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

# Lions Bay fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** In Lions Bay a fence does not need a building permit, because the Building Bylaw does not apply to fences (retaining walls are the exception). The Zoning Bylaw says no fence may exceed 1.9 metres in height, and sets a lower 0.9 m limit near corners.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Lions Bay, https://www.lionsbay.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee for a fence. A retaining wall needs a permit; see the building-permit-fees answer.  
**How long:** Not applicable for a fence.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Building Services, 604-921-9333 ext. 1009
- Email: Building Services, building@lionsbay.ca

## Key facts

- **Permit:** No building permit: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence, except retaining walls (Part 11). A BC land surveyor must confirm siting where a fence or wall will be within 1 m of a property line. A retaining wall over 1.2 m needs a site alteration permit, site plan, geotechnical report and engineer's Letters of Assurance.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, s. 3.3(a)](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "except as set out in Part 11: of this bylaw, a fence;"
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 4.10.3, 4.10.4](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "confirmation of siting by a British Columbia Land Surveyor (BCLS) is required where a" … "fence or wall will be located within one metre of a property line;" … "a site alteration permit, site plan, geotechnical report, and engineer’s Letters of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, front yard:** The Zoning Bylaw sets no separate front yard height. The general limit applies: no fence may exceed 1.9 metres in height (except near intersections, see below).
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 4.10.2](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "no fence shall exceed 1.9 metres in height;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, side and rear yards:** No fence may exceed 1.9 metres in height, in any yard.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 4.10.2](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "no fence shall exceed 1.9 metres in height;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** On a parcel at a street intersection in any zone, no fence, retaining wall, wall, hedge or other obstruction to the line of vision may be higher than 0.9 m above the road centre point within 4.5 m of the corner of the parcel.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 4.11](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "no fence," … "retaining wall, wall, hedge or other obstruction to the line of vision shall be allowed at a greater" … "height than 0.9 metres above the established elevation of the" … "a = 4.5 metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** Height is measured from the average finished grade within 0.9 m of both sides. 'Fence' includes an arbour, archway, gate, pergola, screen, trellis and wall. Retaining walls 1.2 m or more need a registered professional's design and field review. Pools, spas and hot tubs need a fence at least 1.22 m high with a self-closing, self-latching gate (a hot tub may use a locking cover). Fences are exempt from siting rules.
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 4.10, 4.7.3, definitions](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the height of a fence or wall shall be determined by measurement from the average" … "fence includes arbor, archway, gate, pergola, screen, trellis and wall;" … "a registered professional shall supervise the design and construction of a retaining wall" … "The following are exempted from the siting regulations:" … "fences,"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026, Building Bylaw 649, s. 13.2 to 13.4](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "having a minimum height of 1.22 metres and no openings other than gates greater" … "a self-closing and self-latching gate designed and constructed or installed so as to cause" … "In lieu of a fence, a spa or hot tub may be covered with a locking cover, which would"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017, s. 4.10 (fences and retaining walls) and s. 4.11 (visibility).
  - Source: [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650), s. 1.1](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Zoning and Development Bylaw No.520, 2017"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Village of Lions Bay regulates fences in its [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf), sections 4.10 and 4.11. The [Building Bylaw](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf) does not apply to a fence, except a retaining wall, so a fence needs no building permit.

- **Height:** no fence may exceed 1.9 metres, in any yard. The Zoning Bylaw sets no separate front-yard limit. Height is measured from the average finished grade within 0.9 m of both sides.
- **Corner lots:** on a parcel at a street intersection, no fence, wall, hedge or other obstruction to the line of vision may be higher than 0.9 m above the road centre point within 4.5 m of the corner of the parcel.
- **What counts:** "fence" includes an arbour, archway, gate, pergola, screen, trellis and wall.

## Steps

1. Check the height rules above, and the corner rule if you are at an intersection.
2. If the fence or wall will be within 1 m of a property line, a BC land surveyor must confirm the siting.
3. If you are building a retaining wall, ask Building Services about the permit (see below).

## Good to know

- Retaining walls of 1.2 m or more need a registered professional's design and field review. A retaining wall over 1.2 m needs a site alteration permit, a site plan, a geotechnical report and an engineer's Letters of Assurance.
- Pools, spas and hot tubs need a fence at least 1.22 m high with a self-closing, self-latching gate. A hot tub may use a locking cover instead.
- The bylaws do not mention barbed wire or electric fences. Ask Building Services.
- An owner must not let a fence become unsightly, unstable or unsafe (Good Neighbour Bylaw).
- A fence or retaining wall that breaks the bylaw can get a $300 ticket.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (PDF)](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf)
- [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/fence-rules.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/fence-rules.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/fence-rules.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/fence-rules.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/fence-rules.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (Consolidation BL650) (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-07/Bylaw%20520%20-%20Zoning%20and%20Development%20Certified%20%20%28Consolidation%20BL650%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 649, 2026 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-02/Bylaw%20649%20-%20Building%20Bylaw%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Services contact, Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/contact/building-services) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 385 (Consolidation 640) (PDF), Village of Lions Bay](https://www.lionsbay.ca/sites/2/files/2026-06/Bylaw%20385%20-Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20%28Consolidation%20640%29.pdf) (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 Village of Lions Bay. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/fence-rules/_