---
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?"
place: Valemount, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/valemount
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Valemount
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/fence-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/fence-rules.json"
---

# 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?

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Valemount, https://valemount.ca)  
**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:**
- Phone: Village Office (Planning and Building), 250.566.4435
- Email: Land Use Planner, planner@valemount.ca

## Key facts

- **Permit:** 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.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024, s. 3.3(a)](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/)
  - Official wording: "except as set out in Part 11 [Retaining Walls] of this bylaw, a fence;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021, s. 1.7](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/)
  - Official wording: "Fencing and screening shall be restricted as follows:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021, s. 1.7 table](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Height, 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): 1.2 m. Where a rear line meets the front or side line of a neighbour, no higher than the front or side limit.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021, s. 1.7 table and notes](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Corner lots and sightlines:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021, s. 1.8](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other rules:** 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.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021, s. 1.7 and 2.12](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024, s. 14.1](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** 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
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021, Notes](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 was adopted by the Village of Valemount Council on August 24, 2021 and became effective on that date."
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024, Title](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/)
  - Official wording: "BUILDING BYLAW NO. 892, 2024"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The 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.

## Good to know

- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- 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.
- **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.
- Call the Village Office to confirm the rule for your zone before you build.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF)](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/)
- [Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024 (PDF)](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules.md)
- [Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/fence-rules.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/fence-rules.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/fence-rules.md)
- [Williams Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/fence-rules.md)
- [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/fence-rules.md)
- [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/fence-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 892, 2024 (PDF), Village of Valemount](https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/82291/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Village of Valemount. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/fence-rules/_