{"title":"Port Alberni fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/port-alberni","name":"Port Alberni","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":"City of Port Alberni","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca"},"short_answer":"In Port Alberni, fences may be up to 1.25 m in a required front yard and 1.8 m from the rear of the front yard setback to the back of the lot. No City page or bylaw states a fence permit rule, so ask Building Services at 250-720-2835.","aliases":["fence height port alberni","fence bylaw port alberni","hedge height port alberni","backyard fence rules"],"cost":"No fence permit fee is stated.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Development Services","value":"250-720-2835"},{"type":"email","label":"Development Services","value":"developmentservices@portalberni.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Development Services","value":"Upper, 4835 Argyle Street, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 1V9"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Port Alberni zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Port Alberni permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Port Alberni building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/building-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/qualicum-beach","name":"Qualicum Beach","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/parksville","name":"Parksville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/comox","name":"Comox","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lantzville","name":"Lantzville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/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":"unknown","reason":"not_published","note":"The bylaw and the City's Building Services page do not state whether a fence needs a permit.","sources":[]},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"Fences, hedges or walls up to 1.25 m (4.1 ft) in a required front yard. In M (industrial) zones, up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in a front yard.","short":"1.25 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.7.3, 6.7.5","quotes":["Fences, hedges or walls not greater than 1.25 m (4.1 ft) in height are permitted within a required front yard.","In M zones, fences or walls not greater than 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in height are permitted in a front yard."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"Fences or walls up to 1.8 m (6 ft) from the rear of the required front yard setback to the rear of the property.","short":"1.8 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.7.4","quotes":["Fences or walls not greater than 1.8 m (6 ft) in height are permitted from the rear of the required front yard setback to the rear of the property."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"On a corner lot, nothing may block the line of sight between 1.25 m and 3.0 m above ground in the triangle formed by points 6 m along each lot line from the corner (3 m at a lane-to-lane corner). All fences, hedges and walls are subject to this.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.5.1, 6.5.2, 6.7.10","quotes":["there shall be no obstruction of the line of vision above a height of 1.25 m (4.1 ft) and below a height of 3.0 m (9.8 ft)","lines extending to points 6 m along each lot line from the corner of the lot","extending to points 3 m along each lot line from the corner of the lot","all fences, hedges and walls are subject to the provisions of Section 6.5."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Height is measured from average grade within 1 m of both sides (from the supported side for a fence on a retaining wall). No barbed, razor or electrified wire, except barbed wire in M zones. Chain-link must be coated or screened. Pool fences must be 1.85 m to 2.4 m high.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.7.1 to 6.7.11","quotes":["The height of a fence, hedge or wall shall be determined by measurement from ground level at the average grade level within 1 m (3.28 ft) of both sides of such fence or wall.","No fence in any zone shall be constructed using barbed wire, razor wire, electrified wire","barbed wire fencing is permitted in all M zones for security purposes.","Where a chain-link fence is constructed on property it must be coated or incorporate screening to render the fence opaque.","There shall be fencing having a minimum height of 1.85 m (6.0 ft) and a maximum height of 2.4 m (8.0 ft) around open swimming pools."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, sections 6.5 (Visibility at Intersections) and 6.7 (Fences and Hedges)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.5, 6.7","quotes":["6.7 Fences and Hedges","Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nFence height is set by sections 6.5 and 6.7 of [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf). Fences, hedges or walls may be up to 1.25 m (4.1 ft) in a required front yard (up to 2.5 m in industrial M zones). From the rear of the required front yard setback to the back of the property, they may be up to 1.8 m (6 ft).\n\nThe bylaw and the City's Building Services page do not state whether a fence needs a permit. Ask Building Services before you build. A retaining wall over 1.2 m needs a building permit.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Find your property line first.\n2. Measure height from the average grade within 1 m of both sides of the fence (from the supported side if the fence sits on a retaining wall).\n3. Call Development Services (250-720-2835) to confirm the rules for your lot.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- On a corner lot, nothing may block the line of sight between 1.25 m and 3.0 m above ground in the triangle formed by points 6 m along each lot line from the corner (3 m at a lane-to-lane corner). Fences, hedges and walls are all included.\n- Barbed, razor and electrified wire are not allowed, except barbed wire in M zones. Chain-link must be coated or screened.\n- Open mesh or chain-link fences may be up to 3.7 m on cemeteries, public playgrounds, parks, playfields, school areas or in any M zone.\n- Pool fences must be 1.85 m to 2.4 m high.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/building-services","title":"Building Services, City of Port Alberni","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"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."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/fence-rules.json"}}