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Fence / Block Wall / Retaining Wall Permit in Unincorporated Mohave County, Arizona

Fences and block walls up to 7 feet in height (measured from the lowest adjacent property grade) are EXEMPT from a building permit in unincorporated Mohave County. Taller walls, and any wall serving as a pool barrier, require a permit; retaining walls over 4 feet are valuation-based, and walls over 7 feet require engineered, stamped plans.

Verified 2026-07-07 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Standard fencing materials and block walls up to 7 feet in height (measured from lowest adjacent property grade) do NOT require a permit (IBC/IRC §105.2, amended by BOS Ord. 2022-05)
  • Manufactured-home block skirting is NOT considered fencing and does not qualify for the fence exemption
  • Walls over 7 feet require engineered, stamped plans from an Arizona-licensed design professional
  • Residential fencing in the first 15 feet from the front property line is limited to a maximum 4-foot height
  • Any fence/wall serving as a pool barrier must independently meet ISPSC §305 barrier requirements (60-inch height, no climbable features, self-closing/self-latching gates) regardless of the general fence permit exemption

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Chain link, wood, over 6 feet (valuation)Mohave County Fee Schedule (Ordinance 2018-02, Rev. 11/01/22). Applies to walls/fences over 6 feet that require a permit (i.e., those exceeding the 7-foot general exemption, or otherwise not exempt).
$2.33 per linear foot
Masonry / concrete, over 6 feet (valuation)Mohave County Fee Schedule (Ordinance 2018-02)
$4.65 per linear foot
Retaining walls over 4 feet (valuation)Mohave County Fee Schedule (Ordinance 2018-02). Resulting valuation is then run through the graduated Building Permit Fee table.
$7.75 per linear foot
Processing deposit — block wallsDeposits for Processing Permit Application, Mohave County Fee Schedule (Ordinance 2018-02)
$50.00

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Fence / Block Wall / Retaining Wall Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Mohave County?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing Inspection

    Before concrete pour for block wall or retaining wall footings, where a permit is required

  2. 2

    Final

    Wall or fence fully constructed per approved plans (permitted walls only)

See the full Unincorporated Mohave County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Most residential fences and block walls up to 7 feet never need a permit at all in unincorporated Mohave County — this is a broader exemption than many neighboring jurisdictions offer.
  • The 7-foot exemption is measured from the LOWEST adjacent property grade, not the higher side — on sloped lots this can matter for whether your wall trips the exemption threshold.
  • A fence that's exempt from a general building permit is NOT automatically exempt from pool-barrier compliance — if it's serving as your pool enclosure, it must still independently meet the 60-inch ISPSC barrier standard.
  • Manufactured-home skirting does not count as 'fencing' for purposes of the 7-foot exemption — don't assume skirting-related work is automatically permit-free.

Frequently asked questions

No. Standard fencing materials and block walls up to 7 feet in height (measured from the lowest adjacent property grade) are exempt from a building permit. Source: Mohave County Building Ordinance 2021-03, Section 11(A), IBC §105.2 amendment (BOS Ord. 2022-05), https://www.mohave.gov/media/l4npv02v/2021-03-amended-thru-07-15-24.pdf

In Unincorporated Mohave County, the published Chain link, wood, over 6 feet (valuation) is: $2.33 per linear foot. Additional published fees: Masonry / concrete, over 6 feet (valuation) — $4.65 per linear foot; Retaining walls over 4 feet (valuation) — $7.75 per linear foot; Processing deposit — block walls — $50.00. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Unincorporated Mohave County does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact Mohave County Development Services Department — Building Division at 928-757-0903 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Building Permit Application Packet (PDF). See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Mohave County requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence / block wall / retaining wall permit, in order: Footing Inspection, Final. Schedule each through Mohave County Development Services Department — Building Division (928-757-0903).

Apply through Mohave County Development Services Department — Building Division at 3250 E. Kino Avenue, Kingman, AZ 86409 (mailing: PO Box 7000, Kingman, AZ 86402-7000). Phone: 928-757-0903. Office hours: Mon–Fri 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM, closed County-designated holidays. Development Services Director: Scott Holtry. Chief Building Official: Trevor Bies. Contact form at https://forms.mohave.gov/Departments/Contact-Development-Services. Note: the Development Services/Building Division office is physically located at 3250 E. Kino Avenue — distinct from the Mohave County Administration Building at 700 W. Beale Street, which houses the Board of Supervisors and other county offices; both addresses appear in county materials and were independently cross-checked to confirm the Building Division's own location.. Official information: https://www.mohave.gov/departments/development-services/building-division/.

Unincorporated Mohave County, Arizona has adopted: 2018 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted by Mohave County Ordinance No. 2021-03 (June 7, 2021), amended through July 15, 2024, for the unincorporated areas of the county per Resolution 2007-249 (adopted May 7, 2007); 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03, with Appendices C, E, G, H, J, M, O, P, and Q (Tiny Houses); 2018 International Fire Code (IFC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03; 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03; 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03; 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), N.F.P.A. 70 — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03; 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03; 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03, with Appendix A (Seismic Retrofit Guidelines); 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03, with Appendix A (Boarding Standard); 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03, with Arizona-specific barrier amendments citing A.R.S. § 36-1681; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted by Ordinance 2021-03; residential energy provisions are NOT taken from IECC but instead from IRC Chapter 11 (RE) Energy Efficiency, 2018 Edition. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Mohave County overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

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

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

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Fence / Block Wall / Retaining Wall Permit in other cities

Cave Creek, ArizonaCity of Maricopa, ArizonaCoolidge, ArizonaGlendale, ArizonaPhoenix, ArizonaQueen Creek, ArizonaThatcher, ArizonaUnincorporated Maricopa County, Arizona

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