Skip to main content
PermitBase

Fence and Retaining Wall Permit in Post Falls, Idaho

Fences in Post Falls do NOT require a Building Division permit — only compliance with Post Falls Municipal Code Section 18.24.020(K) height/placement standards. Retaining walls, however, are a listed Building Permit fee item billed per linear foot.

Verified 2026-07-03 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Fences: NO building permit required. Must be placed on or within the property boundary line; maximum 3 feet in height within a required front yard setback; maximum 6 feet in height in rear/side yard setback areas (per Post Falls Municipal Code Section 18.24.020(K))
  • Corner lots: fences may be 6 feet tall along the street-side yard so long as the fence does not extend into the front yard setback; fences abutting an adjoining lot's side yard may not exceed 3 feet or block driveway visibility; a 10-foot-by-10-foot vision-clearance triangle applies at driveways where new fences affect visibility
  • Compliance with zoning setbacks and lot coverage is NOT required for fences, walls, signs, or accessory structures that do not require a building permit, per Table 18.20.040 Note 10 of the Official Bulk and Placement Regulations
  • Retaining Walls: a Building Permit IS required and is billed at $4.50 per linear foot per the City's Fee Schedule
  • Apply through the Community Development Portal for retaining wall permits

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

Fence (meeting height/placement standards)City of Post Falls Fence Requirements FAQ; governed by Post Falls Municipal Code Section 18.24.020(K) zoning standards only
No fee — no Building Division permit required
Retaining WallsCity of Post Falls Fee Schedule, rev 10-1-2025
$4.50 per Linear Foot

Review timeline

Plan reviewPost Falls’s published plan-review target
10–10 business days

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

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

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Final

    Completed retaining wall verified against approved plans and City Design Criteria (soil bearing capacity 1,500 psf without a soils investigation)

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

Tips

  • Fences in Post Falls do not require a Building Division permit at all — only compliance with the municipal code's height and setback standards (3 feet in front yard setbacks, 6 feet in rear/side yard setback areas).
  • Retaining walls are billed per linear foot ($4.50/ft) rather than by valuation, unlike most other Building Permit categories.
  • Corner-lot fences get a 6-foot allowance on the street-side yard, but must respect a 10x10 vision-clearance triangle near driveways.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Retaining walls are a listed Building Permit fee item, billed at $4.50 per linear foot. Source: City of Post Falls Fee Schedule, rev 10-1-2025.

In Post Falls, the published Fence (meeting height/placement standards) is: No fee — no Building Division permit required. Additional published fees: Retaining Walls — $4.50 per Linear Foot. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Post Falls's published plan-review target for a fence and retaining wall permit is 10–10 business days.

You'll need: Building Permit Application (Retaining Wall). Depending on your project, Post Falls may also ask for: Fence Requirements FAQ. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Post Falls requires 1 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall permit, in order: Final. Schedule each through City of Post Falls Community Development Department, Building Division ((208) 773-8708).

Apply through City of Post Falls Community Development Department, Building Division at 1st Floor of City Hall, 408 N Spokane St, Post Falls, ID 83854. Phone: (208) 773-8708, email: permits@postfalls.gov. Office hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Dedicated Building Inspections line: (208) 457-3334 — leave permit number, job address, inspection type, and desired inspection date; requests left after midnight the night before cannot be scheduled for the following day.. Official information: https://www.postfalls.gov/175/Building.

Post Falls, Idaho has adopted: Idaho has a mandatory statewide building code administered by the Idaho Division of Building Safety (DBS, now organizationally under the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses / DOPL) under the Idaho Building Code Act, Idaho Code Title 39, Chapter 41, negotiated and adopted through the Idaho Building Code Board. Local jurisdictions that adopt and locally administer the code must enforce it at least as strictly as the state minimum; Post Falls administers its own Building Division for building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permitting within city limits. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (Community Development Department, rev 02/16/25), https://www.postfalls.gov/DocumentCenter/View/750/Current-Codes-and-Design-Criteria-PDF; 2018 IBC (International Building Code), as adopted by the State of Idaho Building Code Board and locally administered by the City of Post Falls. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IRC (International Residential Code), as adopted by the State of Idaho Building Code Board and locally administered by the City of Post Falls. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IEBC (International Existing Building Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IECC with 2012 Amendments for Residential (International Energy Conservation Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IMC (International Mechanical Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2017 ISPC (Idaho State Plumbing Code) — Idaho's own state-amended plumbing code, not the Uniform or International Plumbing Code. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2018 IFGC (International Fuel Gas Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2023 NEC (National Electrical Code). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); ICC A117.1-2009 (Accessibility). Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); 2009 IPMC (International Property Maintenance Code), with amendments. Source: City of Post Falls Current Adopted Codes and Design Criteria (rev 02/16/25); The City of Post Falls Building Division directly issues and inspects electrical and plumbing permits within city limits (the Division's own permit-fee schedule lists dedicated Electrical Permits and Plumbing Permits fee tables administered by the City); this reflects local administration rather than direct-state DOPL/Division of Building Safety issuance for in-city work. Source: City of Post Falls Fee Schedule (Community Development Department, rev 10-1-2025), https://www.postfalls.gov/DocumentCenter/View/815/Fee-Schedule-PDF. Local amendments apply — see the Post Falls 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 Post Falls building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.