GovHandbook

North Vancouver fence rules: permits and height limits

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

North Vancouver, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In the City of North Vancouver a fence built to the Zoning Bylaw needs no building permit. In RS-1, RS-2, RT-1 and RT-2 zones the limit is 1.22 m (4 ft) in front of the house and 1.829 m (6 ft) behind its front face. The Ground Oriented zone differs; check your zone.

Key facts

PermitNo building permit is needed for a fence built in compliance with the Zoning Bylaw, unless the Chief Building Official Delegate requires one.Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390, ss. 8.6.1, 11.1, s. 8.6.1(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
building permits are not required for
fences built in compliance with the Zoning Bylaw
Height, front yardRS-1, RS-2, RT-1, RT-2: 1.22 m (4 ft) for a fence in front of the front face of the house (1.524 m / 5 ft on a lot with a child care use). Ground Oriented zone: 1.2 m in a yard next to a front lot line.Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 412(2)(a),(b),(c); Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 580(1),(2) (Ground Oriented zone) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
when not exceeding 1.22 metres (4 feet) in Height may be sited on any portion of the Lot
when not exceeding 1.524 metres (5 feet) in Height may be sited on any portion of a Lot with a Child Care Use
to the rear of the front face of a Principal Building on the Lot
Accessory Structures not exceeding 1.2 metres in height may be located on any portion of the lot.
except within a yard that is adjacent to a Front Lot Line or an Exterior Side Lot Line
Height, side and rear yardsRS/RT zones: up to 1.829 m (6 ft) behind the front face of the house; taller must meet house setbacks; maximum 3.658 m. Ground Oriented zone: 1.5 m, or 1.8 m behind the front face on lots with two or fewer units; 1.2 m in a yard next to an exterior side lot line on a corner lot.Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 412(1),(2)(c),(d); Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 580(3) (Ground Oriented zone) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
shall not exceed a Height of 3.658 metres (12 feet)
when not exceeding 1.829 metres (6 feet) in Height may be sited to the rear of the front face of a Principal Building on the Lot
when exceeding 1.829 metres (6 feet) in Height shall be sited in accordance with the required distances from Lot lines for Principal
Accessory Structures up to 1.5 metres in height may be located on any
portion of the lot except within a yard that is adjacent to a Front Lot Line or
Structures of up to 1.8 metres in Height may be located behind the front
Accessory Structures of up to 1.8 metres in Height may be located behind the front face of a building, except for a Corner Lot
Corner lots and sightlinesRS/RT zones: a structure over 0.914 m (3 ft) high may not be within 4.57 m (15 ft) of the intersection of lot lines along two streets, a street and a lane, or two lanes, and must give driveway vision clearance (nothing over 0.914 m in the driveway triangle). Ground Oriented zone: structures over 1.0 m stay outside a triangle 4.5 m along each street or lane from the corner.Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 412(2)(e); Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 906(4)(h); Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 578(4) (Ground Oriented zone) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
shall not be sited within 4.57 metres (15 feet) of the intersection of the Lot lines along two Streets
shall provide vision clearance from driveways in accordance with Section 906(4)(h)
intersection of the Lot lines along two Streets, or along a
Street and a Lane, or along two Lanes;
no Structure or landscaping except high-branched trees shall exceed 0.914 metres (3 feet) in Height within the area Bounded By
On a Corner Lot, all Structures over 1.0 metres in Height must be located outside of the triangle-shaped area
points 4.5 metres along each Street or Lane from such point of
Other rulesHeight is measured from the top of the fence to the highest finished ground within 0.3 m of it. Fences must be entirely on the owner's property. A swimming pool must be enclosed by a fence at least 1,070 mm high with no openings over 100 mm and a self-closing gate. Ground Oriented zone: retaining walls max 1.0 m; fence parts within 0.5 m of one max 1.2 m.Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, Definitions, 'Height'; RS and RT Zone Accessory Structures handout, handout p. 2; Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 580(4),(5) (Ground Oriented zone); Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390, ss. 8.6.1, 11.1, Part 11, s. 11.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
means the vertical distance between the top of a Structure and the highest finished ground elevation within 0.3 metres of such Structure
All fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property.
A Retaining Wall may not exceed a height of 1.0 metres at any point along its length.
Portions of a fence that are within 0.5 metres of a Retaining Wall may be no more than 1.2 metres in Height, measured from the top of the Retaining Wall.
Swimming Pools shall be enclosed within a fence of not less than 1070mm (3 ft 6
inches) in height with no openings greater than 100mm (4inches) in their least
BylawZoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700: s. 412 (one-unit and two-unit zones) and s. 580 (Ground Oriented zone). Permit exemption: Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390, s. 8.6.1(c).Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 412 title; Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580, s. 580 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
SIZE, SHAPE AND SITING OF ACCESSORY STRUCTURES IN ONE-UNIT
CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE – MARCH 2, 2026
Siting and Height of Accessory Structures

How it works

A fence is an accessory structure under the City of North Vancouver's Zoning Bylaw. The Construction Regulation Bylaw says no building permit is needed for a fence built in compliance with the Zoning Bylaw, unless the Chief Building Official Delegate requires one.

Height limits depend on your zone, so check yours in CityMap first. Both sets below are from the bylaw.

Good to know

  • RS-1, RS-2, RT-1, RT-2: up to 1.22 m (4 ft) in front of the front face of the house (1.524 m / 5 ft on a lot with a child care use); up to 1.829 m (6 ft) behind it. Taller than that must meet the same setbacks as a house, and the maximum is 3.658 m.
  • Ground Oriented zone: 1.2 m in a yard next to a front lot line; 1.5 m, or 1.8 m behind the front face of a building on lots with two or fewer units; 1.2 m in a yard next to an exterior side lot line on a corner lot. Retaining walls are limited to 1.0 m, and fence parts within 0.5 m of one to 1.2 m.
  • Corner lots, RS/RT: nothing over 0.914 m (3 ft) high within 4.57 m (15 ft) of the corner, and driveways need the same clear view. Ground Oriented zone: structures over 1.0 m stay outside a triangle 4.5 m along each street or lane from the corner.
  • Height is measured from the top of the fence to the highest finished ground within 0.3 m of it.
  • A fence must sit entirely on your own property.
  • A swimming pool must be enclosed by a fence at least 1,070 mm high with no openings over 100 mm and a self-closing gate.
  • The Zoning Bylaw has no rule on barbed wire or electric fences. Ask the Building Division at 604-982-WORK (9675).

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

District of North Vancouver · Belcarra · Port Moody · West Vancouver · Vancouver · Burnaby

Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700 (PDF, consolidated March 2, 2026), ss. 412, 580 (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Construction Regulation Bylaw, 2003, No. 7390 (PDF), ss. 8.6.1, 11.1 (read 2026-11-05)
  3. RS and RT Zone Accessory Structures handout (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.