If you're planning a new fence in Sandy, Draper, or anywhere across Salt Lake County, the first question is almost always the same: do you need a permit? The short answer is usually yes for anything of real height, and the rules vary from one Wasatch Front city to the next. Between city zoning offices, HOA design committees, and the property line itself, there's more to sort out than most homeowners expect, especially on our clay-heavy, rocky soils where a fence has to be set right the first time.
Here's a plain-English rundown of how fence permits, height limits, and HOA approvals typically work in Salt Lake County, and how Installify takes the paperwork off your plate.
Do you need a permit to build a fence in Salt Lake County?
In most Salt Lake County cities, a permit is required once a fence passes a certain height, commonly anything over 6 feet, and sometimes for shorter fences depending on the zone. Front-yard fences, corner lots, and fences near driveways or sidewalks get looked at more closely because of visibility rules. Requirements differ city to city, so a fence that's fine in Sandy may need extra review in a neighboring town.
Rather than quote a specific ordinance number, the honest answer is this: rules change, and you should confirm with your city before you dig. The good news is you don't have to. As a licensed and insured contractor, Installify handles permitting as part of the job, we know which office to call and what each city wants to see. That's part of our fast start: most projects begin in two weeks or less.
How tall can a fence be in Utah, front yard vs. back yard?
Height is where most homeowners get tripped up. As a general rule across Utah cities:
These are common patterns, not guarantees, your city sets the exact numbers, and they can differ block to block. Because our Wasatch Front freeze-thaw cycles and rocky clay soils heave and shift posts that aren't anchored properly, height isn't the only thing that matters. We use mixed-concrete post installation so your fence stays plumb through years of Utah winters. You can see how we approach a full build in our fencing installation in Sandy guide.
- Rear and side yards: most cities allow fences up to about 6 feet tall.
- Front yards: these are usually limited to roughly 4 feet so they don't block sightlines.
- Corner lots: there's typically a "sight triangle" near the intersection where fences must stay low so drivers can see.
Do you need HOA approval for a fence?
If you live in an HOA, and a huge share of newer Salt Lake County subdivisions do, you'll almost always need approval before a single post goes in. HOAs commonly dictate the material, color, and height, and sometimes even the style. It's normal for a community to require vinyl or wrought iron over chain link, or to mandate a specific fence height for consistency.
Skipping this step is one of the most expensive mistakes we see. An HOA can force you to tear out and redo a non-compliant fence at your own cost. Before we build, we help you confirm what your community allows so the fence you pay for is the fence you keep. Homeowners in Draper and other master-planned areas run into this constantly, so we plan for it from day one.
Who marks the property line?
Your fence needs to sit on your property, not your neighbor's. The reliable way to know exactly where that line falls is a licensed land surveyor, not a guess based on an old fence, a sprinkler line, or where the grass changes. Some homeowners already have a survey or plat from when they bought the home; if not, a surveyor can set the pins.
Building even a few inches over the line can trigger a dispute or a costly removal down the road, so it's worth getting right. We'll talk through your lot with you and make sure the layout respects the line and any easements before we start our fence installation service.
Does Installify handle the permit?
Yes. This is the part homeowners like most: you don't chase paperwork, city offices, or HOA forms. As Sandy homeowners know, we manage permitting and code compliance as part of the project so the fence goes in right and stays legal. You get a licensed and insured crew, a lifetime materials warranty, and a 2-year installation warranty backing the work.
Ready to get started? Skip the guesswork on permits, height limits, and HOA rules, Installify handles all of it. Call (385) 402-8427 or get a free quote today, backed by our Best Price Guarantee: we'll beat your best written estimate by $100 or more, or we send you a $50 Amazon gift card.
