---
title: "Sooke fence rules: permits and height limits"
question: "Do I need a permit to build a fence in Sooke, and how high can it be?"
place: Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/sooke
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Sooke
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/fence-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/fence-rules.json"
---

# Sooke fence rules: permits and height limits

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

**Short answer:** In Sooke you do not need a building permit for a fence, but the Zoning Bylaw sets height limits. In most residential zones fences may be 1.2 m in front and flanking yards and 2 m in side and rear yards. Rural, commercial, institutional and industrial zones allow 2.5 m.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Sooke, https://sooke.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit fee. An over-height fence ticket is $100.  
**How long:** Not applicable  
**Where:**
- Phone: Planning and Development, District of Sooke, 250-642-1634
- Email: Planning and Development, planning@sooke.ca
- In person: Municipal Hall, 2205 Otter Point Road, Sooke, BC V9Z 1J2 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Permit:** No building permit: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence. Zoning height limits still apply.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 780, 2020, s. 4(4)(b)](https://www.sooke.ca/media/mkzjluxa/building-bylaw-no-780-2020-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw does not apply to:" … "a fence;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, front yard:** 1.2 m in front and flanking yards in small-scale multi-unit residential (R1, R2, R3), multi-family, water, comprehensive development and mixed use zones. 2.5 m maximum in rural, commercial, institutional or industrial zones. Where yards overlap, the lower limit applies.
  - Source: [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, consolidated to April 2026, s. 3.10(c), (d), (e)](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Front and flanking yard – 1.2 m" … "Maximum height for fences in rural, commercial, institutional or industrial zones" … "the lower maximum fence height will apply"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Height, side and rear yards:** 2 m in rear and side yards (and 2 m in all yards abutting Highway 14 on residential properties) in small-scale multi-unit residential, multi-family, water, comprehensive development and mixed use zones. 2.5 m in rural, commercial, institutional or industrial zones.
  - Source: [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, consolidated to April 2026, s. 3.10(c), (d)](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Rear and side yard – 2 m" … "All yards abutting Highway #14 on residential properties – 2 m" … "- 2.5 m;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** No fence may be built in the sight triangle: on a corner lot, the area joined by points 6 m along each lot line from the corner. Hedges there must be 1 m or lower.
  - Source: [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, consolidated to April 2026, s. 3.10(g) and s. 3.22](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fences may not be constructed within the sight triangle;" … "hedging and other vegetation" … "shall be 1 m or less in height" … "a distance of 6 m from the corner of the lot"
  - Source: [Traffic and Highways Regulation Bylaw No. 67, s. 3(12) Corner Lots](https://www.sooke.ca/media/hlrnsfkp/67-traffic-and-highways-consolidated-2026-06-24.pdf)
  - Official wording: "permit a fence, hedge or individual trees or any other things to"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other rules:** Height is measured from the average natural grade within 1 m of both sides of the fence to its highest part; additions count. 'Fence' includes gates, trellis, arbour and walls but not hedges. Pool fences must be non-climbable, at least 1.5 m high, with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Retaining walls 1.2 m or higher need a building permit.
  - Source: [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, consolidated to April 2026, s. 3.10(a), (b); s. 3.29(a)](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fence height shall be determined by measuring vertically from the average" … "Fence additions shall be included in the calculation of total fence height" … "Swimming pools must be provided with non-climbable fencing or equivalent" … "barrier of not less than 1.5 m in height"
  - Source: [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, consolidated to April 2026, definitions](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf)
  - Official wording: "FENCE means free standing structures used to screen around all or part of a lot or site"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 780, 2020, s. 12(1)](https://www.sooke.ca/media/mkzjluxa/building-bylaw-no-780-2020-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "that is 1.2 meters or more in height, without a building"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, s. 3.10 (Fences) and s. 3.22 (Sight Triangle)
  - Source: [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, consolidated to April 2026, s. 3.10](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf)
  - Official wording: "with shared kitchen and bath facilities. 3.10 Fences Except as otherwise specifically stated in this Bylaw:" … "opinions, as the District of Sooke takes no responsibility for information provided by it. Amendments to Bylaw No. 600, Sooke Zoning Bylaw, 2013"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836, Schedule B18](https://www.sooke.ca/media/qnrli50n/836-municipal-ticket-information-bylaw-consolidated-july-16-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "3.6 (e) Addition to RV $100.00 3.10 (a) to (f) Over-height Fence $100.00 3.10 (g); 3.22 Fence in Sight Triangle $100.00" … "Situations Bylaw No. 296, 2007 B18 Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013 Building Official Bylaw Enforcement Officer"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf), section 3.10, a fence is any fence, gate, trellis, arbour or wall, but not a hedge. The [Building Bylaw](https://www.sooke.ca/media/mkzjluxa/building-bylaw-no-780-2020-consolidated.pdf) does not apply to a fence, so no building permit is needed. Height limits still apply.

Height is measured from the average natural grade within 1 m of both sides of the fence to its highest point, including any additions.

| Zone type | Front and flanking yards | Side and rear yards |
|---|---|---|
| Small-scale multi-unit residential (R1, R2, R3), multi-family, water, comprehensive development, mixed use | 1.2 m | 2 m |
| Rural, commercial, institutional, industrial | 2.5 m | 2.5 m |

Where yards overlap, the lower limit applies. Residential fences along Highway 14 may be 2 m in all yards.

## Good to know

- No fence may stand in the sight triangle on a corner lot, the area joined by points 6 m along each lot line from the corner. Hedges there must be 1 m or lower.
- Pool fences must be non-climbable, at least 1.5 m high, with a self-closing, self-latching gate.
- Retaining walls 1.2 m or higher need a building permit.
- Work on a public road or boulevard needs a Highway Use Permit under the Traffic and Highways bylaw.
- Some comprehensive development zones set their own heights, so check your zone.
- An over-height fence ticket is $100.
- Call Planning at 250-642-1634 or planning@sooke.ca to confirm your lot's zone.

## Official forms and pages

- [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013 (PDF)](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Metchosin](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/fence-rules.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/fence-rules.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/fence-rules.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/fence-rules.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/fence-rules.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013, consolidated to April 2026 (PDF), District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/media/4amdk3cw/bylaw-600-consolidation-to-2026-04-16.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Building Bylaw No. 780, 2020 (PDF), District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/media/mkzjluxa/building-bylaw-no-780-2020-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Traffic and Highways Regulation Bylaw No. 67 (PDF), District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/media/hlrnsfkp/67-traffic-and-highways-consolidated-2026-06-24.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836 (PDF), District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/media/qnrli50n/836-municipal-ticket-information-bylaw-consolidated-july-16-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning, District of Sooke](https://www.sooke.ca/programs-services/planning-and-development/zoning/) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 District of Sooke. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/fence-rules/_