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Fence and Retaining Wall Permit — Fernley, Nevada · Requirements sheet
Verified 2026-07-03 · Source: https://www.cityoffernley.org/DocumentCenter/View/24845/Work-Exempetd-From-Permits-Residential
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 Fernley, Nevada
Fences and retaining walls in Fernley are exempt from a building permit below specific height thresholds under the adopted IRC/IBC Section 105.2 (R105.2 residential); a building permit is required only above those thresholds.
Verified 2026-07-03 · Source
When you need this permit
- Fences not over 7 feet (2,134 mm) high: EXEMPT from a building permit, both residential and commercial (adopted IRC/IBC Section 105.2, item 2)
- Fences over 7 feet high: a building permit IS required (not separately exempted by the code section published by the City)
- Retaining walls not over 4 feet (1,219 mm) in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, and NOT supporting a surcharge: EXEMPT from a building permit (residential and commercial)
- Commercial retaining walls not over 4 feet are also exempt unless supporting a surcharge OR impounding Class I, II, or IIIA liquids (per the commercial exemption list, a stricter standard than residential)
- Retaining walls over 4 feet, or any wall supporting a surcharge regardless of height, require a building permit
Required documents
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Fee schedule
Fence/retaining wall permit (above exempt threshold) — valuation-basedCity of Fernley Resolution 20-009, Exhibit A; no dedicated flat fence/wall fee line was found — falls under the general valuation-based provision
Based on ICC BVD valuation tables and/or contract value applied to the City's Building Permit Fee Schedule, plus 65% plan review fee
Review timeline
Plan review
Not published — contact the department
Inspection process
- 1
Footing
Required for permitted retaining walls before backfill, to verify footing depth and reinforcement
- 2
Final
Completed fence/wall verified against approved plans
See the full Fernley inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →
Tips
- Most residential fences in Fernley (7 feet and under) never need a permit at all.
- The 4-foot retaining-wall exemption is measured from the BOTTOM of the footing to the TOP of the wall, not just exposed height — a wall with a deep footing may exceed 4 feet total and require a permit even if it looks short above grade.
- Any retaining wall that supports a surcharge (e.g., a slope, driveway, or additional load behind it) requires a permit regardless of height.
Frequently asked questions
Only if the wall is over 4 feet high (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall) or if it supports a surcharge of any kind. Source: City of Fernley 'Work Exempt from Building Permits' handouts (adopted IRC/IBC Section 105.2).
In Fernley, the published Fence/retaining wall permit (above exempt threshold) — valuation-based is: Based on ICC BVD valuation tables and/or contract value applied to the City's Building Permit Fee Schedule, plus 65% plan review fee. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.
Fernley does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Fernley Building Division (Building & Safety Division) at (775) 784-9900 for current turnaround.
You'll need: Building Permit Application - EZ (Commercial and Residential) or Residential Building Permit Application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.
Fernley requires 2 inspection(s) for a fence and retaining wall permit, in order: Footing, Final. Schedule each through City of Fernley Building Division (Building & Safety Division) ((775) 784-9900).
Apply through City of Fernley Building Division (Building & Safety Division) at 595 Silver Lace Blvd, Fernley, NV 89408. Phone: (775) 784-9900, email: building@cityoffernley.org. Office hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; permit submittal counter closes at 4:00 p.m. daily; closed all observed holidays. Inspection requests must be received by phone (775-784-9829/775-784-9900) by 4:00 p.m. the business day before the requested inspection date.. Official information: https://www.cityoffernley.org/74/Building-Department.
Fernley, Nevada has adopted: Nevada is a home-rule state for building codes with a mandatory statewide energy floor only: NRS 701.220 requires local governments that adopt or amend a building code to include, at minimum, the energy conservation provisions of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or an equivalent code adopted by the state Director of Business and Industry. There is no single statewide building-code edition — each Nevada city/county adopts and amends its own codes. Confirm your city's edition before assuming any other Nevada jurisdiction's codes apply. Source: Nevada Revised Statutes 701.220 (Energy conservation standards).; City of Fernley is a self-administering jurisdiction: pursuant to NRS 244.105/268.012, the City of Fernley Building Division (part of Community & Economic Development) independently adopts codes and issues building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits within Fernley city limits. Fernley does NOT route building permitting to Lyon County; the City runs its own Building Division at 595 Silver Lace Blvd. Source: City of Fernley Municipal Code Title 8, Chapter 2, Sec. 8.02.01; City of Fernley Building Department page, cityoffernley.org/74/Building-Department; 2024 International Building Code (IBC) — adopted by City of Fernley per Fernley Municipal Code Title 8, Chapter 2, Sec. 8.02.01, effective per Ordinance adopted June 18, 2025; 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01 (electrical edition is one cycle behind the other 2024 codes); 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; satisfies and exceeds the NRS 701.220 statewide energy floor; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; 2024 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01; 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — adopted by City of Fernley, Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01 (Nevada jurisdictions in this region use the Uniform Plumbing Code, not the International Plumbing Code); 2024 Northern Nevada Amendments by the Northern Nevada Chapter of the International Code Council (NNICC) — regional amendments adopted by City of Fernley alongside the 2024 codes; final document dated 2/20/2025. Source: City of Fernley Building Codes page and 2024 NNICC Code Amendments Final PDF; Transition period: as of the City's Building Codes page (current as of this review), contractors, developers, and owner-builders may submit plans under EITHER the 2018 codes or the newly adopted 2024 codes; as of January 1, 2026, all new plan submissions must comply with the 2024 codes. Source: City of Fernley Building Codes page, cityoffernley.org/76/Building-Codes; Prior codes (superseded, still valid for permits filed before the 2024-code mandatory date): 2018 IBC (with appendices C, E, H, I), 2018 IRC (with appendices A, B, C, G, H, Q), 2018 IMC, 2018 IPC, 2018 IFC (with appendices B, C, D), 2018 IPMC, 2017 NEC, 2018 IFGC, 2018 IECC, 2018 IEBC, 2018 International Swimming Pool & Spa Code, 2018 UPC, 2018 UMC, and 2018 Northern Nevada Amendments — per Fernley Municipal Code Sec. 8.02.01 and the City's 'Design Criteria 2018 Codes' handout. Local amendments apply — see the Fernley 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 Fernley building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.
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