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Fence and Retaining Wall Permit — Coeur d'Alene, Idaho · Requirements sheet
Verified 2026-07-03 · Source: https://www.cdaid.org/files/planning/fences.pdf
PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency. Requirements change and vary by project — confirm current details with the building department before you submit.
Fence and Retaining Wall Permit in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Fences and retaining walls in Coeur d'Alene are regulated by height under both the Planning Department's zoning code and the locally-adopted IRC. Most residential fences up to 6 feet (rear/side) or 4 feet (front yard setback) require no building permit; taller fences and retaining walls over 4 feet (or supporting a surcharge) require a Building Permit.
Verified 2026-07-03 · Source
When you need this permit
- No building permit required for a fence 6 feet or less in height, per the locally-adopted IRC R105.2 exemption and the Planning Department's Citizen's Guide for Fencing
- Residential fences generally may not exceed 6 feet in the rear/side yards or 4 feet within the 20-foot front-yard setback (Municipal Code Title 17.06.810/17.06.815); corner lots must meet 'vision triangle' standards (40 feet along each roadway from the curb-line intersection, 3-foot height limit within the triangle)
- Fences exceeding these zoning height limits, or any fence over 6 feet, must conform to the currently adopted building code and requires a Building Permit
- Barbed or electrified fencing along any street, alley, highway, or road is prohibited unless approved by city council as not a public-safety hazard
- Retaining walls not over 4 feet in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall), unless supporting a surcharge, are exempt from a building permit per the locally-adopted IRC R105.2
- Retaining walls over 4 feet, or any wall supporting a surcharge regardless of height, require a Building Permit and structural design
Required documents
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Fee schedule
Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same schedule as new construction)City of Coeur d'Alene Building Permit Fee Schedule, revised 1/3/23; no dedicated fence/wall fee table is published — fences/walls requiring a permit are billed via the general valuation-based Building Permit Fee Schedule, consistent with the FAQ's definition of valuation covering all project types not otherwise itemized
$69.25 minimum (valuation up to $500-$1,700 tier), scaling per the City of Coeur d'Alene Building Permit Fee Schedule
Review timeline
Plan reviewCoeur d'Alene’s published plan-review target
7–14 business days
Inspection process
- 1
Footing
Required for engineered retaining walls before backfill
- 2
Final
Completed fence/wall verified against approved plans
See the full Coeur d'Alene inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- Fences 6 feet or less need no building permit at all (Planning Department CC&R compliance is the applicant's own responsibility, not reviewed by the City).
- Corner-lot fences must respect the 40-foot 'vision triangle' at intersections, limited to 3 feet in height within that triangle.
- Any retaining wall over 4 feet, or one supporting a surcharge/slope regardless of height, requires a City building permit and structural design.
Frequently asked questions
No, if the fence is 6 feet or less in height (and complies with the 4-foot front-yard-setback limit and any corner-lot vision-triangle requirements). Fences over these thresholds require a building permit and must conform to the currently adopted building code. Source: City of Coeur d'Alene Planning Department, Citizen's Guide for Fencing, and Building Services FAQ.
In Coeur d'Alene, the published Building Permit Fee — valuation-based (same schedule as new construction) is: $69.25 minimum (valuation up to $500-$1,700 tier), scaling per the City of Coeur d'Alene Building Permit Fee Schedule. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.
Coeur d'Alene's published plan-review target for a fence and retaining wall permit is 7–14 business days.
You'll need: Building Permit Application (for fences over 6 ft. or regulated retaining walls); Site Plan. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.
Coeur d'Alene requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall permit, in order: Footing, Final. Schedule each through City of Coeur d'Alene Building Services Department ((208) 769-2267).
Apply through City of Coeur d'Alene Building Services Department at 710 E. Mullan Ave, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814. Phone: (208) 769-2267, email: Contact form via cdaid.org (Building Services); Building Official Ted Lantzy (208) 769-2261. Office hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; new building permit applications not accepted at the counter after 4:30 p.m. Inspection line (24 hours advance notice required): (208) 769-2391. Fax: (208) 769-2237.. Official information: https://www.cdaid.org/government/departments/building-services/.
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho has adopted: Idaho Building Code Act, Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41: establishes a mandatory statewide building code adopted by the Idaho Building Code Board, administered locally by cities/counties per Idaho Code 39-4116. The state's currently adopted cycle (2021 International Codes family, including 2021 IBC/IRC, and the 2020 Idaho Energy Conservation Code) took effect statewide January 1, 2022. Source: Idaho Building Code Act, Idaho Code Title 39 Ch. 41, legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title39/t39ch41/; City of Coeur d'Alene Building Services Department has locally adopted the 2018 International Codes, effective January 1, 2021 (the city's own currently-published adopted-codes page and PDF handout, both live as of this review, have not yet been updated to the newer statewide 2021 cycle): 2018 International Building Code (IBC), 2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2018 International Residential Code (IRC), 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2018 International Fire Code (IFC). Source: City of Coeur d'Alene Building Services page and 'Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria' handout (cdaid.org); 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code, with current City of Coeur d'Alene amendments (plumbing code has NOT been updated to the 2018 cycle locally). Source: City of Coeur d'Alene Building Services page and Adopted Codes and Design Criteria handout; 2009 ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. Source: City of Coeur d'Alene Adopted Codes and Design Criteria handout; The City of Coeur d'Alene Building Services Department administers and issues Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Re-Roof, Demolition, and Moving permits directly within city limits (per the department's own published FAQ permit-type list). Electricians, plumbers, and mechanical/HVAC contractors must each hold a current State of Idaho trade license administered by the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) / Division of Building Safety, (208) 334-3950, to obtain a City permit, but the City itself performs the plan review, permit issuance, and inspection for these trades within its boundaries — DOPL's direct-jurisdiction permitting/inspection role applies in areas that have NOT assumed local jurisdiction; the City of Coeur d'Alene's own FAQ and applications pages confirm the City issues its own Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits. Source: City of Coeur d'Alene Building Services FAQ (cdaid.org/government/departments/building-services/faq/); DOPL Electrical Program FAQ noting permit jurisdiction 'varies widely' by locally-assumed authority (dopl.idaho.gov/ele/ele-faqs/). Local amendments apply — see the Coeur d'Alene overview page for the full list.
Sources & verification
Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-07-03.
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 Coeur d'Alene building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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