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Port Moody fence rules: permits and height limits

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

Port Moody, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In Port Moody an ordinary fence does not need a building permit, but Zoning Bylaw limits apply: 1.2 m maximum in a front yard and 2.0 m behind the front face of the building (up to 3.0 m next to a major road, arterial, collector road or community pathway). Barbed wire and electrified fences are banned.

Key facts

PermitNo building permit for an ordinary fence: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence, except pool fences. A retaining wall holding soil over 1.2 m does need a permit.Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 3200 (consolidated), s. 5.3(a); Building and Renovating, FAQ · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
except as set out in Part 17 of this Bylaw, a fence;
Retaining walls are defined as walls retaining soil over 1.2m
Height, front yard1.2 m maximum in a front yard (single detached, semi-detached and multi-residential zones).Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated), s. 5.2.12(a)(i) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Fences may be constructed in Single Detached Residential, Semi-Detached Residential, and Multi-Residential zones
a Fence sited in a Front Yard shall be a maximum of 1.2m in height
Height, side and rear yards2.0 m maximum for a fence behind the front face of the building. Up to 3.0 m on a side or rear property line next to a major road, arterial, collector road or community pathway.Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated), s. 5.2.12(a)(ii)-(iii) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
a Fence sited to the rear of the front face of the Building shall be a maximum of 2.0m in height.
a fence built on a side or rear property line adjacent to a Major Road Network, Arterial road, Collector road and community pathway shall be a maximum of 3.0 metres in height.
Corner lots and sightlinesNo landscaping, building or structure may obstruct the line of vision between 0.6 m and 3.0 m above grade within the corner sight triangle at a street intersection (3.0 m along one street to 25.0 m along the other). Zoning Bylaw s. 5.3.1.Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated), s. 5.3.1 Visibility at Intersections · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
There shall be no obstruction to the line of vision by landscaping,
the Heights of 0.6m and 3.0m above
Other rulesBarbed wire, razor wire, electrified or similar materials are banned in all zones. Light industrial fences max 3.1 m; general industrial no limit. Pool fences must be at least 1.2 m with no openings over 100 mm and a self-closing, self-latching gate.Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated), s. 5.2.12(b)-(d); Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 3200 (consolidated), s. 17.2-17.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Barbed wire, razor wire, electrified, or similar materials are prohibited for Fences in all zones.
in Light Industrial zones, a Fence shall be a maximum of 3.1m in height
having a minimum height of 1.2m and no openings greater than 100mm at their greatest dimension.
self-closing and self-latching gate
BylawCity of Port Moody Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937, s. 5.2.12 (fences); Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 3200, Part 17 (pool fences)Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated), s. 5.2.12; Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 3200 (consolidated), Part 17 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
City of Port Moody Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937
City of Port Moody Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 3200

How it works

The Building Bylaw 3200 does not apply to a fence, except a pool fence, so an ordinary fence needs no building permit. A retaining wall holding soil over 1.2 m does. The Zoning Bylaw 2937 (section 5.2.12) still sets height limits in single detached, semi-detached and multi-residential zones:

  • Front yard: 1.2 m maximum.
  • Behind the front face of the building: 2.0 m maximum.
  • On a side or rear property line next to a major road, arterial, collector road or community pathway: up to 3.0 m.

Good to know

  • Barbed wire, razor wire, electrified or similar materials are banned in all zones.
  • Industrial zones differ: light industrial fences are 3.1 m maximum; general industrial has no limit.
  • Pool fences must be at least 1.2 m with no openings over 100 mm and a self-closing, self-latching gate.
  • Corner lots: no landscaping, building or structure may block the line of vision between 0.6 m and 3.0 m above grade within the corner sight triangle at a street intersection (3.0 m along one street to 25.0 m along the other), under Zoning s. 5.3.1.
  • In single detached zones, landscape walls are limited to 1.2 m at an interior side lot line, and retaining walls have setback rules (Zoning s. 5.2.11).
  • Confirm your property line before building (see property-lines). Questions: Planning, 604-469-4540.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Belcarra · Anmore · Coquitlam · New Westminster · Port Coquitlam · Burnaby

Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 (consolidated) (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 3200 (consolidated) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Building and Renovating, City of Port Moody (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Zoning, City of Port Moody (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.