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

# Salmo fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** In Salmo a fence does not need a building permit, but its height is limited by the Zoning Bylaw. Fences up to 1.22 m (4 ft) may go anywhere on a lot; taller ones, up to 1.83 m (6 ft), must sit behind the front face of the main building. A pool needs a permit for its fencing.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Salmo, https://salmo.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit fee for a fence. A pool fence falls under the pool permit.  
**How long:** Not applicable: no permit is needed for a fence.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 423 Davies Avenue, PO Box 1000, Salmo, BC V0G 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. daily and on statutory holidays).)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-357-9433
- Email: Village Office, info@salmo.ca

## Key facts

- **Permit:** No building permit: the Village lists fencing among work that does not need one, noting fence heights are limited by the Zoning Bylaw. A pool needs a permit for its fencing requirements.
  - Source: [Building Inspections, Building Inspections page](https://salmo.ca/services/building-inspections/)
  - Official wording: "fencing (fence heights are limited by Village of Salmo Zoning Bylaw)" … "install a pool-pertains to fencing requirements"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, front yard:** Fences and landscape screens 1.22 m (4 ft) or less may be on any part of a lot. Taller fences may only be to the rear of the front face of the principal building.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026, s. 4.28(a),(b)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Landscape screens or fences 1.22m (4') or less in height may be sited on any portion of a lot." … "Landscape screens or fences 1.83m (6') or less in height may be sited to the rear of the front face or exterior side face of a principal building on the lot."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, side and rear yards:** Up to 1.83 m (6 ft), sited to the rear of the front face or exterior side face of the principal building.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026, s. 4.28(b)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Landscape screens or fences 1.83m (6') or less in height may be sited to the rear of the front face or exterior side face of a principal building on the lot."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** Within the sight triangle at an intersection, no tree, shrub, plant, fence or other structure may be above the height where an eye 1.22 m (4 ft) above the road cannot see an object 1.22 m above the other road.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026, s. 4.25](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person who owns or occupies land at the intersection of two (2) or more highways may place or grow any tree, shrub, plant, fence or other structure within the sight triangle"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** Fences may be on the lot line and need no setback except for traffic sight lines. Retaining walls under 1.5 m high are not covered by the Building Bylaw. Pool fencing: see the building permit for a pool.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026, Definition of FENCE](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fences may be erected on the lot lines and are not subject to any setbacks apart from traffic sight lines."
  - Source: [Building Bylaw (2010), Bylaw #618, s. 5.2.2](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/618-Building-Bylaw-2010.pdf)
  - Official wording: "retaining structures less than 1.5 meters (5 ft.) in height;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026, s. 4.28 (Fences and Landscape Screens) and s. 4.25 (Clear Vision Area).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026, Citation](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The Village of Salmo Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Village of Salmo's [Building Inspections page](https://salmo.ca/services/building-inspections/) lists fencing among work that does not need a building permit, and notes that fence heights are limited by the Zoning Bylaw. The rules are in s. 4.28 (Fences and Landscape Screens) of the [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf), unless a particular zone says otherwise.

- Fences and landscape screens 1.22 m (4 ft) or less may be on any part of a lot.
- Taller fences may only be to the rear of the front face of the principal building, up to 1.83 m (6 ft).
- Fences may be on the lot line and need no setback, except for traffic sight lines.

## Good to know

- Corner lots: within the sight triangle at an intersection (s. 4.25, Clear Vision Area), no tree, shrub, plant, fence or other structure may be above the height where an eye 1.22 m (4 ft) above the road cannot see an object 1.22 m above the other road. The Ministry of Transportation and Transit has final authority over sight distance on its roads.
- A pool needs a permit for its fencing requirements. See the building-permit answer.
- Retaining walls under 1.5 m high are not covered by the [Building Bylaw](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/618-Building-Bylaw-2010.pdf).
- The bylaw sets no rule on fence materials such as barbed wire or electric fencing that we found. Ask the Village Office at 250-357-9433.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf)
- [Building Inspections, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/building-inspections/)
- [Building Bylaw (2010), Bylaw #618 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/618-Building-Bylaw-2010.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Salmo building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/building-permit.md)
- [Salmo zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Salmo permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/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)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/fence-rules.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/fence-rules.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/fence-rules.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/fence-rules.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/fence-rules.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Building Inspections, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/building-inspections/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 773, 2026 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/773-Zoning-Bylaw-2026-Website-Copy.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw (2010), Bylaw #618 (PDF), Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/618-Building-Bylaw-2010.pdf) (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 Salmo. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/fence-rules/_