Buckeye fence rules and permits

A plain-English guide for Buckeye, Arizona homeowners. Always confirm with the city before work starts. Rules change.

Do you need a permit?

Yes. The City of Buckeye requires a building permit for fences and non-retaining walls over 3 feet, and for adding height, adding gates or repairing an existing wall. All retaining walls need a permit. You submit a site plan and footing details. If the lot is in a floodplain, a Floodplain Use Permit is needed before any wall or fence goes up.

Who to ask: City of Buckeye Development Services, Permit Center, 530 East Monroe Avenue (website)

The rules

• Fences and walls over 3 feet need a building permit. Fences not over 7 feet are exempt from engineering review.
• In the required front yard of a home, a fence can be no taller than 42 inches (3.5 feet).
• Chain link fencing is prohibited on residential sites, except to enclose sport courts or for safety during construction.
• No fence or wall can be placed in the public right-of-way.
• Side and rear yard fences on single-family lots can be up to 6 feet tall.
• Allowed materials include block (CMU), stone, brick, wrought iron or decorative metal, vinyl or plastic, and wood. Fences visible from the street need a mix of at least two of the listed materials.
• Pool barriers must be at least 60 inches high, with no gaps that pass a 4-inch sphere. The gap under the barrier is 2 inches on grass or gravel and 4 inches on concrete.
• Walls that run along an arterial street for more than 200 feet need offsets or other breaks. Subdivision perimeter walls can be 8 feet beside arterials and 6 feet beside collector streets.

HOAs

Most Buckeye homes are in master-planned communities such as Verrado, Sundance and Tartesso, and most have an HOA. The HOA often sets wall color, style and gate rules that are stricter than the city's. Check the HOA before you plan a wall.

Call before you dig

Arizona 811: dial 811. Call at least 2 working days before you dig. Weekends and holidays do not count. The service is free.

Local conditions

Buckeye has a hot desert climate with very hot summers and little rain. Heat and sun are the main stress on a fence or wall.

• The July average daily high is 108.4 degrees, and the record high is 128 degrees.
• Buckeye averages about 121 afternoons a year that reach 100 degrees or more.
• Annual rainfall is only about 7.9 inches, so wood fences dry out and fade fast in the sun.
• Block, stone and metal handle sun better than wood and vinyl, which is why block walls are common in the West Valley.
• City code requires footing details with every fence or wall permit.

Good to know

• Buckeye had 91,502 residents in 2020 and covers about 393 square miles.
• The city's fence and block wall checklist says the owner is responsible for checking property lines, setbacks, NAOS and utility easements before building.
• The city does not get involved in property line or fence ownership disputes.
• The city's pool barrier handout was revised December 3, 2025.
• Fences and block wall permits sit with the Permit Center. Permit Center phone: 623-349-6200.
• Nearly 30 master-planned communities are planned or built in Buckeye, including Verrado and Tartesso.
• If a lot is in a floodplain, a Floodplain Use Permit is needed before building or filling for any wall or fence.