Skip to main content
PermitBase

Fence in Yakima, Washington

Yakima exempts fences up to seven feet from a building permit - a higher threshold than neighbouring cities in this guide.

Reviewed 2026-09-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • No building permit for a fence not over 7 feet (2134 mm) high
  • Zoning rules on height, placement and sight triangles can still apply

Required documents

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

Not ready yet — 0 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
YAKIMA'S PERMIT FEE AMOUNTS ARE NOT IN ITS CODE. Show full citationYAKIMA'S PERMIT FEE AMOUNTS ARE NOT IN ITS CODE. YMC 11.04.030 provides that "The city council shall adopt by resolution a schedule of permit fees required under this chapter which shall include a schedule of fees and a building valuation" - so both the fee schedule AND the valuation basis it is computed from sit in a council resolution outside the code, the same arrangement Lynden uses. Ask the city for the current resolution.
Not stated in this guide - see notes

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Fence permit actually take in Yakima?

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

Inspection process

    Tips

    • Seven feet here, six in Tukwila, and Everett requires a permit for ANY fence - the answer does not travel
    • A retaining wall is a different question: exempt only up to 4 feet measured from the BOTTOM OF THE FOOTING, and not at all if it supports a surcharge

    Frequently asked questions

    Not for a fence 7 feet high or less. YMC 11.22.R105.2 exempts "Fences not over 7 feet (2134 mm) high." This is a local amendment and it is unusually generous - Tukwila's exemption stops at 6 feet and Everett has no height exemption at all. Zoning requirements still apply.

    In Yakima, the published Building permit fee is: Not stated in this guide - see notes. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

    Yakima does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Yakima - Division of Code Administration at 509-575-6000 for current turnaround.

    You'll need: Permit application. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

    Apply through City of Yakima - Division of Code Administration. Phone: 509-575-6000. Official information: https://www.yakimawa.gov/.

    Yakima, Washington has adopted: THE 2021 WASHINGTON STATE BUILDING CODE, NAMED. YMC 11.04.010: "The city of Yakima hereby adopts the 2021 Washington State Building Code, including Sections 101 through 111 of Appendix E (Supplementary Accessibility Requirements), Appendix G and Appendix J, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., as adopted and maintained by the State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-50 WAC".; THE 2021 RESIDENTIAL CODE, WITH TINY HOMES. YMC 11.22.010: "The city of Yakima hereby adopts the 2021 Washington State Residential Code, including Appendix Q (Tiny Homes), as published by the International Code Council, Inc., as adopted and maintained by the State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-51 WAC". Camas also specifically adopts Appendix Q; most cities in this guide do not.; THE CODE PINS ITS OWN VOCABULARY. Both adoptions add that any reference to "the International Building Code, the building code, the Washington State Building Code, or this code" means the 2021 edition "as referred to herein" - so a stray reference elsewhere in the title cannot quietly mean a different edition.; Title 11 also carries separate chapters for Energy (11.05), Mobile Homes (11.06), Signs (11.08), Existing Building (11.12), Electrical (11.16), Fuel Gas (11.18), Mechanical (11.32), Property Maintenance (11.40), Plumbing (11.44), Chronic Nuisance Properties (11.45) and Control of Moved Buildings (11.50). NONE OF THOSE WERE READ FOR THIS ENTRY.; RCW 19.27 - the Washington State Building Code applies statewide.. Local amendments apply — see the Yakima overview page for the full list.

    Sources & verification

    Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-16.

    Codes & ordinances

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

    Yakima's permit history isn't searchable here yet

    This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for Yakima yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.

    Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when Yakima lands. Privacy.

    Other permits in Yakima

    Building PermitShed or Detached Accessory StructureVerify a Contractor Licence

    Compare fence fees across Washington →

    Look up this fee in a different city →

    Embed this data card →

    Now live

    Build your Yakima project checklist

    Describe your project once and get every permit, document, and fee it triggers in Yakima — in one checklist. Free, for any city and any number of projects.

    Get started →