{"title":"Kamloops fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","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":"City of Kamloops","url":"https://www.kamloops.ca"},"short_answer":"Kamloops does not require a building permit for an ordinary fence, but Zoning Bylaw 55 sets height limits. In most residential zones a fence may be 1.2 m high in a required front or street-side yard and 2 m in interior side and rear yards. Swimming pool fences need a pool permit.","aliases":["fence height kamloops","fence bylaw kamloops","fence permit kamloops","backyard fence rules kamloops"],"cost":"No permit fee for a regular fence.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Planning (zoning questions)","value":"250-828-3561"},{"type":"email","label":"Planning","value":"planning@kamloops.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Building Section (pool fences, retaining walls)","value":"250-828-3554"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Division 5 Screening and Fencing (PDF)","url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849"},{"title":"Building Regulation Bylaw 11-84 (PDF)","url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204248/"}],"related":[{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Kamloops permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Kamloops zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Kamloops building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/building-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/sun-peaks","name":"Sun Peaks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/barriere","name":"Barriere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/logan-lake","name":"Logan Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/ashcroft","name":"Ashcroft","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cache-creek","name":"Cache Creek","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cache-creek/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/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 is needed for a fence, except swimming pool fences, which fall under Part 19 (Pool Permits) of the Building Regulation Bylaw.","short":"No building permit (pool fences excepted)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204248/","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw 11-84 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 6.4(a); Part 19","quotes":["a fence, except as set out in Part 19 of this bylaw;","Without limiting Section 6.4 of this bylaw, a person must not Construct, or structurally"]},{"url":"https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/building-permits/apply-epermit","title":"Apply by ePermit, City of Kamloops","section":"Homeowners","quotes":["fences, sidewalks, and planters"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"1.2 m within a required front yard, a required side street yard, or a required rear yard that backs onto a street with vehicle access. In country residential zones (CR-1, CR-2, CR-3), up to 2 m in any yard.","short":"1.2 m (2 m in CR-1 to CR-3)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 5.7.1(a), (c)(ii)","quotes":["In all CR, R, RM, commercial, comprehensive development, P2, I1S, and I1 zones,","1.2 m within a required Front Yard, Required Side Street Yard, or","in all country residential Zones (CR-1, CR-2, and CR-3),","Fences to a maximum of 2 m high shall be permitted in any"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"2 m within an interior side yard or rear yard (including a rear yard backing onto a street with no vehicle access, such as an arterial road or highway), and 2 m behind the setback line of a required front or side street yard. Exceptions: 1.2 m in CNS and CBD zones; 2.5 m in I1 and I1S side and rear yards.","short":"2 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 5.7.1(b), (c)","quotes":["2 m outside (behind the Setback line of) a Required Front Yard, or","2 m within an interior Side Yard, or Rear Yard, including a Rear Yard that","in the CNS and CBD Zones, the maximum Fence height in all","Fences to a maximum of 2.5 m shall be"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"On a corner lot, nothing from fencing, hedges or landscaping may block the line of vision above 1 m within the area bounded by the street centre lines and a line joining points 25 m from their intersection. At provincial highway corners the limit is 0.6 m in a 6 m triangle; at lanes or walkways, a 1.5 m triangle. Side street yard fences are also capped at 1.2 m.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 5.7.1(a)","quotes":["1.2 m within a required Front Yard, Required Side Street Yard, or","Notwithstanding Sections 5.7 and 5.8 above, there shall be, from any landscaping,","on a Corner Lot, above the 1 m level measured from the average height","above the 0.6 m level within an area formed by a","Lot Line, and a straight line which intersects the two Lot Lines 1.5 m from"]},{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 2.2, definitions","quotes":["“Corner Cut” means a triangular area formed on a Corner Lot by the two","intersects them 4.5 m from the corner where they meet"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Hedges in a required yard abutting a street follow the same height limits. Barbed wire is prohibited in single-detached, two-unit and multi-unit residential zones (allowed in agricultural and rural residential zones); razor wire is prohibited in all residential zones. A fence in the rear yard of an interior lot that abuts a street needs a 0.8 m gate. Pool fences: at least 1.5 m high, with a self-closing, self-latching gate.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"ss. 5.7.2, 5.7.3, 5.8.5","quotes":["they shall comply with the height","a 0.8 m gate must be installed in the Fence for maintenance purposes.","Use of barbed wire as a fencing material is prohibited in all Single-Detached, Single-","is permitted in the Agricultural and Rural Residential Zones.","Use of razor wire in conjunction with fencing is prohibited in all residential Zones,"]},{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204248/","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw 11-84 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"ss. 19.4, 19.8","quotes":["having a minimum height of 1.5 m and no openings","closing and self-latching gate designed and constructed or installed so as to cause"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 55, 2021, ss. 5.7 and 5.8 (Screening and Fencing) and s. 5.9 (Site Lines); Building Regulation Bylaw No. 11-84, 2025, Part 19 for pool fences","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 1.1.1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited as “Zoning Bylaw No. 55, 2021”.","Notwithstanding Sections 5.7 and 5.8 above, there shall be, from any landscaping,"]},{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 5.7","quotes":["SCREENING AND FENCING - GENERAL REGULATIONS"]},{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204248/","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw 11-84 (PDF), City of Kamloops","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["Building Regulation Bylaw No. 11-84, 2025"]}],"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 City of Kamloops [Building Regulation Bylaw 11-84](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204248/) does not require a building permit for a fence, except swimming pool fences. The [Zoning Bylaw](https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849) still controls how tall a fence can be and where it can go. The bylaws do not say how fence height is measured, so ask Planning if it matters.\n\n## Height limits (most residential zones)\n\n- 1.2 m within a required front yard, a required side street yard, or a required rear yard that backs onto a street with vehicle access.\n- 2 m behind the setback line of a required front or side street yard, and in interior side and rear yards (including a rear yard backing onto a street with no vehicle access, such as an arterial road or highway).\n- Country residential zones (CR-1 to CR-3): up to 2 m in any yard.\n- Exceptions: 1.2 m in the CNS and CBD zones; 2.5 m in side and rear yards in I1 and I1S zones; up to 3 m in a rear yard that directly abuts a railway.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Corner lots: above 1 m, nothing from fencing, hedges or landscaping may block the line of vision within the area bounded by the street centre lines and a line joining points 25 m from their intersection (Zoning Bylaw s. 5.9.1). At provincial highway corners the limit is 0.6 m in a 6 m triangle; at lanes or walkways, a 1.5 m triangle.\n- Hedges in a required yard next to a street follow the same height limits.\n- A fence in the rear yard of an interior lot that abuts a street needs a 0.8 m maintenance gate.\n- Barbed wire is prohibited in single-detached, two-unit and multi-unit residential zones; razor wire is prohibited in all residential zones.\n- Pool fences must be at least 1.5 m high with a self-closing, self-latching gate (Building Regulation Bylaw Part 19).\n- A retaining wall of 1.2 m or higher needs a building permit.\n- Planning at 250-828-3561 can confirm your zone and limits.","sources":[{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/138849","title":"Zoning Bylaw 55, Sections 5.7 to 5.9 (PDF), City of Kamloops","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://kamloops.civicweb.net/document/204248/","title":"Building Regulation Bylaw 11-84 (PDF), City of Kamloops","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/building-permits/apply-epermit","title":"Apply by ePermit, City of Kamloops","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.kamloops.ca/business-development/planning-development/apply-epermit/zoning-information-request","title":"Zoning Information Request, City of Kamloops","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","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/kamloops/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/fence-rules.json"}}