{"title":"Slocan fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence in Slocan, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/slocan","name":"Slocan","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Village of Slocan","url":"https://www.slocancity.com"},"short_answer":"In Slocan you do not need a building permit for a fence, but its height must follow the Zoning Bylaw. In the R-1, R-2, R-3, C-2 and C-3 zones the maximum is 2.0 m. Pool fences are part of the pool permit and must be at least 1.5 m high.","aliases":["fence height slocan","fence permit slocan","slocan fence bylaw","how high can my fence be slocan"],"cost":"No building permit fee for a fence.","how_long":"Not applicable; no permit is needed.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office","value":"250-355-2277","note":"Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (confirm by phone)"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633 (PDF)","url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf"},{"title":"Building Permits, Village of Slocan","url":"https://www.slocancity.com/building-permits/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Slocan building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/building-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Slocan zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Slocan permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/silverton","name":"Silverton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-denver","name":"New Denver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-denver/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/nelson","name":"Nelson","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kaslo","name":"Kaslo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/castlegar","name":"Castlegar","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/nakusp","name":"Nakusp","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/fence-rules/"}],"topic":{"title":"Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules/"},"facts":{"permit":{"label":"Permit","value":"No building permit for a fence, but fence height must follow the Zoning Bylaw.","short":"No building permit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.slocancity.com/building-permits/","title":"Building Permits, Village of Slocan","section":"Building Permits page","quotes":["Fences (fence height must comply with the Village of Slocan’s Zoning Bylaw where applicable)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"2.0 m maximum in the R-1, R-2, R-3, C-2 and C-3 zones. The bylaw sets no separate front-yard limit and lets fences be sited on any portion of a lot.","short":"2.0 m (no separate front limit)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)","section":"s. 4.11 (Amendment Bylaw 691, 2021)","quotes":["Landscape screens or fences shall not exceed a height of 2.0 metres within the R-1, R-2, R-","Landscape screens or fences may be sited on any portion of a lot."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"2.0 m maximum in the R-1, R-2, R-3, C-2 and C-3 zones (same limit for all yards).","short":"2.0 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)","section":"s. 4.11","quotes":["Landscape screens or fences shall not exceed a height of 2.0 metres within the R-1, R-2, R-"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"At a street corner, no structure or vegetation over 0.9 m high within the sight triangle formed by the lot lines and a line joining points 6.0 m from where they meet.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)","section":"s. 4.10","quotes":["no structure or vegetation exceeding 0.9","6.0m from their"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Pool fence at least 1.5 m high. In C-1, M-1 and M-2 zones shipping containers and outdoor industrial storage must be screened by a landscape screen or tight board fence at least 2.0 m high. Retaining structures over 1.2 m need a registered professional.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Building-Consol-1.pdf","title":"RDCK Building Bylaw No. 2200, 2010 (PDF, consolidated for convenience)","section":"s. 20.2","quotes":["An exterior pool area must be enclosed within a fence of not less than 1.5 meters"]},{"url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)","section":"s. 4.11(3)","quotes":["tight board","fence with a height not less than 2.0 metres."]},{"url":"https://www.rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Building-Consol-1.pdf","title":"RDCK Building Bylaw No. 2200, 2010 (PDF, consolidated for convenience)","section":"s. 21.1","quotes":["retaining structure greater than 1.2 meters (4 ft.) in height"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013, s. 4.11 (fences) and s. 4.10 (clear vision); pool fences: RDCK Building Bylaw No. 2200, s. 20.2.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)","section":"s. 4.11","quotes":["4.11 Fences and Landscape Screens"]},{"url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)","section":"title","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW No. 633, 2013"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe Village of Slocan's Building Permits page lists fences as work that does not need a building permit, but fence height must follow the [Zoning Bylaw No. 633](http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf) (s. 4.11).\n\nIn the R-1, R-2, R-3, C-2 and C-3 zones the maximum fence height is 2.0 m. The bylaw sets no separate front-yard limit and lets fences be sited on any portion of a lot. The limit is the same for side and rear yards.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Find your zone on the Zoning Map (see the zoning-lookup answer).\n2. Keep the fence to 2.0 m or lower in the zones above.\n3. At a street corner, keep the sight triangle clear (below).\n4. Ask the Village Office about zones or situations not covered here.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Corner lots: no structure or vegetation over 0.9 m high within the sight triangle formed by the lot lines and a line joining points 6.0 m from where they meet (s. 4.10).\n- A pool fence must be at least 1.5 m high and is part of the pool permit ([RDCK Building Bylaw](https://www.rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Building-Consol-1.pdf) s. 20.2).\n- In the C-1, M-1 and M-2 zones, shipping containers and outdoor industrial storage must be screened by a landscape screen or tight board fence at least 2.0 m high.\n- A retaining structure over 1.2 m needs a registered professional.\n- The bylaw text read does not address barbed wire, electric fences or how height is measured. Ask the Village Office.","sources":[{"url":"http://www.slocancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/633-Zoning-Bylaw-2013-CONSOLIDATED-Updated-Feb.-10-25.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 633, 2013 (PDF, consolidated Feb. 10, 2025)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.slocancity.com/building-permits/","title":"Building Permits, Village of Slocan","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.rdck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Building-Consol-1.pdf","title":"RDCK Building Bylaw No. 2200, 2010 (PDF, consolidated for convenience)","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/fence-rules.json"}}