Port Alberni fence rules: permits and height limits
Do I need a permit to build a fence, and how high can it be?
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.
Key facts
| Permit | Not confirmed. The bylaw and the City's Building Services page do not state whether a fence needs a permit. |
|---|---|
| Height, front yard | 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.7.3, 6.7.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingFences, 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. |
| Height, side and rear yards | 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.7.4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingFences 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. |
| Corner lots and sightlines | 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.5.1, 6.5.2, 6.7.10 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingthere 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. |
| Other rules | 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.7.1 to 6.7.11 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThe 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. |
| Bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, sections 6.5 (Visibility at Intersections) and 6.7 (Fences and Hedges)Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, s. 6.5, 6.7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording6.7 Fences and Hedges Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 |
How it works
Fence height is set by sections 6.5 and 6.7 of Zoning Bylaw No. 5105. 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).
The 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.
Steps
- Find your property line first.
- 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).
- Call Development Services (250-720-2835) to confirm the rules for your lot.
Good to know
- 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.
- Barbed, razor and electrified wire are not allowed, except barbed wire in M zones. Chain-link must be coated or screened.
- 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.
- Pool fences must be 1.85 m to 2.4 m high.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Qualicum Beach · Parksville · Cumberland · Comox · Courtenay · Lantzville
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Building Services, City of Port Alberni (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. How answers are checked.