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

# Lake Cowichan fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** In Lake Cowichan the Building Bylaw does not apply to fences, so an ordinary fence has no building permit set out. Under the Zoning Bylaw, fences in residential zones can be 1.2 m in front and 2.0 m at the sides and rear. Pool fences must be at least 1.5 m.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Lake Cowichan, https://www.lakecowichan.ca)  
**Cost:** No building permit fee for an ordinary fence. A swimming pool, and so its required fence, needs a permit.  
**How long:** Not applicable for an ordinary fence.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Town Hall, 250-749-6681
- Phone: Building Inspector, 250-749-6681 ext. 104 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except holidays)
- In person: Town Hall, 39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed statutory holidays)

## Key facts

- **Permit:** The Building Bylaw does not apply to fences or retaining structures, so no building permit is set out for an ordinary fence. A swimming pool, and so its required fence, needs a permit.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, s. 4(2)(b); definition of Structure; s. 21(1)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
  - Official wording: "retaining structures, fences, paving or landscaping." … "but specifically excludes paving, fences, retaining walls and landscaping;" … "unless a valid permit has been obtained pursuant to this Bylaw."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Part IV, Siting](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A fence or wall may be located in a required setback area."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, front yard:** 1.2 m in zones where residential uses are permitted.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Part IV, Fences and Retaining Walls](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a fence at the front of the lot shall not exceed 1.2 metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, side and rear yards:** 2.0 m in zones where residential uses are permitted.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Part IV, Fences and Retaining Walls](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "at the sides and rear shall not exceed 2.0 metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** On a corner at a highway intersection, no structure may be higher than 1.0 m above the elevation of the centre point of the intersecting highway within the triangle bounded by a line joining points 6.0 metres from the corner on each parcel line (Figure 4). Fence height is also 'subject to traffic sight lines'.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Part IV, Sight triangle](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "no structure shall be allowed at a height greater than 1.0 metre above the established elevation of the centre point of" … "a distance of 6.0 metres from" … "Except as otherwise specifically stated in this bylaw and subject to traffic sight lines,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** Default maximum for a fence or retaining wall is 2.0 m. Height is measured from finished grade to the top (stepped fences at the mid-point between posts). A fence on a retaining wall must stay within the zone's heights, measured from average grade. Pool fences: at least 1.5 m with self-closing, self-latching gates.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Part IV, Fences and Retaining Walls](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the maximum height of a fence or retaining wall shall be 2.0 metres" … "from the finished grade to the top of the fence" … "the combined height of a fence on top of a retaining wall shall not exceed the heights" … "FENCE includes arbour, archway, gate, screen, trellis, and wall;"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, s. 21(2)(a)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall not be less than 1.5 metres (4.92 feet) high."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, Part IV, 'Fences and Retaining Walls' (article number not shown in the text copy); Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, s. 4(2) and s. 21
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026, Title page](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 1055-2021"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022, s. 21](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Swimming Pools and Fences"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Town's [Building Bylaw](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf) does not apply to retaining structures or fences, so no building permit is set out for an ordinary fence. The [Zoning Bylaw](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf) (Part IV, Fences and Retaining Walls) states no fence permit requirement. A swimming pool, and so its required fence, does need a permit.

In zones where residential uses are permitted, the Zoning Bylaw sets these maximum heights:

- Front: 1.2 m.
- Side and rear: 2.0 m.

The default maximum for a fence or retaining wall is 2.0 m. Height is measured from finished grade to the top; stepped fences are measured at the mid-point between posts. A fence on a retaining wall must stay within the zone's heights, measured from average grade. Fence height is also subject to traffic sight lines.

## Steps

1. Check your zone and property lines before you build.
2. Confirm the height limits with the Town at 250-749-6681 if your lot is on a corner or in a non-residential zone.
3. If you are building a pool fence, ask the Building Inspector (ext. 104) about the pool permit.

## Good to know

- On a corner at a highway intersection, no structure may be higher than 1.0 m above the centre point of the intersecting highway within the triangle formed by a line joining points 6.0 m from the corner on each parcel line (Figure 4 in the Zoning Bylaw).
- Pool fences must be at least 1.5 m high, with self-closing, self-latching gates (Building Bylaw s. 21).
- Other zones differ: commercial boundary fences and walls up to 2.0 m, and industrial fences must be opaque and up to 2.4 m.
- The bylaws state no rules on barbed wire, electric fences or hedges.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf)
- [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/fence-rules.md)
- [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/fence-rules.md)
- [North Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/fence-rules.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/fence-rules.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/fence-rules.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021, consolidated February 24, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 1075-2022 (PDF)](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1075-2022%20Building%20Regulations.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, Town of Lake Cowichan](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/contact.php) (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 Town of Lake Cowichan. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/fence-rules/_