{"title":"Surrey fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/surrey","name":"Surrey","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":"City of Surrey","url":"https://www.surrey.ca"},"short_answer":"A fence in the City of Surrey does not need a building permit. In residential zones it can be up to 1.8 m high, but only 1.2 m in a required front yard or street side yard, and 1.0 m in the corner triangle at a street corner. It must be on your own property.","aliases":["fence height surrey","fence bylaw surrey bc","how tall can my fence be","backyard fence permit surrey"],"cost":"No permit fee. No building permit is required for a fence.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Building Information Line","value":"604-591-4366"},{"type":"phone","label":"Zoning requirements","value":"604-591-4448"},{"type":"email","label":"Survey certificate on file (lot information)","value":"buildingfileregistry@surrey.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Residential Building Permits (fence information)","url":"https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits"},{"title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000","url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Surrey building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/building-permit/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Surrey permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/langley","name":"Langley City","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/white-rock","name":"White Rock","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-westminster","name":"New Westminster","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-coquitlam","name":"Port Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langley-township","name":"Township of Langley","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/coquitlam","name":"Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/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 is needed for a fence. It must be on your own property and not on City property or any City right-of-way or easement.","short":"No building permit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits","title":"Residential Building Permits, City of Surrey","section":"Fence & storage shed information","quotes":["A building permit is not required.","Fences cannot be located on City property or on any City right-of-way or easement areas."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"1.2 m maximum for a fence, wall or similar structure in a required front yard or street side yard in residential zones. The limit does not apply to hedges, shrubs or trees, or to open mesh or chain link fence that does not restrict vision.","short":"1.2 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000","title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000, Part 4 Section B.23 Fencing","section":"Part 4, s. B.23(a)","quotes":["Higher than 1.2 m when it is located within a required front yard or street side yard;","Restrictions under this Section shall not apply to any hedge, bush, shrub, tree or the natural growth, neither shall they apply to any open mesh or chain link fence which does not restrict vision"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"1.8 m maximum in residential zones, unless the fence meets the height and yard limits that apply to principal buildings in that zone. Hedges, shrubs, trees, and open mesh or chain link fence that does not restrict vision are not limited.","short":"1.8 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000","title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000, Part 4 Section B.23 Fencing","section":"Part 4, s. B.23(a)","quotes":["Higher than 1.8 m unless it complies with the height and yard restrictions applicable to principal buildings for the Zone in which it is located;","Restrictions under this Section shall not apply to any hedge, bush, shrub, tree or the natural growth, neither shall they apply to any open mesh or chain link fence which does not restrict vision"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"1.0 m maximum within the corner triangle formed by the lot lines at a highway corner and a line joining points 9 m along those lines from where they meet. The limit does not apply to open mesh or chain link fence that does not restrict vision.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000","title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000, Part 4 Section B.23 Fencing","section":"Part 4, s. B.23(a)","quotes":["Higher than 1.0 m in an area bounded by the intersecting lot lines at a highway corner and a straight line joining points 9 m along said lot lines"]},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000","title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000, Part 4 Section B.23 Fencing","section":"Part 4, s. B.23(c)","quotes":["neither shall they apply to any open mesh or chain link fence which does not restrict vision"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"A fence on a retaining wall counts the wall in its height; if combined height is over 1.8 m, the fence itself may be 1.0 m at most. Barbed wire or electrified fencing is barred in residential zones except A-1, A-2 or lots of 2 ha+ in RA or RH. Barbed tape obstacle or razor wire is banned everywhere.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000","title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000, Part 4 Section B.23 Fencing","section":"Part 4, s. B.23(a)(iv), (b), (d)","quotes":["Constructed of barbed wire or electrified unless it is located in the A-1 or A-2 Zones or on a lot at least 2 ha in area in the RA or RH Zones.","the height of the fence shall include the height of the retaining wall","The use of barbed tape obstacle or razor wire as fencing material is prohibited in all Zones."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000, Part 4 General Provisions, Section B.23 (Fencing)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000","title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000, Part 4 Section B.23 Fencing","section":"Part 4, s. B.23","quotes":["Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000","Any fence, wall or similar structure located in any residential Zone shall not be:"]},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits","title":"Residential Building Permits, City of Surrey","section":"Building a fence","quotes":["Find fencing regulations under Subsection 8 of Section E of Part 4 of General Provisions in the Surrey Zoning By-law 12000."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"The City's residential permits page points to 'Subsection 8 of Section E of Part 4'; in the current consolidated bylaw (September 21, 2026) the fencing rule is Part 4, Section B, subsection 23. The bylaw text is used."}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe City of Surrey limits fences, walls and similar structures in residential zones through Part 4, Section B.23 of [Zoning By-law 12000](https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000). The City's permits page says no building permit is needed for a fence. It must be on your own property, not on City property or any City right-of-way or easement.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Side and rear yards: 1.8 m maximum, unless the fence meets the height and yard limits that apply to principal buildings in that zone.\n- Required front yard or street side yard: 1.2 m maximum.\n- Corner triangle (formed by lot lines at a street corner and a line joining points 9 m along them): 1.0 m maximum.\n- Hedges, shrubs, trees and open mesh or chain link fence that does not restrict vision are not limited.\n- A fence on a retaining wall counts the wall in its height. If the combined height is over 1.8 m, the fence itself can be 1.0 m at most.\n- Barbed wire and electrified fencing are barred in residential zones except A-1, A-2, or lots of 2 ha or more in RA or RH. Barbed tape obstacle and razor wire are banned everywhere.\n- A tall retaining wall may need its own building permit, because the Building Bylaw treats retaining walls over 1.2 m as structures. Design guidelines and development permits can also add restrictions.\n- If you do not know where your lot line is, ask buildingfileregistry@surrey.ca about a survey certificate on file.\n- Zoning questions: 604-591-4448. Permit questions: Building Information Line, 604-591-4366.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/12000","title":"Surrey Zoning By-law 12000, Part 4 Section B.23 Fencing","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/renovating-building-development/building/residential-building/residential-building-permits","title":"Residential Building Permits, City of Surrey","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","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/surrey/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/fence-rules.json"}}