{"title":"Metchosin fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence in Metchosin, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/metchosin","name":"Metchosin","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":"District of Metchosin","url":"https://www.metchosin.ca"},"short_answer":"Metchosin's Land Use Bylaw and Building Bylaw set no fence permit or fence height limit that we could find. Pool fences must be at least 1.5 m, and nothing over 0.9 m high is allowed in a sight triangle at an intersection. Confirm with staff at 250-474-3167.","aliases":["fence height metchosin","fence bylaw metchosin","pool fence metchosin","retaining wall permit metchosin"],"cost":"No fence permit fee is stated. A retaining wall over 1.2 m high needs a retaining wall permit; see the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"Not applicable for an ordinary fence.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Municipal Hall (Building Permits and Inspections)","value":"250-474-3167"},{"type":"email","label":"Building Permits and Inspections","value":"building@metchosin.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"4450 Happy Valley Road, Victoria, BC V9C 3Z3","note":"Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259","url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/"},{"title":"Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694","url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/475/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Metchosin building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/building-permit/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Metchosin permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Metchosin zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/colwood","name":"Colwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langford","name":"Langford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sooke","name":"Sooke","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/esquimalt","name":"Esquimalt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/victoria","name":"Victoria","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/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":null,"status":"none","note":"Metchosin's Land Use Bylaw states no fence height limit and no fence permit rule.","sources":[{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/","title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy)"}]},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Metchosin's Land Use Bylaw states no fence height limit and no fence permit rule.","sources":[{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/","title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy)"}]},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Metchosin's Land Use Bylaw states no fence height limit and no fence permit rule.","sources":[{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/","title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy)"}]},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"No building, structure, fence, tree, shrub or plant wider than 0.6 m (2 ft) or taller than 0.9 m (3 ft) is permitted in any sight triangle at an intersection. A sight triangle is the area formed by the two road boundaries and points 6 m (19.7 ft) from where they meet.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/","title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy)","section":"s. 28","quotes":["No building, structure, fence, tree, shrub or plant exceeding 0.6 m (2’) in width or 0.9 m (3’) in height shall be permitted in any sight triangle.","Sight Triangle means the triangular area formed by two intersecting highway right-of-way boundaries and two points","on those boundaries measured 6 m (19.7’) from the point of intersection."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"A pool, spa or hot tub must be enclosed by a fence at least 1.5 m high with no openings over 100 mm and no footholds, with a self-closing, self-latching gate (a spa may use a locking cover). The Land Use Bylaw's definition of structure excludes fences. A retaining wall over 1.2 m high needs a retaining wall permit.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/","title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy)","section":"Part 1, definition of Structure","quotes":["but excludes concrete or asphalt or similar surfacing of a lot, fences, and underground sewage"]},{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/475/","title":"Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694","section":"s. 6.1(g)","quotes":["a retaining wall permit for the construction or structural repair to a retaining wall over 1.2m in height measured from the lowest exposed grade to top of wall","A pool, Including a spa or hot tub, must be enclosed within a fence constructed without footholds","metres and no openings greater than 100 mm at their greatest dimension, or have a lockable lid","Access through a fence enclosing a swimming pool, spa or hot tub must be only through a self-"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259, s. 28 (sight triangles); Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694, s. 6.1(g) (retaining walls) and Part 23 (pool fences)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/","title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259."]},{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/475/","title":"Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["Building Bylaw 2024, N0. 694","A pool, Including a spa or hot tub, must be enclosed within a fence constructed without footholds"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":3,"matched":3,"none":3,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nMetchosin's [Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694](https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/475/) lists the work that needs a building permit and does not mention fences. The [Land Use Bylaw No. 259](https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/) states no fence height limit and no fence permit rule, and its definition of \"structure\" excludes fences. We found no front, side or rear yard height limit in either bylaw, so confirm with staff before you build.\n\nTwo rules do apply. A retaining wall over 1.2 m high, measured from the lowest exposed grade to the top of the wall, needs a retaining wall permit. And pools have their own fence rules (below).\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Find your property lines first, since a fence on the wrong side can lead to a dispute.\n2. Call Municipal Hall at 250-474-3167 to confirm there is no fence rule for your zone.\n3. If the fence is at a road corner, check the sight-triangle rule below.\n4. For a retaining wall over 1.2 m or a pool enclosure, ask Building Permits and Inspections.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Pool fences: a pool, spa or hot tub must be enclosed by a fence at least 1.5 m high, with no footholds and no openings over 100 mm. The gate must be self-closing and self-latching. A spa or hot tub may use a lockable lid instead.\n- Sight triangles: no building, structure, fence, tree, shrub or plant wider than 0.6 m (2 ft) or taller than 0.9 m (3 ft) is allowed in a sight triangle at an intersection. A sight triangle is the area formed by the two road boundaries and points 6 m (19.7 ft) from where they meet. Blocking one is a $500 minimum-fine offence.\n- No rule on barbed wire or electric fences was found.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.metchosin.ca/municipal-hall/building-development/building-permits","title":"Building Permits | District of Metchosin","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/4091/","title":"Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://metchosin.civicweb.net/document/475/","title":"Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 3 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 3 are recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/fence-rules.json"}}