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Fence / Retaining Wall Permit in Golden, Colorado

Required for fences over 7 feet tall, fences in a front yard/corner lot/Historic District, and masonry walls or screens over 4 feet tall above finished grade in Golden. Fences 7 feet or under (outside those special locations) do not require a permit.

Verified 2026-07-05 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Permit required for: Fences greater than 7 ft tall, OR located in the front yard, on a corner lot, or in a Historic District
  • Permit required for: Masonry Walls or Screens over 4 ft tall above finished grade
  • Fences 7 ft tall or less generally do NOT require a permit UNLESS located in the front yard, on a corner lot, or in a Historic District (check applicable zoning setback requirements separately)
  • Retaining walls requiring engineering are separately noted as needing a permit in the Required Building Permits Guide's exterior projects list

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Permit fee — valuation-based (Building Permit Fee Table)No fence/wall-specific flat fee is published; billed under the general Building Permit Fee Table
$25.85 minimum, scaling per valuation tiers

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Fence / Retaining Wall Permit permit actually take in Golden?

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final Inspection

    Height, location relative to property line/setback, and (for retaining walls) engineering compliance verified

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

Tips

  • Height alone doesn't determine whether you need a permit — a fence under 7 ft in a front yard or on a corner lot still requires one, unlike many jurisdictions that only look at height.
  • Properties in Golden's Historic District face a stricter fence-permitting trigger than elsewhere in the city — always check permit status if your parcel is in that district, regardless of fence height.

Frequently asked questions

Only if the fence is taller than 7 feet, OR located in a front yard, on a corner lot, or within a Historic District. A fence 7 feet or under outside those situations generally does not need a permit.

In Golden, the published Permit fee — valuation-based (Building Permit Fee Table) is: $25.85 minimum, scaling per valuation tiers. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Golden does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Golden Building Department at (303) 384-8151 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Fence/Wall Permit Application (Online Permitting Portal); Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Golden requires 1 inspection(s) for a fence / retaining wall permit, in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Golden Building Department ((303) 384-8151).

Apply through City of Golden Building Department at 911 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401 (Building Department); Planning Department at 1445 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401. Phone: (303) 384-8151, email: building@cityofgolden.net. Office hours: Monday-Friday, general City Hall hours (main line (303) 384-8000); Building Department direct line (303) 384-8151. Official information: https://www.cityofgolden.gov/business/building_construction/building_permit.php.

Golden, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), with local Appendix G (Flood Flrp/flood-resistant construction) and Appendix I (Patio Covers) — City of Golden Building Permit Process page; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC), with local Appendix BE (Radon Control Methods) and Appendix CD (Piping Standards for Various Applications) — City of Golden Building Permit Process page; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC); 2024 International Existing Buildings Code (IEBC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — note: Golden uses the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code; 2024 International Building Code Appendix K — Administrative Provisions for the National Electrical Code; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); Golden Wildfire Resiliency Code (GWRC), adopted by City Ordinance No. 2290 and codified as Chapter 15.80 of the Golden Municipal Code — applies to new construction, significant additions, repairs, and remodels on properties within Golden's designated Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas (per the Official Golden Wildfire Map); establishes fire-resistant construction standards for two hazard classifications, Class I (low fire intensity) and Class II (medium and high fire intensity); enforcement begins June 10, 2026; Golden Municipal Code Title 15, Chapter 15.08 (Building Code) governs local amendments and adoption by reference; Chapter 15.01 (Contractor Registration) governs the city's separate contractor registration requirement. Local amendments apply — see the Golden overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-05.

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

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Fence / Retaining Wall Permit in other cities

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