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Fence and Retaining Wall Permit in Town of Payson, Arizona

Fences up to a limited height and location in Payson do not require a building permit; taller fences and all retaining walls 4 feet or more in height require a permit, with structural engineering required for retaining walls at that height.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Residential fences 6 feet or less in the rear of the property, or 4 feet or less in the front of the property, do NOT require a Building Permit
  • Fences exceeding those height/location limits require a Building Permit
  • Retaining walls 4 feet or more in height require engineering for the wall design AND a permit issued prior to the start of construction
  • Recommend consulting the Building Division prior to construction to confirm no Town right-of-way or easement conflicts, even for exempt fences

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Fence/Wall Permit (valuation-based)Town of Payson Fees and Charges Schedule, Chapter 150 (fences/walls requiring a permit are valuation-based building permits; no separate flat fence-fee line was found distinct from the general Table 3-A valuation schedule)
Valuation-based per Chapter 150 Table 3-A

Review timeline

Plan reviewTown of Payson’s published plan-review target
10–10 business days

How long did your Fence and Retaining Wall Permit permit actually take in Town of Payson?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing

    Required for engineered retaining walls before backfill

  2. 2

    Final

    Completed fence/wall verified against approved plans

See the full Town of Payson inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • The 6-foot (rear) / 4-foot (front) no-permit thresholds are specific to Payson and differ from the model-code default — confirm your fence's height and yard location against both limits before assuming it's exempt.
  • Retaining walls at or above 4 feet require structural engineering in Payson — there is no separate lower engineering threshold below that height stated in the Building Division FAQs.
  • Even exempt fences are worth a pre-construction check with the Building Division to avoid Town right-of-way or easement conflicts.

Frequently asked questions

Not if the fence is 6 feet or less in the rear of the property, or 4 feet or less in the front of the property. Taller fences require a Building Permit. Retaining walls 4 feet or more in height always require engineering for the wall design and a permit prior to construction, regardless of the general fence exemption.

In Town of Payson, the published Fence/Wall Permit (valuation-based) is: Valuation-based per Chapter 150 Table 3-A. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Town of Payson's published plan-review target for a fence and retaining wall permit is 10–10 business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Structural Engineering Calculations. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Town of Payson requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall permit, in order: Footing, Final. Schedule each through Town of Payson Community Development Department — Building Division (928-472-5030).

Apply through Town of Payson Community Development Department — Building Division at 303C N. Beeline Highway, Payson, AZ 85541. Phone: 928-472-5030, email: building@paysonaz.us. Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (closed Fridays and Holidays); TDD Phone 928-472-6449. Building permit applications may be submitted at the Building Division counter; electronic/digital submittals are preferred for solar and other checklist-based permits.. Official information: https://www.paysonaz.gov/departments/community-development/building-division.

Town of Payson, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code for general construction — code adoption is a per-jurisdiction (city/town/county) authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). The Town of Payson independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Community Development Department / Building Division; it does NOT defer to Gila County for permitting within town limits. Gila County (which covers unincorporated areas around Payson) separately runs its own, older code cycle (2012 I-Codes / 2011 NEC per Gila County Building Safety) — the two are distinct code regimes. Source: Town of Payson Code of Ordinances, Chapter 150 (Standardized Building and Construction Codes), via American Legal Publishing code library; Gila County Building Safety 'Adopted Building Code' page.; 2018 International Building Code (IBC), published on or after August 31, 2017 by the International Code Council, Inc., adopted by reference (Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.21), with Town of Payson local amendments including: Section 101.4 revised so referenced codes mean only codes specifically adopted by the Town; Section 104.10.1 (flood hazard areas) not adopted; new § 105.8 requiring construction sites be kept reasonably clear of debris; Section 107.2.6.1 (flood hazard documentation) revised to route through the Town Engineering Department prior to Certificate of Occupancy; Section 109.4 work-commencing-before-permit adds a minimum $70 investigation fee; Section 412.4.5 (residential aircraft hangar height/area limits) not adopted; Section 903.2.8 sprinkler trigger exempts single-family detached and duplex structures under 4,800 sq ft livable area; Table 2902.1 adds a drinking-fountain footnote for occupant loads over 99; IBC Appendix chapters not specifically adopted. Source: Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.21, International Building Code (amlegal.com); Town of Payson 'Amendments-2018' Building Department document.; 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), published on or after August 31, 2017 by the International Code Council, Inc., adopted by reference (Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.20), with extensive Town of Payson local amendments — see Local Amendments below for the Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria (Table R301.2(1)) and fire-sprinkler provisions. IRC Appendix M (Home Day Care - R3 Occupancy), Appendix Q (Tiny Houses), Appendix R (Light Straw Clay Construction), and Appendix S (Straw Bale Construction) are specifically adopted. Source: Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.20, International Residential Code (amlegal.com).; 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), as adopted by the Town of Payson (one edition behind the 2018 ICC set, consistent with the standard ICC/NEC publication offset). Source: Town of Payson Building Division / Residential Permit Application program materials (via web search of paysonaz.gov Building Division and Residential Permit Application pages, confirming 2017 NEC alongside the 2018 IBC/IRC).; Current Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Fire Code, and Electric Code 'as adopted by the town' are cross-referenced generally in the Unified Development Code's building-permit application requirements (Payson Code of Ordinances § 154-09-003(C)(4): 'all required structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, civil engineering and other drawings and documents necessary to meet the requirements of the current Building Code, Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code, Fire Code, Electric Code and other codes adopted by the town'). The specific edition years for the standalone Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, and Fire Code sections of Chapter 150 (following the same numbering pattern as § 150.20 IRC and § 150.21 IBC) could not be independently re-verified against the live amlegal.com code library within this research pass after repeated rate-limiting/bot-challenge blocks on those specific sub-pages; the 2018 IBC/IRC and 2017 NEC editions ARE independently confirmed. Given the Town's Chapter 150 adopts the IBC/IRC as a matched 2018-cycle ICC set, the companion IMC/IPC/IFGC/IEBC sections are very likely also the 2018 ICC editions, but this specific file does not assert that as verified fact — see confidence notes on individual permit types below.; Manufactured homes, mobile homes, factory-built buildings, and Park Model living units are subject to a Town of Payson building permit for placement per IRC § 105.1 as locally amended: approved hold-down anchors are required at building corners, and hard-wired/exterior electrical and mechanical equipment requires a separate permit. Park Model Living Unit is separately defined in IRC § 202 as amended (factory-assembled portable unit with an Arizona RV seal, chassis-mounted, not more than 12 ft wide, not more than 400 sq ft, not less than 320 sq ft, permanently connected to utilities, no holding tank other than an approved water heater). Source: Payson Code of Ordinances § 150.20 IRC amendments (1)-(2), (8).. Local amendments apply — see the Town of Payson overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Town of Payson building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.