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Fence / Retaining Wall Permit in Durango, Colorado

Required prior to construction or substantial modification of any fence or wall in Durango, and for retaining walls over 30 inches in height. Fences themselves do not require a full building permit (a separate fence/wall permit applies), but engineering is mandatory for taller or right-of-way-adjacent retaining walls.

Verified 2026-07-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • A fence/wall permit must be obtained prior to construction or substantial modification of any fence/wall; fences do not require a building permit (they use this separate permit type)
  • Retaining walls over 30 inches in height require a retaining wall permit from the Engineering Division
  • All retaining walls located in or near public right-of-way, and all walls over 6 feet in height, must be designed by a structural engineer
  • Retaining walls not over 30 inches in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall) do NOT require a permit, unless supporting a surcharge or impounding Class I, II, or III-A liquids

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Fence/Wall or Retaining Wall Permit FeeChecked the July 2026 Fee Schedule PDF and Fees page directly — this permit type is not broken out as its own line item; genuinely unresolved, not assumed
Not published as a standalone flat fee on the Fees or Do I Need a Permit? pages as of this review

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

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

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/right-of-way, and (for engineered walls) structural compliance verified

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

Tips

  • Retaining walls are handled by Durango's Engineering Division, not the Building Division — a different office than most other permit types in this file.
  • The structural-engineer trigger for retaining walls is two-pronged: height over 6 feet OR proximity to public right-of-way, either one alone is enough to require an engineer's design, regardless of the other factor.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, a fence/wall permit is required prior to construction or substantial modification of any fence or wall, though a fence itself does not require a full building permit — it uses this separate, lighter-weight permit type.

In Durango, the published Fence/Wall or Retaining Wall Permit Fee is: Not published as a standalone flat fee on the Fees or Do I Need a Permit? pages as of this review. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Durango does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Durango Community Development Department, Building Division at 970-375-5000 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Fence/Wall Permit Application (OpenGov portal). Depending on your project, Durango may also ask for: Structural Engineer Design. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Durango requires 1 inspection(s) for a fence / retaining wall permit, in order: Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Durango Community Development Department, Building Division (970-375-5000).

Apply through City of Durango Community Development Department, Building Division at 949 E 2nd Avenue, Durango, CO 81301. Phone: 970-375-5000, email: Building@DurangoCo.Gov. Office hours: Not published on the Building Division pages as of this review; main City Hall line 970-375-5000. General building-permit questions: Building@DurangoCo.Gov. Fee-schedule calculation questions: 970-375-4850.. Official information: https://www.durangoco.gov/311/Applying-for-a-Building-Permit.

Durango, Colorado has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — City of Durango Building Codes page, effective for new projects not already in a planning process prior to 01/01/2026; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC); 2024 International Fire Code (IFC); 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC); 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC); Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code (CMERSRC) — state-mandated, per City of Durango Building Codes page and Submittal Requirements page; Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code (WRC) — state-mandated; City of Durango began enforcement April 1, 2026 per the Building Codes page and Do I Need a Permit? page; Transition provision: projects with full vertical construction drawings designed to the 2018 I-Codes and submitted to the Planning Division prior to January 1, 2026 may remain compliant with that older code cycle; all other new submittals must follow the 2024 I-Codes, 2023 NEC, CMERSRC, and Wildfire Resiliency Code; Code books available for review at Community Development and the City Clerk's Office; full municipal code at library.municode.com/co/durango. Local amendments apply — see the Durango overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-06.

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 Durango 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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