Fence and Retaining Wall Standards in Loveland, Colorado

Loveland requires a fence and retaining wall standards permit for: Fences/walls in front setbacks (between front property line and front facade): limited solid material max 4 ft; solid material max 3 ft; Fences/walls outside the front setback (flush with or behind the front facade): max 6 ft 3 in in all zones except Industrial (8 ft max behind the front facade); Side/rear yard fences/walls: max 6 ft 3 in in all zones except Employment and Industrial zones (8 ft max); Director may approve up to 8 ft between adjacent residential/nonresidential uses with owner agreement, or as a noise barrier along an arterial street; Fences/walls adjacent to parks, common areas, open space, or environmentally sensitive areas: max 4 ft, limited solid material, unless the Director approves alternate fencing for safety/buffering; All fences/walls must be located on or within the owner's property boundary; specific setbacks apply near sidewalks (2 ft if over 4 ft tall, 18 in if under 4 ft tall) and trails (3 ft minimum from the back of the trail); Chain-link/woven-wire fencing is prohibited in front yards absent Director approval for extraordinary safety circumstances; barbed wire, electrified fencing, and razor/concertina wire are prohibited or narrowly restricted; Retaining walls: individual walls max 8 ft tall (taller grade changes require terraced walls, each capped at 8 ft, terraces min. 5 ft wide and landscaped); walls over 3 ft must be finished in native rock or comparable masonry; Retaining wall engineering: a Colorado-registered Professional Engineer (Structural) must stamp designs for any wall 6 ft or taller at its highest point, or any wall 4 ft or taller where its height exceeds its distance from a right-of-way or common property line; Fencing within the Wildland Urban Interface Overlay Zone must comply with Appendix O risk-reduction requirements of the adopted Fire Code. If your project isn't listed, confirm with City of Loveland Building Division (Development Services Department) at (970) 962-2505 before starting work.

In Loveland, the published Building Permit Fee (valuation-based, engineered retaining walls only) is: Based on the current ICC Building Valuation Data applied to the stated project valuation. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Engineered retaining walls go through the standard Building Division permit process, which carries the City's single governing estimate of 20-30 working days per round of review (Permitting FAQ's page). Routine fences under the UDC height limits do not require a Building Division permit and have no building-permit review clock.

Depending on your project, Loveland may also ask for: Building Permit Application (Retaining Wall); Engineer-Stamped Structural Design. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Loveland requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall standards permit, in order: Footing, Final. Schedule each through City of Loveland Building Division (Development Services Department) ((970) 962-2505).

Apply through City of Loveland Building Division (Development Services Department) at 410 E. 5th Street, Loveland, CO 80537. Phone: (970) 962-2505, email: eplan-res@cityofloveland.org (residential); eplan-building@cityofloveland.org (non-residential). Office hours: Lobby Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-4:00 PM; Phone Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 AM-3:30 PM. Inspection Line: (970) 962-2100. Official information: https://www.lovgov.org/services/development-services/building-division.

Side and rear yard fences/walls may be up to 6 feet 3 inches in most zones (8 feet in Employment and Industrial zones), per Unified Development Code Section 18.04.07.06.D.4.

Yes, if the wall is 6 feet or taller at its highest point, or 4 feet or taller where its height exceeds its distance from a right-of-way or common property line, per UDC Section 18.04.07.11.