Lytton fence rules: permits and height limits

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

Lytton, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

How it works

The Building Bylaw No. 710, 2022 does not apply to a fence, except retaining walls, so an ordinary fence needs no building permit. A retaining wall (a structure over 1.2 m high that holds soil) does need one. The Village's page says retaining walls over 1.22 m (4 ft.) and fencing for them need a permit.

Heights are set in section 3.10 of the Zoning Bylaw No. 484, 1998: 1.3 m (4.3 ft) on the front and exterior side lot lines, and 1.8 m (5.9 ft) on rear and interior side lot lines. A fence must be within your lot lines.

Steps

1. Find your property lines before you build.
2. Check the height limit for each side of your lot.
3. On a corner lot, keep the corner clear (see below).
4. For a retaining wall or a pool enclosure, contact the Building Department.

Good to know

• Corner lots: within the triangle formed by the street lines and a line joining points 6 m (19.7 ft) from where they meet, nothing may be planted or erected higher than 0.9 m (3 ft) above street grade. Open mesh and chain-link fences that do not restrict visibility are not counted as fences.
• A pool, spa or hot tub must be enclosed by a fence at least 1.22 m high with no footholds, openings of no more than 100 mm, and a self-closing, self-latching gate. A spa or hot tub may instead have a locking cover. These rules are in Part 14 of the Building Bylaw.
• The Zoning Bylaw also sets screening fence heights in the R2 and C zones (up to 2.4 m next to R1). Ask Planning at 778-554-7880 if this may apply to you.