Fence and Retaining Wall Permit in Fountain Hills, Arizona

Only if the fence is over 30 inches high. Fences at or below that height are exempt from a building permit under the Town's amended IRC/IBC Section 105.2 (Ordinance No. 25-06).

In Fountain Hills, the published Fence Walls is: $200.00 for first 100 linear feet, plus $2.00 per linear foot thereafter. Additional published fees: Retaining Walls — $300.00 for first 100 linear feet, plus $3.20 per linear foot thereafter. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Fountain Hills does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety Division (Planning and Zoning / Development Services Department) at 480-816-5123 for current turnaround.

You'll need: T.O.P.P.S. Application; Site Plan and Structural Calculations. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Fountain Hills requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall permit, in order: Retaining Wall Footings, Final Building. Schedule each through Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety Division (Planning and Zoning / Development Services Department) (480-816-5123).

Apply through Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety Division (Planning and Zoning / Development Services Department) at Town Hall, 16705 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. Phone: 480-816-5123, email: pjohnson@fountainhillsaz.gov. Office hours: Building Safety office hours for plan review, phone calls, front counter assistance and building code questions: Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Inspections are conducted 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Town of Fountain Hills only accepts permit applications online through T.O.P.P.S. (Town's Online Permitting and Planning System), a Citizenserve-hosted portal; there is no walk-in/paper submittal option. Source: Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety page (fountainhillsaz.gov/204/Building-Safety) and Building Permit Forms & Checklists page (fountainhillsaz.gov/502/Building-Permit-Forms-Checklists).. Official information: https://www.fountainhillsaz.gov/204/Building-Safety.

Fountain Hills, Arizona has adopted: Arizona has NO statewide mandatory building code floor for general construction — code adoption is a per-municipality authority under state enabling statutes (A.R.S. Title 9). The Town of Fountain Hills independently adopts and administers its own construction codes through its Building Safety Division, a work unit within the Planning and Zoning Department; it does not defer permitting to Maricopa County. Source: Town of Fountain Hills Building Safety page (fountainhillsaz.gov/204/Building-Safety).; 2024 International Building Code (IBC), as published by the International Code Council, adopted by reference with Town of Fountain Hills amendments (Ordinance No. 25-06, repealing and replacing Town Code Chapter 7, Buildings and Building Regulations). Effective for all building permit applications received on or after September 1, 2025. Source: Town of Fountain Hills Adopted Codes page (fountainhillsaz.gov/208/Adopted-Codes); Ordinance No. 25-06 (fountainhillsaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12020).; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, with Appendix G, adopted by reference with Town amendments, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC), adopted by reference, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC), adopted by reference, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), adopted by reference, effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), as published by the National Fire Protection Association, adopted by reference (one edition behind the 2024 ICC set, consistent with the statewide pattern of NEC lagging one cycle). Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted by reference with Town amendments (IRC Section N1103.10.3 / R403.10.3 'Covers' deleted). Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC), adopted by reference as the Town of Fountain Hills Fire Code, with extensive Town amendments including Appendix P (Control and Suppression of Hazardous Fire Areas) and Appendix Q (Fountain Hills Fire-Related Incidents Citation Program) added; administered by the Fire Marshal / Fire Code Official. Note: the Town's residential fire-sprinkler requirement is preserved from the 2006 IFC as amended and adopted April 17, 2008, regardless of which edition of the Fire Code is otherwise in force. Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 2024 International Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code (ISPSC), adopted by reference with Town amendments (barrier height/clearance provisions amended). Effective September 1, 2025. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; 1997 Uniform Administrative Code, amended to adopt in part only — Section 304 and the referenced Tables 3-A through 3-H — solely for the purpose of determining fees. Source: Adopted Codes page.; 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, as published by the International Conference of Building Officials, adopted by reference with a Town amendment adding a definition for structures with construction cessation exceeding one year. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Standard Specifications and Uniform Details for Public Works Construction, adopted by reference for engineering/public-works construction. Source: Adopted Codes page; Ordinance No. 25-06.; Removing Solar Equipment procedure/amendment, published separately by Building Safety. Source: fountainhillsaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12635.; NOTE: A prior 2018 I-Codes / 2017 NEC adoption cycle (as reflected in older third-party directories) has been superseded — the Town Council adopted the 2024 code suite effective September 1, 2025 per Ordinance No. 25-06. Plans submitted on or after that date must use the 2024-cycle codes. Source: Adopted Codes page (fountainhillsaz.gov/208/Adopted-Codes), which explicitly states this notice.. Local amendments apply — see the Fountain Hills overview page for the full list.

Retaining walls 2 feet or less in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall) are exempt, unless the wall supports a surcharge. Taller walls require a permit and structural calculations; the published fee is $300 for the first 100 linear feet plus $3.20 per linear foot thereafter.