Unincorporated Maricopa County fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Unincorporated Maricopa County? Yes. Unincorporated Maricopa County requires a permit before you build a fence.
buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for Unincorporated Maricopa County (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Side and rear yards
- Rural, commercial and industrial districts: 8 ft outside the buildable area; residential side/rear limit not stated in source source
- Front (street) yard
- Up to 8 ft in the required front yard of single-family/multi-family districts, but above 3 ft 6 in only at 80% transparency source
- Corner lots
- 2 ft maximum in the sight visibility triangle (25 ft from the intersection along the street-side or alley-side property lines) source
- Distance from lot line
- No general fence setback from property lines found beyond sight-triangle and easement rules.
- How to apply
- Online portal source
Still being confirmed with Unincorporated Maricopa County: What are the residential side and rear yard fence/wall height limits and the permit fee in unincorporated Maricopa County?
How to file for a fence permit in the Unincorporated Maricopa County
Steps based on maricopa.gov — Featured Permitting Solutions
- Check whether your fence needs a building permit (over 6 ft) or a drainage clearance (over 1 ft) with Planning & Development.
- Apply through the County Permit Center self-service portal; a pre-application meeting is available.
- Contact staff with questions: [email protected] or 602-506-3011.
- Call Arizona 811 at least two full working days before digging.
Who to contact
Maricopa County Planning & Development
- Phone
- 602-506-3011
- [email protected]
- Address
- 301 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Contact from maricopa.gov — Featured Permitting Solutions
What to submit
- Permit Center application (drainage clearance / building permit as applicable)
- Fast Track may apply to block, rail, wood or wrought iron fencing not higher than 7 ft (not for vacant lots with no address, hillside, or floodplain/wash areas)
Other rules to know
- Current rule (2026 Zoning Ordinance update, per the Dec 10, 2025 Board of Supervisors handout): a building permit is required for walls/fences over 6 ft (also retaining walls over 18 inches, pool barriers, hillside lots, residential corrals, certain corner-lot walls); a drainage clearance (building) permit is required for any fence or wall over 1 ft.
- County FAQ: 'All fencing over one (1) foot in height requires a permit from the Planning and Development Department.'
- Older ordinance Art. 1204.4: Zoning Clearance not required for fences/walls 8 ft or less unless pool barrier, retains soil over 18 inches, hillside, corral, primary use, or corner lot abutting a key lot.
- Sources are a board memo describing final edits and an older FAQ; the adopted ordinance text was not accessible.
- Do not confuse with City of Maricopa (Pinal County, maricopa-az.gov).
Before you dig
Call Arizona 811 before digging post holes (dial 811). Utilities have two full working days to mark their lines, so call at least two working days ahead. Find your lot corner markers and keep the fence on your side of the line. County parcel maps can be off by several feet; if you're not sure where the line is, a licensed land surveyor can stake it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in the Unincorporated Maricopa County, AZ?
Yes. Unincorporated Maricopa County requires a permit before you build a fence.
How tall can a fence be in the Unincorporated Maricopa County?
Side and rear yards: Rural, commercial and industrial districts: 8 ft outside the buildable area; residential side/rear limit not stated in source. Front (street) yard: Up to 8 ft in the required front yard of single-family/multi-family districts, but above 3 ft 6 in only at 80% transparency. Corner lots: 2 ft maximum in the sight visibility triangle (25 ft from the intersection along the street-side or alley-side property lines).
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Unincorporated Maricopa County?
No general fence setback from property lines found beyond sight-triangle and easement rules.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Unincorporated Maricopa County?
Check whether your fence needs a building permit (over 6 ft) or a drainage clearance (over 1 ft) with Planning & Development. Apply through the County Permit Center self-service portal; a pre-application meeting is available. Contact staff with questions: [email protected] or 602-506-3011. Call Arizona 811 at least two full working days before digging. buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for Unincorporated Maricopa County (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Unincorporated Maricopa County?
Maricopa County Planning & Development. Phone 602-506-3011, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from Unincorporated Maricopa County's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Maricopa County Zoning Ordinance Art. 811 (811.4 sight triangles, 811.5 fences and walls)
Work for Unincorporated Maricopa County? Help us keep this right
If anything on this page is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it. Municipal staff reports are reviewed first. Please include a link to the current ordinance, form or fee schedule if you can.