---
title: "Mission fence rules: permits and height limits"
question: "Do I need a permit to build a fence, and how high can it be?"
place: Mission, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/mission
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Mission
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/fence-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/fence-rules.json"
---

# Mission fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Mission, a fence on a lot inside the Urban Growth Boundary can be up to 1.9 m (6.2 ft) high, but only 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in a required front yard or exterior side yard. The bylaws we read do not say whether an ordinary fence needs a permit, so ask before building.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Mission, https://www.mission.ca)  
**Cost:** No fee for a fence is stated. A retaining wall over 0.6 m needs a building permit (see building-permit-fees).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Development Planning (zoning questions), 604-820-3748
- Email: Planning, planning@mission.ca
- Phone: Inspection Services (permit questions), 604-820-3726
- Email: Inspection Services, iservices@mission.ca

## Key facts

- **Permit:** Not confirmed. The Zoning Bylaw and the Building Bylaw do not say whether an ordinary fence needs a permit.
- **Height, front yard:** Inside the Urban Growth Boundary: 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in a required front yard or required exterior side yard on a flanking street. On Urban Residential and Urban Compact lots a fence in a front yard on a flanking street must be at least 33% open. No fence height rule was found for lots outside the boundary.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, s. 112 A.1(a)(ii), A.1(d)(ii)](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
  - Official wording: "1.2 m (3.9 ft) when it is located within a required Yard (Front) or Yard (Exterior Side) on a flanking Street," … "To be considered visually permeable, a fence must have a minimum of 33% open." … "Unless otherwise provided in this Bylaw, the following shall apply to all Lots within the Urban Growth Boundary:"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, s. 112 A.1](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
  - Official wording: "Unless otherwise provided in this Bylaw, the following shall apply to all Lots within the Urban Growth Boundary:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, side and rear yards:** 1.9 m (6.2 ft) maximum for a fence on a lot inside the Urban Growth Boundary. A fence on top of a wall may not exceed 1.5 m (4.9 ft).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, s. 112 A.1(a)(i), A.1(c)](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
  - Official wording: "a. No fence shall be constructed on a Lot to a Height exceeding:" … "i. 1.9 m (6.2 ft), or" … "Where a fence or similar Structure is located on top of a wall, the Height of the fence shall not exceed"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** At the corner of two streets, no fence, landscape screen, building, sign or other structure may be higher than 1.0 m (3.3 ft) inside the triangle 6.0 m (19.7 ft) from the intersection of the exterior side lot line and the front lot line, or their extensions.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, s. 104 C.1(a), Vision Clearance at Intersections](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
  - Official wording: "Height exceeding 1.0 m (3.3 ft) within the triangular area 6.0 m (19.7 ft) from the intersection of a Lot Line (Exterior Side) and a Lot Line (Front), or an extension of those lines."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other rules:** Inside the Urban Growth Boundary, fences may only be wood, masonry (not poured concrete), metal, or precast concrete blocks or panels; electric perimeter fencing is not allowed. Height is measured from average finished grade at the base. Pool fences: at least 1.2 m high, gaps no larger than 50 mm, self-closing, self-latching gate. Retaining walls on Suburban Residential, Urban Residential, Urban Compact and Attached Multi-unit lots: 1.2 m maximum exposed height.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, Definitions (Height); s. 112 A.1(b), (e); s. 112 B.1](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
  - Official wording: "means the vertical distance between the Finished Grade (Average) at the base of the Landscape Screen or fence to the top" … "A fence may only be constructed of wood, masonry materials (excluding poured concrete), metal," … "Electric fencing is not permitted as perimeter fencing" … "shall not exceed 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in Height" … "on a Lot designated Suburban Residential, Urban Residential, Urban Compact and Attached Multi-unit Residential"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw 3590-2003 (PDF, consolidated), s. 10.3, 10.4](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-3590-2003pdf-1)
  - Official wording: "Not less than 1.2m in height and which has no opening or gap with its largest" … "self-closing and self-latching door or gate"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw 5524-2015, s. 15.2](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5524-2015-good-neighbour-bylawpdf)
  - Official wording: "Every Owner or Occupier shall maintain any fence on the Land of that Owner or Occupier"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, s. 112 A (Fencing) and s. 104 C (Vision Clearance at Intersections); Building Bylaw 3590-2003, s. 10 (pool fences)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, s. 112 A](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
  - Official wording: "SECTION 112 LANDSCAPING A. Fencing 1. Unless otherwise provided in this Bylaw, the following shall apply to all Lots within the Urban Growth" … "THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY and is a consolidation of "Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020" with the following amending bylaws: Date"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020, s. 104 C](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
  - Official wording: "C. Vision Clearance at Intersections"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw 3590-2003 (PDF, consolidated), s. 10.3](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-3590-2003pdf-1)
  - Official wording: "every fence or other structure enclosing a private residential swimming pool shall be:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Mission's [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf) sets fence limits for lots inside the Urban Growth Boundary (the line around the built-up part of the city). Height is measured from the average finished grade at the base of the fence.

The Zoning Bylaw and the Building Bylaw do not say whether an ordinary fence needs a permit. Retaining walls over 0.6 m do, and pool enclosures are regulated under the Building Bylaw.

## Good to know

- Maximum height: 1.9 m (6.2 ft). In a required front yard or required exterior side yard on a flanking street, the limit is 1.2 m (3.9 ft).
- A fence on top of a wall may not exceed 1.5 m (4.9 ft).
- On Urban Residential and Urban Compact lots, a fence in a front yard on a flanking street must be at least 33% open. Where a rear lot line meets a neighbour's interior lot line, your fence or wall cannot be higher than the height allowed on the neighbour's side line at that point.
- At a street corner, no fence, landscape screen or other structure may be higher than 1.0 m (3.3 ft) inside the triangle 6.0 m (19.7 ft) from the intersection of the exterior side lot line and the front lot line (or their extensions).
- Materials: wood, masonry (not poured concrete), metal, or precast concrete blocks or panels. Electric perimeter fencing is not allowed. Backyard hen coops and wildlife attractants may use electric fencing if it is not publicly accessible and follows WildSafeBC guidelines.
- Pool fences: at least 1.2 m high, gaps no larger than 50 mm, with a self-closing, self-latching gate. This applies to private pools over 14 square metres in surface area and 600 mm deep.
- Retaining walls on Suburban Residential, Urban Residential, Urban Compact and Attached Multi-unit lots: 1.2 m maximum exposed height.
- Fences next to a street must be kept in good repair under the Good Neighbour Bylaw.
- No fence height rule was found for lots outside the Urban Growth Boundary, and individual zones may set their own rules. Call Development Planning at 604-820-3748 to confirm, or Inspection Services at 604-820-3726 about permits.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020 (PDF)](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf)
- [Building Bylaw 3590-2003 (PDF)](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-3590-2003pdf-1)
- [Building Permits (City of Mission)](https://www.mission.ca/building-permits)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Abbotsford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/fence-rules.md)
- [Township of Langley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/fence-rules.md)
- [Maple Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/fence-rules.md)
- [Langley City](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/fence-rules.md)
- [Pitt Meadows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pitt-meadows/fence-rules.md)
- [Chilliwack](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chilliwack/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020 (PDF), City of Mission](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5949-2020-zoning-bylaw-completepdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Bylaw 3590-2003 (PDF, consolidated), City of Mission](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/building-bylaw-3590-2003pdf-1) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Good Neighbour Bylaw 5524-2015 (PDF), City of Mission](https://www.mission.ca/media/file/5524-2015-good-neighbour-bylawpdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Building Permits, City of Mission](https://www.mission.ca/building-permits) (read 2026-11-05)
- [WebMap, City of Mission](https://www.mission.ca/webmap) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Mission. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/fence-rules/_