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Fence and Retaining Wall Permit in Commerce City, Colorado

Fencing standards are set by Article VII of the Land Development Code (adopted 2009). Fences under specific height thresholds are exempt from a building permit; taller fences and retaining walls over 4 feet require a permit. Commerce City publishes a detailed 'Fences Facts to Know' handout with a full height/setback/style table by land use.

Verified 2026-07-13 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Fences not over 72 inches (6 feet) in Groups R-3/R-4/R-5 (residential) do not require a building permit, unless the fence is a swimming pool barrier
  • Fences not over 42 inches in all other (non-residential) groups do not require a building permit
  • Retaining walls 4 feet and under (measured top of wall to bottom of footing), not supporting a surcharge, do not require a building permit per city guidance, but must still meet the Fence and Wall Standards table (height/setback)
  • Retaining walls over 4 feet require a building permit
  • Fence height is measured from the top of the fence to the highest finished grade of the lot directly under the fence
  • Fence style is either Open (allows visibility) or Screen (opaque/concealing), or a Combination (masonry base up to 2 ft with decorative metal on top, counted as open style)
  • Residential fence standards (Fences Facts to Know table): Front yard max height 42 inches, 30-inch setback, Open style only; Side yard max height 6 feet, no setback, Open or Screen; Rear yard max height 6 feet, no setback, Open or Screen; Side/rear yard along public right-of-way max height 5 feet, 5-foot setback, Open style only; along public/private open space or park max height 48 inches, no setback, Open style only
  • Gates must be hinged to open into private property; gates across a driveway must be set back 20 feet (residential) from the public right-of-way
  • Prohibited fencing materials: sheet plastic, sheet metal, plywood, inserts/slats in chain link, fabric screens on chain link, and razor wire
  • Fences legally existing prior to 2009 that don't conform to current standards are non-conforming and cannot be altered, enlarged, replaced, or relocated unless brought into compliance

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee (Table 1-A) — valuation $1.00 to $500.00Applies only when a permit is required (fence over 6 ft residential/42 in. non-residential, or retaining wall over 4 ft); no fence/wall-specific flat fee was found published. Directory of City Fees, Section 2 (PDF)
$30.41

Review timeline

Plan reviewCommerce City’s published plan-review target
14–14 business days

How long did your Fence and Retaining Wall Permit permit actually take in Commerce City?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing

    For engineered retaining walls, before backfill

  2. 2

    Final

    Completed fence/wall verified against approved plans and the Fence and Wall Standards table

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

Tips

  • A 6-foot residential fence needs no permit in Commerce City (72 inches) -- taller than the 7-foot threshold used in some Colorado jurisdictions, so don't assume figures carry over from other cities in this corpus.
  • The Fence and Wall Standards table varies height/setback/style by BOTH land use (agricultural/residential/commercial/industrial/public) AND yard location (front/side/rear/along ROW/along open space) -- check the specific combination for your lot before designing.
  • HOA fencing rules may be stricter than the city's -- check with your HOA before submitting a permit, per the city's own Fences Facts to Know handout.
  • Combination fences (masonry base up to 2 feet with decorative metal on top) are treated as Open style, not Screen style, for standards purposes.

Frequently asked questions

Retaining walls 4 feet and under (top of wall to bottom of footing), not supporting a surcharge, do not require a permit but must still meet applicable height/setback standards. Walls over 4 feet require a building permit.

In Commerce City, the published Building Permit Fee (Table 1-A) — valuation $1.00 to $500.00 is: $30.41. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Commerce City's published plan-review target for a fence and retaining wall permit is 14–14 business days.

You'll need: Residential Accessory Structure (RACC) Permit Application (eTRAKiT); Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Commerce City requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall permit, in order: Footing, Final. Schedule each through Commerce City Building Safety Division (Community Development Department) (303-289-3790).

Apply through Commerce City Building Safety Division (Community Development Department) at South Platte Crossing Building, 7190 Colorado Blvd. Ste 600 (6th Floor), Commerce City, CO 80022. Phone: 303-289-3790, email: cdpermits@c3gov.com. Office hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.. Official information: https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections.

Commerce City, Colorado has adopted: City of Commerce City Building Code (C3BC), also known as the 2021 edition of the C3BC — incorporates by reference: 2021 International Building Code (IBC), 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), 2021 International Private Sewage Disposal Code (IPSDC), 2021 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2021 International Fire Code, and 2021 International Property Maintenance Code. Source: Commerce City Municipal Code Chapter 5, Sec. 5-1 and 5-2, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/Building-Code-Provisions-in-the-Municipal-Code; City of Commerce City Construction Code — the 2021 IBC as adopted, including Appendix Chapters C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and N. Source: c3gov.com 2021 International Building Code page, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/2021-International-Building-Code; City of Commerce City Residential Code — the 2021 IRC as adopted, including Appendix Chapters AH, AI, AJ, AK, AM, AQ, AR, AS, AT, AU and AW. Source: c3gov.com 2021 International Residential Code page, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/2021-International-Residential-Code; City of Commerce City Commercial Energy Conservation Code and City of Commerce City Residential Energy Conservation Code — the 2021 IECC as locally amended (Sections C101.1/R101.1 renamed; C103/R103 construction-document amendments; C104/R104 fees deleted and replaced to reference Article VI, Chapter 5 fee schedule; C109/R109 stop-work order and C110/R110 board-of-appeals sections replaced to reference Commerce City Municipal Code Sec. 5-5007 and Sec. 5-21). For permit applications submitted prior to July 1, 2026, applicants may choose to comply with the 2018 IECC as amended by the city instead. Source: c3gov.com 2021 IECC page, https://www.c3gov.com/Business-Development/Building-Permits-Inspections/Step-1-Project-Design/2021-International-Energy-Conservation-Code; 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC), adopted by reference per Municipal Code Sec. 5-2. Source: Commerce City Municipal Code Chapter 5, Sec. 5-2; Construction for which a permit application is submitted six months after the effective date of the 2021 C3BC must comply with the 2021 C3BC; applicants during that six-month transition window could choose either the 2021 C3BC or the prior edition; IBC-designed permit applicants were permitted one year after the effective date to comply. Source: Commerce City Municipal Code Chapter 5, Sec. 5-4. Local amendments apply — see the Commerce City overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-13.

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

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