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Salmon Arm fence rules: permits and height limits

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

Salmon Arm, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In Salmon Arm a fence does not need a building permit unless it also acts as a retaining wall, but it must meet the Zoning Bylaw height limits. In residential zones that is 1.2 m in front and exterior side yards and 2.0 m in rear and interior side yards.

Key facts

PermitNo building permit for a fence: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence, unless it also acts as a retaining wall. Retaining walls 1.2 m or taller need a building permit.Building Bylaw No. 4725, s. 6.3(c), (d); Application and Guide for Building Permits (PDF, updated July 2026), Guide, When is a building permit required · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
(c) a fence, except where serving as a retaining wall as set out in Part 24 of this bylaw;
(d) a retaining wall supporting soil that is:
(i) less than 1.2m in height,
construction of a retaining wall exceeding 1. 2m (4 ft) in
Height, front yardResidential zones: 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) in front and exterior side yards. Industrial and airport zones: 1.2 m, but open mesh or chain link up to 3.0 m. Commercial, park and recreation and institutional zones: 1.2 m, but open mesh or chain link up to 2.0 m. Fences qualifying as screening under a Development Permit are excepted.Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, consolidated August 2026), s. 4.12.1(b), 4.12.2(a), 4.12.3(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Except for fence(s) and retaining wall(s) qualified as screening or landscaping pursuant to a Development Permit
(b) 1.2 metres (3.9 ft.) in all front and exterior side yards.
link fencing which is permitted to a maximum height of 3.0 metres (9.8 ft.);
link fencing which is permitted to a maximum height of 2.0 metres (6.5 ft.);
Height, side and rear yardsResidential zones: 2.0 m (6.5 ft.) in rear and interior side yards, and up to within 6.0 m of a front or exterior parcel line. Industrial and airport zones: 3.0 m. Commercial, park and recreation, institutional and other zones: 2.0 m. Any zone: 2.4 m for fencing outside the required yards.Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, consolidated August 2026), s. 4.12.1(a), 4.12.2(b), 4.12.3(b), 4.12.4(a), 4.12.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
(a) 2.0 metres (6.5 ft.) in all rear and interior side yards and to within 6.0 metres (19.7 ft.) of a front
(b) 3.0 metres (9.8 ft.) for rear and interior side yards
(b) 2.0 metres (6.5 ft.) for rear and interior side yards.
(a) 2.4 metres (7.8 ft.) for fencing not located in required yards.
Corner lots and sightlinesIn any zone except C-2, no fence, wall or sign higher than 1.0 m, and no hedge or planting that blocks vision, within the corner triangle formed by the parcel lines at a highway corner, measured 3.0 m (9.8 ft.) along each line from where they meet.Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, consolidated August 2026), s. 4.11 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
In any zone, except C-2, Town Centre Commercial Zone, no fence, sign, wall or structure shall be erected to a
height greater than 1.0 metre and no hedge, bush, shrub, tree or other growth shall be maintained or allowed to
The intersecting parcel lines at a highway corner and a line joining points along said parcel lines 3.0 metres (9.8 feet) from
Other rulesHeight is measured from upper to lower finished grade (a fence on a retaining wall, from original grade). Retaining walls in required yards: 1.2 m maximum. Pool fences: non-climbable, at least 1.2 m, with a self-closing, self-latching gate; not required for rural A-zone pools 45 m or more from the nearest property line.Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, consolidated August 2026), s. 4.12, s. 2 (definition of fence); Building Bylaw No. 4725, s. 23.8 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
retaining wall(s) measured from upper finished grade to lower finished grade, or the combined height of a fence in
conjunction with a retaining wall measured from original grade shall be:
(c) 1.2 metres (3.9 ft.) for retaining walls located in required yards.
FENCE means arbour, archway, gate, pagoda, screen, trellis, wall or continuous hedge, generally used as a partial or
Pool fencing is not required on rural parcels in “A” Zones, as established in the City Zoning
provided the pool perimeter is 45m or more from the nearest property line.
must be enclosed within a non-climbable fence having a minimum height of 1.2m
only be via a self-closing and self-latching gate
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 2303, ss. 4.11 (visual clearance) and 4.12 (fences and retaining walls); retaining walls also under Building Bylaw No. 4725, Part 24.Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, consolidated August 2026), s. 4.11, 4.12 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Fences and Retaining Walls #3545
TO ZONING BYLAW NO. 2303, 1995

How it works

Building Bylaw No. 4725 does not apply to a fence, so no building permit is needed, unless the fence also acts as a retaining wall. A retaining wall of 1.2 m or more needs a building permit. The Zoning Bylaw (sections 4.11 and 4.12) still sets height limits.

Good to know

  • Residential zones: 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) in front and exterior side yards. In rear and interior side yards, and up to within 6.0 m of a front or exterior parcel line, 2.0 m (6.5 ft.).
  • Any zone: 2.4 m for fencing outside the required yards.
  • Industrial and airport zones: 1.2 m in front and exterior side yards, but open mesh or chain link up to 3.0 m; 3.0 m in other yards. Commercial, park and recreation and institutional zones: 1.2 m in front yards, but open mesh or chain link up to 2.0 m; 2.0 m in other yards. Agricultural and other zones: 1.2 m in front and exterior side yards, 2.0 m in rear and interior side yards. Fences that count as screening under a Development Permit are excepted.
  • Height is measured from upper to lower finished grade (a fence on a retaining wall, from original grade).
  • Corner lots: in any zone except C-2, no fence, wall or sign higher than 1.0 m, and no hedge or planting that blocks vision, within 3.0 m (9.8 ft.) along each parcel line from where they meet at a highway corner.
  • Retaining walls in required yards: 1.2 m maximum.
  • Pool fences: non-climbable, at least 1.2 m, with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Not required for rural A-zone pools 45 m or more from the nearest property line.
  • Ask Development Services about anything above these heights.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw No. 2303 (PDF, consolidated August 2026), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Building Bylaw No. 4725 (PDF), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Application and Guide for Building Permits (PDF, updated July 2026), City of Salmon Arm (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.