Fence and Block Wall Installation in Washington, UT: Heights, Permits, and Costs

Washington City sits just east of St. George, but it has its own municipal code and its own Building Department, and its fence rules are not the same as St. George's. The biggest difference homeowners notice is the front yard: Washington City's limit near the street is 3 feet, not St. George's 4. This page summarizes the city's rules from the code itself, as read on September 26, 2026.

Washington City fence and wall rules at a glance

• 3 feet near the street

  Within the first 10 feet of the required front yard, measured from the street property line, fences, walls, and hedges max out at 3 feet (§9-14-12(C)).

• 6 feet in side and rear yards

  In a required rear yard or interior side yard, the limit is 6 feet (§9-14-12(B)).

• Permit over 6 feet

  Inside the buildable area, fences and walls may go up to the permitted building height, but anything over 6 feet needs a building permit (§9-14-12(A)).

• Rockery walls from 3 feet

  Rockery walls 3 feet or taller need a Public Works permit and an engineering analysis; they top out at 8 feet, including terraced walls combined (§10-5-9).

• Buffer walls in commercial zones

  Commercial development must put a 6-foot solid decorative fence or wall along a residential or agricultural zone boundary; chain-link with slats does not qualify (§9-10A-7).

How the rules play out on a typical lot

For most homes, the practical result is a 6-foot privacy fence or block wall along the side and rear lot lines, stepping down to 3 feet as it approaches the street. If you want something taller than 6 feet, the code only allows it inside the buildable area of the lot, and it needs a building permit. Where your lot and your neighbor's sit at different grades, §9-14-12 lets the fence on the shared line be built to the maximum height allowed on either side.

If the project includes holding back soil with boulders, the rockery rule in §10-5-9 matters: from 3 feet tall, the wall needs a permit from Public Works and an engineering analysis, and rockery walls, including terraced ones combined, cannot exceed 8 feet. For block or poured retaining walls, ask the Building Department what applies to your design; see the retaining wall cost guide for engineering and drainage costs.

What it costs

No Washington City fence or wall company publishes prices. As of September 2026, typical residential fence projects in the St. George area run about $2,400–$10,800 installed (median near $5,000), and CMU block walls about $20–$35 per square foot. The cost guide breaks this down by material and lists every source.

HOAs in Washington City

If your home is in an HOA, its fence and wall standards apply on top of the city's. HOA approval is separate from city rules, and neither replaces the other. Our HOA guide explains how to work through both.

Who to call

This page summarizes Washington City Code as published on the city's code library (shown as current through supplement 2026 S-22 when read on September 26, 2026). It is not legal advice; the city's code and interpretation control.