Skip to main content
PermitBase

Fence and Retaining Wall Permit in Pueblo, Colorado

Fences and retaining walls in the City of Pueblo are exempt from a building permit below specific height/design thresholds per IRC/IBC Section 105.2; taller or load-bearing structures require a permit and, for retaining walls, may require engineered plans.

Verified 2026-07-23 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Fences not over 7 feet high do not require a building permit (per IRC/IBC Section 105.2); fences over 7 feet require a permit and engineered plans
  • Zoning rules may still apply to fences of any height, especially fences extending past the front of a building — check with the appropriate department before starting
  • Retaining walls not over 4 feet in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall) are exempt from a building permit, unless the wall supports a surcharge (or, per the IBC exemption, unless it impounds Class I, II, or IIIA liquids)
  • Retaining walls exceeding these thresholds, or any wall supporting a surcharge regardless of height, require a building permit and are commonly engineered

Required documents

Check off what you have — your progress is saved on this device.

Not ready yet0 of 1 required documents checked.

This checker covers one permit. A full project usually triggers several — our checklist will assemble all of them, free →

Fee schedule

Building Permit Fee — total valuation up to $500 (fences/walls requiring a permit)SoCoBD Fee Table, Table B (general valuation-based schedule; no fence/retaining-wall-specific fixed fee was published)
$33.08

Review timeline

Plan reviewPueblo’s published plan-review target
5–7 business days

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing

    Required for engineered retaining walls before backfill

  2. 2

    Final

    Completed fence/wall verified against approved plans

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

Tips

  • A fence 7 feet or under does not need a building permit in Pueblo, but zoning rules can still apply — check before building, especially near the front of a lot.
  • A retaining wall under 4 feet (footing to top of wall) is generally exempt from a permit unless it supports a surcharge or slope.
  • When a permit IS required (fence over 7 ft, or an engineered/surcharged retaining wall), the submittal goes through SoCoBD residential plan review, averaging approximately one week (5-7 days) on a first-come, first-served basis. Source: SoCoBD Plan Review page, https://www.socobd.com/plan-review.php.

Frequently asked questions

Fences 7 feet or lower do not require a building permit, though zoning rules may still apply. Fences over 7 feet require a building permit and engineered plans. Source: SoCoBD FAQ, Work Exempt from Permit (IRC/IBC Section 105.2).

In Pueblo, the published Building Permit Fee — total valuation up to $500 (fences/walls requiring a permit) is: $33.08. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Pueblo's published plan-review target for a fence and retaining wall permit is 5–7 business days.

You'll need: Contractor or Homeowner Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Pueblo requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall permit, in order: Footing, Final. Schedule each through Southern Colorado Building Department (SoCoBD) (719-543-0002).

Apply through Southern Colorado Building Department (SoCoBD) at 830 N Main St, Pueblo, CO 81003. Phone: 719-543-0002, email: permits@socobd.com. Office hours: Front counter open to the public 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday; online services available 24/7. Field inspectors are generally reachable in the office between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. Homeowner/Contractor permit applications may also be emailed to permits@socobd.com or faxed to 719-543-0062.. Official information: https://www.socobd.com/.

Pueblo, Colorado has adopted: Colorado has no statewide mandatory building code for most jurisdictions (home-rule authority); each municipality or building authority adopts and amends its own construction codes. The main statewide floors that DO apply everywhere are energy/electric-vehicle/solar-ready requirements under HB22-1362 (Colorado's building energy codes law) and, for accessory dwelling units, HB24-1152 (which addresses local ADU regulation but does not itself set a building code). Applicants should always confirm the specific adopted edition and local amendments with the issuing building department. Source: Colorado Energy Office, Building Energy Codes Toolkit, https://energyoffice.colorado.gov/building-energy-codes-toolkit; Verify Pueblo's own adopted code editions and amendments below — the City of Pueblo does not use a separate 'city code' distinct from the joint department's adopted codes; the Southern Colorado Building Department (SoCoBD, formerly Pueblo Regional Building Department/PRBD) is the single building authority for the City of Pueblo and administers one set of adopted codes for its full service area.; The Southern Colorado Building Department (SOCOBD) was created by an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Pueblo and the Town of Boone to serve as a single building-code authority for both. SOCOBD does not have jurisdiction in unincorporated areas of Pueblo County. Source: SoCoBD 'About' page, https://www.socobd.com/ (aboutprbd.php); 2021 International Building Code (IBC), as amended by Pueblo City Code Title IV, Building Regulations, Chapter 2 (Building and Energy Code amendments). Source: SoCoBD Building & Code Information page, https://www.socobd.com/ (handouts-forms.php) and Pueblo Municode, https://library.municode.com/co/pueblo/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIVBURE_CH2INBUCO_S4-2-2AMIBIE; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), as amended by Pueblo City Code Title IV, Chapter 6 (Residential Code amendments). Source: https://library.municode.com/co/pueblo/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIVBURE_CH6RECO_S4-6-2AM; 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — note this jurisdiction uses the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code — as amended by Pueblo City Code Title IV, Chapter 4 (Plumbing Code amendments). Source: https://library.municode.com/co/pueblo/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIVBURE_CH4PL_S4-4-2AMCOPLCOSE1.2E.ADFO; 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC); 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), as amended by Pueblo City Code Title IV, Chapter 3 (Electrical/NEC amendments). Source: https://library.municode.com/co/pueblo/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIVBURE_CH3EL_S4-3-2N.AM; 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted WITHOUT modifications, plus the Colorado Model Electric and Solar Ready Code, both effective 6/30/2026 per SoCoBD notice; the department is NOT adopting the Model Low Energy and Carbon Code (MLECC) at this time. A one-month transition period was allowed; plans/permits submitted on or after 8/1/2026 are subject to the new code, while plans/permits already in process remain on the prior code unless they expire. Source: SoCoBD homepage notice, https://www.socobd.com/ ('New Code Adoption 6/30/2026'), and Colorado Energy Office Building Energy Codes Toolkit, https://energyoffice.colorado.gov/building-energy-codes-toolkit (HB22-1362 statewide energy/electric-vehicle/solar-ready floor); Prior to the 2026 IECC/electric-ready adoption, SoCoBD used 2021 IECC prescriptive insulation values (adopted for the SoCoBD code cycle effective June 29, 2023): Climate Zone 5, Fenestration U-factor 0.32, Skylight U-factor 0.55, Ceiling R-49, Wood Frame Wall R-20 or R-13+5ci, Mass Wall R-13/17, Floor R-30, Basement Wall R-15ci or R-19 or R-13&5ci, Slab R-10ci at 2 ft, Crawl Space Wall R-15ci or R-19 or R-13&5ci. REScheck users may use either the 2018 or 2021 version. Source: SoCoBD Prescriptive Insulation Values handout (PDF), https://socobd.com/pubs/prescriptive.pdf. Local amendments apply — see the Pueblo overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-23.

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