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Fence / Wall Permit (Zoning Clearance, No Building Permit Required) in Thatcher, Arizona

Fences and walls in Thatcher are governed entirely by Zoning Ordinance Section 13.9 and do NOT require a building permit town-wide, though the Town strongly recommends a Planning & Zoning materials/location check before construction.

Verified 2026-07-07 · Source

When you need this permit

  • No fence, wall, or hedge may exceed 3 ft above sidewalk grade in any required front yard; capped at 6 ft above lot grade in side/rear yards not immediately adjacent to a street
  • Corner lots: fences/walls/hedges may not sit within a 25-ft sight-visibility-triangle from the adjacent back of sidewalk in both directions; capped at 3 ft in the front/side setback and 6 ft outside it
  • 'P-I' and industrial districts allow up to 8 ft (6 ft where abutting a residential district)
  • Must use conventional materials (masonry, preformed concrete, treated wood, wrought iron, vinyl, chain link) and be kept in good repair
  • Must sit entirely on the builder's own property unless the adjoining owner agrees in writing to a shared division-line fence
  • Must not block access to electric/gas meters
  • Electric fences barred except in 'R1-43' for animal containment; barbed wire limited to 'R1-43' (agricultural) or security use in 'P-I'/industrial districts (6+ ft up, angled inward); razor/concertina wire barred except at correctional facilities
  • A building permit is NOT required for wall or fence construction anywhere in Thatcher

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Fence/Wall Permit Fee
Town of Thatcher Zoning Ordinance, Section 13.9, and 'Wall & Fence Guidelines' flyer (9/2020): 'A building permit is not required for wall or fence construction, however, we highly recommend checking… Show full citationTown of Thatcher Zoning Ordinance, Section 13.9, and 'Wall & Fence Guidelines' flyer (9/2020): 'A building permit is not required for wall or fence construction, however, we highly recommend checking with planning and zoning staff for approval on fence materials and location before commencement of construction.'
$0 — no building permit or associated fee applies to standard fence/wall construction

Review timeline

Plan reviewThatcher’s published plan-review target
0–0 business days

How long did your Fence / Wall Permit (Zoning Clearance, No Building Permit Required) permit actually take in Thatcher?

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

Inspection process

    See the full Thatcher inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

    Tips

    • This is the one Thatcher permit category that requires NO building permit at all — both the Zoning Ordinance text and the Town's own published flyer state so.
    • Swimming pool barrier fences are a separate, MANDATORY requirement under Zoning Ordinance § 13.10 and Arizona's statewide A.R.S. § 36-1681 — the no-permit rule here applies to ordinary property-line fences/walls, not pool enclosures.
    • If building on a corner lot, the Town explicitly invites applicants to 'come check with us' given the added 25-ft sight-visibility-triangle constraint.

    Frequently asked questions

    No. Per Zoning Ordinance Section 13.9 and the Town's Wall & Fence Guidelines flyer, a building permit is not required for wall or fence construction anywhere in Thatcher, though the Town recommends checking with Planning & Zoning staff on materials and location first, especially on corner lots.

    In Thatcher, the published Fence/Wall Permit Fee is: $0 — no building permit or associated fee applies to standard fence/wall construction. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Thatcher's published plan-review target for a fence / wall permit (zoning clearance, no building permit required) is 0–0 business days.

    Depending on your project, Thatcher may also ask for: Planning & Zoning Pre-Check (Recommended, Not Mandatory). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through Town of Thatcher Community Development/Engineering (Building Department) — administered jointly with Planning & Zoning under the Office of the Town Manager at 3700 W. Main St., PO Box 670, Thatcher, AZ 85552. Phone: 928-428-2290, email: mpayne@thatcher.az.gov. Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Town Hall 4/10 schedule, closed Fridays). Building Inspector: Mike Payne. All residential and commercial building, addition, remodel, outbuilding, pool, solar, electrical, gas, plumbing, sign, infrastructure, and underground-work permit applications are submitted online through the Town's iWorq Citizen Portal (thatcherpermitting.portal.iworq.net), which requires uploaded PDF plans and contractor licensing documentation; a Site Plan Review Checklist (2 copies, D-size 24"x36") must accompany building plans and the permit application to the Building Inspector.. Official information: https://www.thatcher.az.gov/departments/community-development-engineering.

    Thatcher, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-city/county authority under state enabling statutes (e.g., A.R.S. Title 9 for municipalities). The Town of Thatcher independently recognizes and administers its own construction codes through the Community Development/Engineering Department (Building Inspector), under Chapter 150 of the Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances, Chapter 150 (amlegal.com/codes/thatcheraz); Town of Thatcher Planning & Zoning page.; International Building Code (IBC), 2015 Edition, as amended, adopted by reference (§ 150.01). Local amendments: automatic fire sprinkler systems required for all new structures (or additions/alterations resulting in) total floor area exceeding 7,500 sq ft; maximum building height of 45 feet from grade to the highest point, or 30 feet from grade to the top of the highest outside wall; § 101.1 retitled 'Building Code of the Town of Thatcher'; § 110.3.7 (Energy Efficiency Inspections) deleted; Table 2304.10.1 amended to add a story-to-story tie fastening schedule item. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.01 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2015 Edition, as amended, adopted by reference (§ 150.02). Amendments: § 101.1 retitled 'Plumbing Code of the Town of Thatcher'; § 903.1 amended to insert '12' (inches). Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.02 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; National Electrical Code (NEC), 2014 Edition, published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference with no local amendments noted in the code text (§ 150.03). Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.03 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2015 Edition, as amended, adopted by reference (§ 150.04). Amendments: § 101.1 retitled 'Mechanical Code of the Town of Thatcher'; § 504.8.2 (clothes dryer exhaust ducts) amended to prohibit screws/fasteners extending into the duct. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.04 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Fire Code (IFC) and International Fire Code Standards, 2015 Edition, as amended, adopted by reference (§ 150.05), administered by the Building Official acting as Fire Marshal. Amendments: no new building permits for shake/wood shingle roofing except repair/replace of existing shake/shingle roofs or additions under 20% of existing floor area; violation-abatement lien procedure; § 101.1 amended to insert 'Town of Thatcher'. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.05 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Residential Code (IRC), 2015 Edition, as amended, adopted by reference (§ 150.06). Amendments: § R101.1 amended to insert 'Town of Thatcher'; § 303.4 (Mechanical Ventilation) deleted; § 309.5, § R313.1, § R313.2 (fire sprinklers) changed from 'shall' to 'may' (i.e., NOT mandatory in Thatcher, unlike many other AZ jurisdictions); Chapter 11 (Energy Efficiency) deleted; § P2603.5.1 (Sewer Depth) revised to a flat 12-inch minimum below grade regardless of freezing conditions; §§ 3902.16 and 3902.17 (Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection) deleted. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.06 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2015 Edition, as amended, adopted by reference (§ 150.07). Amendments: § 101.1 retitled 'Fuel Gas Code of the Town of Thatcher'; § 614.8.2 (clothes dryer exhaust ducts) amended identically to the IMC § 504.8.2 amendment. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.07 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2015 Edition, adopted by reference with no amendments noted (§ 150.08). Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.08 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2009 Edition — explicitly RESCINDED by the Town ('is hereby rescinded, as it is no longer needed') (§ 150.09), consistent with the Town's deletion of IRC Chapter 11 (Energy Efficiency) and IBC § 110.3.7 (Energy Efficiency Inspections). Thatcher does not appear to enforce a distinct energy code beyond whatever baseline requirements remain embedded in the adopted 2015 IRC/IBC after those chapter deletions. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.09 (Ord. 157-2009, Ord. 158-2009, Ord. 181-2017).; International Property Maintenance Code, 2015 Edition, as amended, adopted by reference (§ 150.10) — the only Chapter 150 code section carved out of the Class 1 misdemeanor penalty provision in § 150.99(B). Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.10 (Ord. 167-2011, Ord. 181-2017).; International Private Sewage Disposal Code, 2009 Edition — explicitly RESCINDED ('is hereby rescinded, as it is no longer needed') (§ 150.11). Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.11 (Ord. 133-2005, Ord. 181-2017).; International Urban-Wildland Interface Code, 2009 Edition (ICC/IAPMO) — explicitly RESCINDED ('is hereby rescinded, as it is no longer needed') (§ 150.12). Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.12 (Ord. 133-2005, Ord. 181-2017).; ICC A117.1-equivalent accessibility standards are incorporated via § 150.13 (effective June 1, 2005, per A.R.S. § 41-1492.03): standards/specifications applicable to public entities and to public accommodations/commercial facilities under Arizona's disability-access statute are incorporated into any building code adopted by the Town, applying to new construction and post-effective-date alterations. Source: Town of Thatcher Code of Ordinances § 150.13 (Ord. 133-2005).; Swimming Pool Safety Code, A.R.S. § 36-1681 (Arizona state statute governing residential swimming pool enclosures/barriers), cross-referenced directly by the Town's Zoning Ordinance § 13.10 rather than a separate local pool-barrier ordinance; where a conflict exists, the Zoning Ordinance states the state statute controls. Source: Town of Thatcher Zoning Ordinance (June 2013, as amended through Ord. 195-2024), Section 13.10.; Manufactured homes, mobile homes, and Recreational Vehicles (RVs) are explicitly barred from use as an accessory building/accessory dwelling unit in any zoning district (Zoning Ordinance § 13.8.B.11); ADUs must be affixed to a permanent foundation and meet all applicable residential building codes — mobile homes and RVs are not acceptable as ADUs (§ 13.8.A.2). Source: Town of Thatcher Zoning Ordinance, Section 13.8.. Local amendments apply — see the Thatcher overview page for the full list.

    Sources & verification

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

    Checklists & handouts

    Codes & ordinances

    Department & other records

    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 Thatcher building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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