANCE AT INTERSECTIONS"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Fences are excluded from the definition of "structure" in both the [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/) and the [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/). The District's building permit page lists no fence permit, but it does list retaining walls over 1.22 m (4 ft) that are part of a building or structure supporting occupancy. A fence must still meet the height rules in section 5.6 of the Zoning Bylaw.

## Steps

1. Check the height limits below for your yard.
2. If your lot is on a corner, check the visibility triangle.
3. Call the Community Development Department at 250-845-2238 if you are unsure.

## Good to know

- Front yard: 1.2 m. The exception is 1.8 m for a lot in a Rural or Residential zone that abuts a provincial highway, or an arterial or collector road designated in the Official Community Plan.
- Rear or side yard: 1.8 m.
- Corner lots: no fence, wall, building, landscaping or other object may be over 1.0 m high inside the triangle formed by measuring 6.0 m along the two adjoining exterior lot lines and joining the ends.
- Height is measured from the mean landscape grade 1.0 m from both sides of the fence.
- Retaining walls, alone or with a fence: 1.8 m in Residential zones, 2.4 m in Rural, Commercial, Industrial and Public Use zones.
- Required landscape screens cannot be plywood, corrugated metal or chain link without slats.
- The District's Zoning page gives 1.2 m for front yards and leaves out the highway exception. The bylaw governs; confirm with the District.
- We found no rule on barbed wire, electric fences or swimming pool fences. Ask the Community Development Department.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
- [Building Permits and Inspections, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/permits-and-inspections/)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/fence-rules.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/fence-rules.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/fence-rules.md)
- [Burns Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/fence-rules.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/fence-rules.md)
- [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Regulations Bylaw No. 906, 2005 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145127/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permits and Inspections, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/permits-and-inspections/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/) (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 District of Houston. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/fence-rules/_