Tacoma Fence Contractor
Tacoma’s older neighborhoods — the North End around Proctor and the Stadium District, Hilltop, the Central and South End — were laid out on a grid with alleys, and many of their houses are a century old. Northeast Tacoma and the West End add newer homes on bluffs and slopes. Tacoma’s fence code is built around keeping streets open and friendly, which shapes every front-yard fence.
We build front-yard fences that meet Tacoma’s transparency rules, back-yard privacy fences, alley gates and wood picket fences for older houses, and repair and replace fences across the city.
Schedule your no-obligation on-site consultation today.
Tacoma Neighborhoods and Lots
Historic grid and alleys
In the North End, Central and South End, lots run back to alleys where garages and parking pads sit. Fences meet the alley, and alley fences over 3 feet must be partly see-through.
Gulches and bluffs
Tacoma’s gulches and the slopes above Commencement Bay and the Narrows mean steep yards, where fences and walls near critical areas may need review.
Northeast Tacoma
Newer subdivisions on the hill above the tide flats, with privacy fences between yards and view lots along the edges.
Tacoma Fence Rules in Brief
Between the street and the house: 3 feet
Tacoma’s general limit for walls, fences and hedges between a public street and a building is 3 feet.
Taller if see-through, in UR districts
In the UR residential districts, 4 feet above sidewalk grade; 5 feet if semi-transparent or decorative with a 1-foot planting strip; 7 feet if at least half transparent above 5 feet with a 2-foot planted strip.
Banned materials
No chain link between the front of a house and the street. Barbed wire, razor wire and electric fences are prohibited in residential districts.
Permits and sidewalks
A building permit for any fence over 7 feet or a masonry wall over 4 feet. Fences stay at least 2 feet behind the back of the sidewalk. We did not find a numeric zoning limit for rear and interior side yards — confirm with the city. Compare in fence height rules by city.
Fences Suited to Tacoma
Semi-transparent front fences
Spaced pickets or horizontal slats with gaps, plus the planting strip, to earn the extra height in UR districts.
Picket fences for old houses
Low wood picket fences that suit Craftsman and Victorian homes and fit the 3- to 4-foot limits.
Privacy behind the house
Cedar privacy fences in back yards, with see-through upper sections where they meet the alley.
Tacoma Jobs
Replacing front chain link
Taking out old chain link in front yards and building a wood or metal fence that meets today’s rules. See fence removal.
Alley gates
Gates to garages and parking pads off the alley. See gate installation.
Century-old fence lines
Fences leaning into sidewalks and alleys, rebuilt on the correct line. See fence repair.
Tacoma Fence Questions
How tall can a front-yard fence be in Tacoma?
Generally 3 feet between the street and the house. In UR residential districts, 4 feet, rising to 5 or 7 feet with transparency and a planting strip.
Is chain link allowed in my front yard?
Not between the front of a house and the street in residential districts.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Tacoma?
For any fence over 7 feet, or a masonry wall over 4 feet. Fences in critical areas or their buffers may need a separate critical-areas permit.
How close to the sidewalk can I build?
At least 2 feet behind the back of the sidewalk, or the future sidewalk or roadway edge.
Sources
- TMC 13.06.090 — Site development standards (K, fences) City of Tacoma
- Fences tip sheet Tacoma Planning & Development Services
Links and figures last checked against these sources: . Codes change — confirm the current rule with the city before you build.