{"title":"Valemount fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence in Valemount, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/valemount","name":"Valemount","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 Valemount","url":"https://valemount.ca"},"short_answer":"In Valemount a fence does not need a building permit, but it must meet the Zoning Bylaw height limits. In residential zones such as R1 and R2 a fence can be 1.2 m (4 ft) high in the front yard and 1.8 m (6 ft) in the side and rear yards. Retaining walls over 1.2 m need a permit.","aliases":["fence height valemount","fence permit valemount","backyard fence rules valemount","pool fence valemount"],"cost":"No fee is stated for fences. Retaining wall permit fee is in the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"Not applicable; no fence permit is described.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office (Planning and Building)","value":"250.566.4435"},{"type":"email","label":"Land Use Planner","value":"planner@valemount.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF)","url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/"},{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024 (PDF)","url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/"}],"related":[{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Valemount permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Valemount zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Valemount building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/building-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/clearwater","name":"Clearwater","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/100-mile-house","name":"100 Mile House","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/barriere","name":"Barriere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/williams-lake","name":"Williams Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/quesnel","name":"Quesnel","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/revelstoke","name":"Revelstoke","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/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: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence, except retaining walls over 1.2 m, which need one. Fences still have to meet the Zoning Bylaw height rules.","short":"No building permit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 3.3(a)","quotes":["except as set out in Part 11 [Retaining Walls] of this bylaw, a fence;"]},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 1.7","quotes":["Fencing and screening shall be restricted as follows:"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"1.2 m (4 ft) in the ENV, RR1, R1, R2, R3, MHP and C1 to C5 zones. 1.8 m (6 ft) in the M1, P1 and P2 zones.","short":"1.2 m (1.8 m in M1, P1, P2)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 1.7 table","quotes":["R1, R2 1.2 m (4.0 ft.) 1.8 m (6.0 ft.)","RR1 1.2 m (4.0 ft.) 1.8 m (6.0 ft.)","M1 1.8 m (6.0 ft.) 2.4 m (8.0 ft.)","P1, P2 1.8 m (6.0 ft.) 1.8 m (6.0 ft.)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"1.8 m (6 ft) in residential and commercial zones, and in P1 and P2; 2.4 m (8 ft) in M1. In a required side yard next to a highway right-of-way (other than a lane): 1.2 m. Where a rear line meets the front or side line of a neighbour, no higher than the front or side limit.","short":"1.8 m (1.2 m on side yard next to highway)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 1.7 table and notes","quotes":["R1, R2 1.2 m (4.0 ft.) 1.8 m (6.0 ft.)","M1 1.8 m (6.0 ft.) 2.4 m (8.0 ft.)","No screening or fencing shall be higher than 1.2 m (4.0 ft.) from ground level in a required side yard where adjacent to a highway right-of-way other than a lane","Where a rear parcel line of a parcel abuts the front parcel line or side parcel line of an adjoining parcel"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"In every zone except C1 and C2, no fence, wall, structure, parking space, loading area or outside storage may be over 1.1 m high (and no hedge or shrub may block vision) within the corner triangle formed by the property lines and a line joining points 6.0 m from the corner along the side lines.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 1.8","quotes":["no Fence, wall, Structure, Parking Space or Loading Area or outside storage area shall be erected to a height greater than 1.1 m","a line joining points along Side Parcel Lines 6.0 m from their point of intersection"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Height is measured from grade within 1 m of both sides. A retaining wall's exposed part counts as a fence. Fences must be attractive, compatible with the neighbourhood and not railroad ties. Pools need a fence of at least 1.83 m (Building Bylaw; Zoning says 1.8 m) with openings under 100 mm and a self-closing, locking gate.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 1.7 and 2.12","quotes":["The height of a Fence or hedge shall be determined by the measurement from the ground level at the Grade level within 1 m of both sides of such Fence or hedge.","Fences shall be attractive in appearance, be compatible with the surrounding neighbourhood, and not consist of railroad ties.","The portion of the retaining wall which projects above the surface of the ground which it supports shall be considered as a Fence"]},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 14.1","quotes":["Swimming pools shall be enclosed with a fence of not less than 1.83 M in height","Swimming pools shall be enclosed with a fence of not less than 1.83 M in height with no","equipped with a self-closing gate"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Village of Valemount Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021, sections 1.7 and 1.8; Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024, s. 3.3(a) and Part 11","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"Notes","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 was adopted by the Village of Valemount Council on August 24, 2021 and became effective on that date."]},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"Title","quotes":["BUILDING BYLAW NO. 892, 2024"]}],"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 Valemount's [Building Bylaw No. 892](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/) does not apply to a fence, so no building permit is needed. Retaining walls over 1.2 m are the exception and need one. Fences must still meet sections 1.7 and 1.8 of the [Zoning Bylaw No. 847](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/). No separate fence permit is described in the bylaw or on the Village's pages.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- **Front yard:** 1.2 m (4 ft) in the ENV, RR1, R1, R2, R3, MHP and C1 to C5 zones; 1.8 m (6 ft) in the M1, P1 and P2 zones.\n- **Side and rear yards:** 1.8 m (6 ft) in residential and commercial zones and in P1 and P2; 2.4 m (8 ft) in M1. In a required side yard next to a highway right-of-way (other than a lane), the limit is 1.2 m. Where a rear line meets the front or side line of a neighbour, the fence can be no higher than the front or side limit.\n- **Corner lots:** in every zone except C1 and C2, no fence, wall, structure, parking space, loading area or outside storage may be over 1.1 m high, and no hedge or shrub may block vision, within the corner triangle formed by the property lines and a line joining points 6.0 m from the corner along the side lines.\n- Height is measured from grade within 1 m of both sides. The exposed part of a retaining wall counts as a fence. Fences must be attractive, compatible with the neighbourhood and not made of railroad ties.\n- **Pools** must be enclosed by a fence at least 1.83 m high under the Building Bylaw (the Zoning Bylaw says 1.8 m), with openings under 100 mm and a self-closing, locking gate.\n- Call the Village Office to confirm the rule for your zone before you build.","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024 (PDF), Village of Valemount","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/valemount/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/fence-rules.json"}}