---
title: "Pouce Coupe fence rules: permits and height limits"
question: "Do I need a permit to build a fence in Pouce Coupe, and how high can it be?"
place: Pouce Coupe, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/pouce-coupe
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Pouce Coupe
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/fence-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/fence-rules.json"
---

# Pouce Coupe fence rules: permits and height limits

**Question:** Do I need a permit to build a fence in Pouce Coupe, and how high can it be?

**Short answer:** In Pouce Coupe you do not need a building permit for a fence if its height meets the zoning bylaw. The limit is 1.2 m in a front yard and 2.45 m along side and rear lines in residential zones. An older bylaw sets different limits next to a road, so confirm with the Village.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Pouce Coupe, https://www.poucecoupe.ca)  
**Cost:** No building permit is needed for a fence that meets the zoning bylaw.  
**How long:** Not applicable; no permit is needed for a compliant fence.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 5011 49th Avenue, Pouce Coupe, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-786-5794
- Email: Village Office, info@poucecoupe.ca

## Key facts

- **Permit:** No building permit is needed for a fence, as long as its height complies with the zoning bylaw. (A swimming pool fence is covered by the building bylaw.)
  - Source: [Building Permits and Development, A building permit is NOT required for...](https://poucecoupe.ca/government/building-development/)
  - Official wording: "Fences (fence height must comply with the Village of Pouce Coupe's zoning bylaw where applicable)"
  - Source: [Building and Development - Village of Pouce Coupe, Building Permits](https://poucecoupe.ca/government/building-development-copy/)
  - Official wording: "A building permit is not required for painting, landscaping, new roof installation, new fencing (as long as the height complies with the Village Zoning Bylaw)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, front yard:** 1.2 m in a front yard, in all zones.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Fences, item 4](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/)
  - Official wording: "Fences in a front yard in all zones shall not exceed a height of 1.2 m."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, side and rear yards:** 2.45 m along interior and rear parcel lines in R-zones (where not adjacent to a highway) and on the exterior parcel line of a residential parcel (Zoning 1093). In P, M, CD and C zones 2.4 m. Bylaw 588 s. 19 still limits fences adjacent to a highway to 1.5 m, at least 4.6 m from the curb line; ask the Village which applies.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Fences, items 3, 5, 7](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/)
  - Official wording: "Fences along interior and rear parcel lines (where not adjacent to a highway) in R-zones shall not exceed a height of 2.45 m." … "Fences on the exterior parcel line of a residential parcel may not exceed 2.45 m." … "A fence located in a P-zone, M-zone, CD-zone or C-zone shall have a maximum height of 2.4 m on any side or rear yard."
  - Source: [Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw No. 588, 1991, s. 19(i)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/24064/)
  - Official wording: "Fences and hedges adjacent to any highway shall not be higher than 1.5 meters (5 feet) from the ground"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** On a corner parcel, within the area formed by the curb lines 6.0 m from where they meet, no landscaping, screening, building or structure may be higher than 1.0 m above street grade. The fence setback exemption does not apply in that area.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Vision Clearance at Intersections](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/)
  - Official wording: "on a corner parcel within the shaded space formed by the curb lines 6.0m from the point of intersection of the curb lines" … "no landscaping screening, building or structure will be planted or erected to a height greater than 1.0 m above the established grade of the street." … "no landscaping screening, building or structure will be planted or erected to a height greater than 1.0 m above the established grade of the street"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Fences, item 1](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/)
  - Official wording: "Fences may be constructed within any required setback, with the exception of the required setback to a watercourse and with exception to that portion of a parcel that is within the required vision clearance at an intersection."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** Height is measured from average finished ground level. Zoning allows barbed wire only on top of A-1 fences; Bylaw 588 s. 19(ii) also bans barbed wire (except security fences and livestock zones) and electrically charged fences. Fences next to a highway must be see-through. Pool fences at least 1.83 m (6 feet). (Sources differ: Conflict: the older Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw 588 s. 19 limits fences and hedges adjacent to any highway to 1.5 m and at least 4.6 m from the curb line, and bans barbed wire except security fences and where livestock is permitted; the 2026 Zoning Bylaw allows 2.45 m on a residential exterior parcel line and exempts fences from setbacks. The MTI Bylaw still lists "Over-height fence adjacent to highway" ($100) under Bylaw 588 and "Over-height fence in front parcel line setback" ($100) under the old Zoning Bylaw 1058. Bylaw 588 also bans electrically charged fences.)
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Fences, items 1, 2, 6](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/)
  - Official wording: "The height of a fence shall be measured as the vertical distance from the average finished ground level at the base of the fence to the highest point of the fence." … "Barbed wire may only be used on the top of fences located on parcels in the A-1 zone." … "Fences adjacent to a highway must be designed with a see-through material."
  - Source: [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 916, s. 18.3](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/2022/)
  - Official wording: "Every swimming pool shall be enclosed within a fence at least 1.83m (6 feet) from the pool and having a minimum height of 1.83m (6 feet)"
  - Source: [Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw No. 588, 1991, s. 19](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/24064/)
  - Official wording: "Fences and hedges adjacent to any highway shall not be higher than 1.5 meters (5 feet) from the ground and it shall be a minimum of 4.6 meters (15 feet) from the curb line in any direction." … "No person shall erect or maintain any fence wholly or partially of barbed wire" … "nor shall any person erect any fence that is electrically charged or otherwise dangerous in any way"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, Section 4 (Fences); Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw No. 588, 1991, s. 19; Building Regulation Bylaw No. 916, s. 18 (pool fences).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, Bylaw cover](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/)
  - Official wording: "Village of Pouce Coupe Zoning Bylaw No. 1093 2026"
  - Source: [Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw No. 588, 1991, Title](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/24064/)
  - Official wording: "PROPERTY MAINTENANCE & NOISE BYLAW"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Pouce Coupe does not require a building permit for a fence as long as its height complies with the [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/). Fences are also exempt from the zoning setbacks, except the setback to a watercourse and the clear-sight area at street corners. Retaining walls are outside the Building Regulation Bylaw, and a swimming pool fence is covered by the building bylaw.

Height limits in the zoning bylaw, measured from average finished ground level:

- Front yard, all zones: 1.2 m.
- Interior and rear lines in residential (R) zones not next to a road, and the exterior line of a residential parcel: 2.45 m.
- P, M, CD and C zones: 2.4 m.
- Open mesh or chain link in a P zone, or around a cemetery, public works, utility, playground, park or school: up to 3.0 m.

## Good to know

- On a corner lot, within 6.0 m of where the curb lines meet, nothing may be higher than 1.0 m above street grade, and the fence exemption does not apply there.
- Barbed wire is allowed only on top of A-1 zone fences. Fences next to a road must be see-through. Electric fences are banned by Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw 588.
- Pool fences must be at least 1.83 m (6 feet).
- **Other official source:** the older [Bylaw 588](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/24064/) limits fences next to a road to 1.5 m, at least 4.6 m from the curb line. Over-height fence tickets are $100. Ask the Village Office which limit applies to you.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026 (PDF)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/)
- [Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw No. 588 (PDF)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/24064/)

## Related questions

- [Pouce Coupe building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/building-permit.md)
- [Pouce Coupe zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Pouce Coupe permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/fence-rules.md)
- [Taylor](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/taylor/fence-rules.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/fence-rules.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/fence-rules.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/fence-rules.md)
- [Hudson's Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hudsons-hope/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026 (PDF), Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/52625/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Property Maintenance & Noise Bylaw No. 588, 1991 (PDF), Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/24064/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Regulation Bylaw No. 916 (PDF), Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/2022/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permits and Development, Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.ca/government/building-development/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building and Development - Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.ca/government/building-development-copy/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Pouce Coupe. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/fence-rules/_