Walla Walla fence rules and permits

A plain-English guide for Walla Walla, WA homeowners. Always confirm with the city before work starts. Rules change.

Do you need a permit?

Yes. The city code says every fence on a lot needs a fence permit before you build. It is handled as a Level I permit. You send in a site plan that shows where each section goes and how tall it is. The owner has to find the property line. The city's older fence form listed a $30 application fee, so confirm today's fee with the city.

Who to ask: City of Walla Walla Development Services (website)

Fee: $30 application fee on the city's 2018 fence form (recheck)

The rules

• Every fence on a lot needs a fence permit before construction. It is processed as a Level I permit (WWMC 20.110.030).
• Fences up to 6 ft are allowed in side and rear yards, but they cannot extend into the front yard setback.
• In the front yard area between the setback and the front property line, chain link, woven wire and split rail fences can be up to 5 ft.
• Solid or sight-obscuring fences in that front area can be up to 3.5 ft.
• Fences and plantings between 3 ft and 8 ft tall are not allowed inside the sight distance triangle at corners.
• The permit application needs a site plan. The owner must identify the property line when building on it.
• The city's guide says a fence may be built up to the property line.
• The permit form asks for the fence material, height, whether it is see-through, and whether it sits on a retaining wall.

HOAs

Newer subdivisions in and around Walla Walla may have recorded covenants with their own fence rules. Check them before you apply, since they can be stricter than the city.

Call before you dig

Washington 811: dial 811. Washington law (RCW 19.122) says call 811 or file online at least 2 business days before you dig, and no more than 10 days ahead. It is free. Weekends and legal holidays do not count.

Local conditions

Walla Walla has cold winters, hot dry summers and about 21 inches of rain and melted snow a year. Wind off the Blue Mountains can be strong.

• The city lists a 24 inch frost depth for building design, so set posts at least that deep.
• The city lists a 110 mph design wind speed. A 78 mph gust was recorded at the airport in January 2008. Solid panels catch a lot of wind, so post size and depth matter.
• The January average low is about 29 F, so the ground freezes and thaws through the winter.
• Soil swings from deep silt loam to shallow rocky ground. Hardpan or caliche can show up a few feet down in places, so ask your pro about digging.
• Hot dry summers can dry out and crack wood, so stain or seal it.

Good to know

• Walla Walla had 34,060 residents in the 2020 census and is the largest city in the county.
• Walla Walla County had 62,584 residents in the 2020 census.
• The city's permit page lists a 24 inch frost depth and a 110 mph wind speed for building design.
• Development Services is at 55 E. Moore Street. Phone (509) 524-4710, email [email protected].
• The Walla Walla airport recorded a 78 mph gust in a January 2008 windstorm.
• Walla Walla averages about 2.2 inches of precipitation in January and a January low near 29 F.
• Washington requires you to call 811 two business days before most digging. Homeowners digging less than 12 inches on non-commercial property are exempt.