Metchosin fence rules: permits and height limits
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Metchosin, and how high can it be?
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.
Key facts
| Permit | None set. Metchosin's Land Use Bylaw states no fence height limit and no fence permit rule.Read: Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy) |
|---|---|
| Height, front yard | None set. Metchosin's Land Use Bylaw states no fence height limit and no fence permit rule.Read: Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy) |
| Height, side and rear yards | None set. Metchosin's Land Use Bylaw states no fence height limit and no fence permit rule.Read: Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy) |
| Corner lots and sightlines | 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.Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy), s. 28 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo 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. |
| Other rules | 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.Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy), Part 1, definition of Structure; Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694, s. 6.1(g) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingbut excludes concrete or asphalt or similar surfacing of a lot, fences, and underground sewage 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- |
| Bylaw | 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)Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy), s. 1; Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694, s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThis Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259. Building Bylaw 2024, N0. 694 A pool, Including a spa or hot tub, must be enclosed within a fence constructed without footholds |
How it works
Metchosin's Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694 lists the work that needs a building permit and does not mention fences. The Land Use Bylaw No. 259 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.
Two 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).
Steps
- Find your property lines first, since a fence on the wrong side can lead to a dispute.
- Call Municipal Hall at 250-474-3167 to confirm there is no fence rule for your zone.
- If the fence is at a road corner, check the sight-triangle rule below.
- For a retaining wall over 1.2 m or a pool enclosure, ask Building Permits and Inspections.
Good to know
- 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.
- 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.
- No rule on barbed wire or electric fences was found.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Colwood · Langford · View Royal · Sooke · Esquimalt · Victoria
Sources
- Building Permits | District of Metchosin (read 2026-11-06)
- Metchosin Land Use Bylaw No. 259 (consolidated March 2026, reference copy) (read 2026-11-06)
- Building Bylaw 2024, No. 694 (read 2026-11-06)
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. How answers are checked.