{"title":"Montrose fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence in Montrose, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/montrose","name":"Montrose","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":"Village of Montrose","url":"https://www.montrose.ca"},"short_answer":"In Montrose an ordinary fence needs no building permit. The Zoning Bylaw limits fences to 1.3 m in the front or exterior side yard setback area and 2.0 m elsewhere. Pool fences, electric fences, boulevard fences and tall retaining walls have their own rules.","aliases":["fence height montrose","fence permit montrose bc","backyard fence rules montrose","montrose fence bylaw"],"cost":"No permit fee stated; no permit needed for an ordinary fence.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Village Office","value":"565 11th Ave., Montrose, BC V0G 1P0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed statutory holidays)"},{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office","value":"250-367-7234"},{"type":"email","label":"Village Office","value":"admin@montrose.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 771, 2022 (PDF), Village of Montrose","url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf"},{"title":"Building Bylaw (2005-1) No. 633 (PDF), Village of Montrose","url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/633_Building.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Montrose building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/building-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Montrose zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Montrose permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/fruitvale","name":"Fruitvale","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/trail","name":"Trail","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/warfield","name":"Warfield","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/rossland","name":"Rossland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/castlegar","name":"Castlegar","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/salmo","name":"Salmo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/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":"No building permit is needed for an ordinary fence: the Building Bylaw's definition of \"structure\" excludes fences. The Zoning Bylaw (s. 3.5) sets only height and material rules. Pool fences and tall retaining walls have their own rules.","short":"No building permit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/633_Building.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw (2005-1) No. 633 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"s. 2.1 (Structure), s. 8.1.1","quotes":["cludes landscaping, fences, paving and retaining structures less than"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"1.3 m in the front yard setback area or the exterior side yard setback area.","short":"1.3 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 771, 2022 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"s. 3.5.1(a)","quotes":["The maximum height of screening and fences is:","1,3 m if located within the front yard setback area or the exterior side yard setback area;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"2.0 m, where the fence is not in the front yard or exterior side yard setback area.","short":"2.0 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 771, 2022 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"s. 3.5.1(b)","quotes":["2.0 m if not located within the front yard setback area or the exterior side yard setback area."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"At street corners and lane corners, nothing (landscaping, fencing, buildings) may be higher than 1.3 m above street grade inside the sight triangle: 6 m from the corner along each lot line at a street corner, 3 m at a lane corner.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 771, 2022 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"s. 3.16","quotes":["No landscaping, screening, fencing, building or structure shall be planted, erected or maintained to a","height greater than 1.3 m above the established grade of the street within:","lot lines 6 m from their point","lot lines 3 m from their point of intersection;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Open fencing is unrestricted in C1, C1a, C2, C3, PR, ICF and RU zones. Electric fences: 1 m in from lot lines, 10,000 volts at most, grounded, signed. No barbed wire in residential zones. Boulevard fences need written permission. Pool area: fence 1.5 m or higher, self-closing gate, openings under 100 mm. Retaining walls over 1.5 m need a registered professional.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 771, 2022 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"ss. 3.5.2-3.5.4","quotes":["open fencing shall not be restricted as to height or location on","must not conduct current in excess of 10,000 volts;","Barbed wire shall not be used in a residential zone,"]},{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2024-02-08-Montrose-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-FINAL.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 779, 2024 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"s. 6.2(b)","quotes":["erect any sign, fence, wall or other structure on any Boulevard, except with written"]},{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/633_Building.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw (2005-1) No. 633 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"s. 20.2, s. 21.1","quotes":["An exterior pool area must be enclosed within a fence of not less than","vent the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 100 mm."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw #771, 2022, s. 3.5 (Screening and Fences) and s. 3.16 (Visibility - Corner Lots)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 771, 2022 (PDF), Village of Montrose","section":"ss. 3.5, 3.16","quotes":["3.5 Screening and Fences","3.16 Visibility-Comer Lots"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe Village of Montrose's [Zoning Bylaw 771](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf) (s. 3.5, Screening and Fences) sets fence height and material rules. The [Building Bylaw 633](https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/633_Building.pdf) defines \"structure\" so that fences are excluded, so an ordinary fence needs no building permit. A fence is also not treated as a structure for setbacks.\n\n- **Front yard or exterior side yard setback area:** 1.3 m high at most.\n- **Elsewhere (side and rear):** 2.0 m at most.\n- **Corners:** within the sight triangle (6 m from the corner along each lot line at a street corner, 3 m at a lane corner), nothing may be higher than 1.3 m above street grade.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Open fencing is unrestricted in the C1, C1a, C2, C3, PR, ICF and RU zones.\n- Electric fences must be 1 m in from lot lines, 10,000 volts at most, grounded and signed. Barbed wire is not allowed in residential zones.\n- A fence on the boulevard needs written permission from the Village.\n- Pool areas need a fence 1.5 m or higher with a self-closing gate and openings under 100 mm (Good Neighbour Bylaw 779, s. 6.2(b)).\n- Retaining walls over 1.5 m need a registered professional.\n- Check your zone on the Village Zoning Map or call the Village Office on 250-367-7234.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/771-Zoning-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 771, 2022 (PDF), Village of Montrose","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/633_Building.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw (2005-1) No. 633 (PDF), Village of Montrose","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2024-02-08-Montrose-Good-Neighbour-Bylaw-FINAL.pdf","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 779, 2024 (PDF), Village of Montrose","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.montrose.ca/contacts/","title":"Contacts, Village of Montrose","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/fence-rules.json"}}