Retaining Wall Permits in Vernon, BC: Rules & Fees

If your wall hits 1.2 metres (3 feet 11 inches) measured from the lower side, you need permits. Not one permit, two. Most Vernon homeowners find this out mid-project, when the city sends the application back incomplete or a neighbour calls in a complaint. This guide covers exactly what the City of Vernon requires, pulled directly from Zoning Bylaw 5000, Building Bylaw 5900, and the official Retaining Wall Checklist.

6 min read · March 23, 2026

The 1.2-Metre Rule: Where It Comes From and How It's Measured

Zoning Bylaw 5000, Section 6.5.11 caps residential retaining walls at 1.2 metres. The City's own Retaining Wall Checklist states it plainly: permits are required for retaining wall structures 1.2m or greater in height, or where there may be substantial surcharge above the wall, or proposed work within a sensitive land area.

The measurement is from grade on the lower side — the exposed face of the wall, not the backfilled side. A wall that looks like 600mm from your upper patio can easily measure 1.4m from the neighbour's yard below. Always measure from the bottom.

The permit rule also applies regardless of height if the project sits in a sensitive land area: ravines, steep slopes, floodplains, or environmental development permit areas.

Can you build two shorter walls to avoid the permit requirement?

Section 6.5.11 requires that tiered retaining walls maintain a minimum of 1.2 metres of horizontal separation between each tier. Two 1.1m walls spaced 300mm apart don't escape the rules — the City treats that as a combined wall system. If you want the tiers closer than 1.2m, you're in variance territory regardless of the individual heights.

The one legitimate exception: your lot is lower than your neighbour's

Section 6.5.13 provides a built-in exception: if the natural grade of your property is lower than the abutting property, a retaining wall can exceed 1.2m without automatically triggering the Development Variance Permit. Confirm this with the Planning Department at 250-550-3634 before assuming it applies.

Two Separate Permits: Building Permit and Development Variance Permit

A wall at or above 1.2m requires two concurrent applications:

Building Permit — issued by the Building Department under Building Bylaw 5900. Covers structural requirements.
Development Variance Permit (DVP) — issued by the Planning Department. Required because Zoning Bylaw 5000 caps walls at 1.2m; anything at or above that height is a variance, even for a routine residential project.

These run in parallel, not sequentially. Submitting only the building permit application is a common mistake that delays projects by months.

Residential retaining walls qualify as a Minor DVP under the City's process — decided by the General Manager of Planning, not Council. There's still public notification, but the timeline is weeks rather than months.

What You Need to Submit

The City publishes a Retaining Walls Package at vernon.ca/homes-building/permits-applications — containing both application forms, the complete checklist, Owner's Undertaking, and Site Disclosure Statement.

Building Permit application requires:

Title search dated within 30 days of submission
Two copies of a dimensioned site plan (to scale)
Two sets of design drawings (structural and geotechnical)
Letters of Assurance, Schedule B Structural
Letters of Assurance, Schedule B Geotechnical
Site Disclosure Statement

DVP application requires:

Completed Development Application Form
Digital site plans and current title documents
Rationale statement explaining the variance
Geotechnical report or elevation plans (site-dependent)

A professional engineer is required — not optional. Building Bylaw 5900 (Part 11, Section 11.2) requires certification by a BC-registered professional engineer with geotechnical expertise.

What It Costs

Real numbers from City of Vernon Bylaw 3909:

Non-refundable application fee: $150
Permit fee: $11.50 per $1,000 of declared construction value
Refundable security deposit: $1,500
DVP issuance fee: $1,100
Re-inspection fee: $150 per visit

On a $15,000 retaining wall: approximately $1,423 in fees plus the $1,500 refundable deposit. The DVP is valid for 24 months from issuance — let it lapse and you reapply and pay the $1,100 fee again.

Fences on Top of Retaining Walls

Zoning Bylaw 5000, Section 6.5 sets the combined fence + wall height limit at 2.0m maximum from natural grade at the property line. A 1.2m wall leaves only 0.8m for fencing above it. If you want a standard 1.8m privacy fence, the combined height will exceed 2.0m and you'll need a variance for that too.

Where to Submit

Community Services Building, 3001 32nd Avenue, Vernon, BC. Counter hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Building Department: buildingcounter@vernon.ca | 250-550-3634
Inspection booking: buildinginspection@vernon.ca | 250-550-3592
Planning Department (DVP/zoning): planning@vernon.ca | 250-550-3634

How Greenstone Solutions Handles the Permit Process

We prepare and submit both applications concurrently, coordinate with the structural engineer, and schedule required inspections. If you're planning a retaining wall in Vernon, Coldstream, Armstrong, or Lake Country, call or text (250) 212-5803 for a free site visit before you start. We'll confirm whether your wall triggers permits and what the process looks like for your specific site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Vernon, BC?

Yes, if it's 1.2 metres or higher, measured from the lower (exposed) side of the wall. Under Zoning Bylaw 5000 Section 6.5.11, walls at or above 1.2m require both a Building Permit and a Development Variance Permit. Walls in sensitive land areas (steep slopes, ravines, floodplains) may trigger permit requirements at any height.

Can I build two shorter walls to avoid the retaining wall permit requirement?

No. Section 6.5.11 of Zoning Bylaw 5000 requires a minimum 1.2 metres of horizontal separation between tiered walls. Two 1.1m walls spaced less than 1.2m apart are treated as a combined wall system — they don't escape the permit requirement.

Do I need one permit or two for a retaining wall in Vernon?

Two, submitted concurrently. A Building Permit from the Building Department (under Building Bylaw 5900) covers structural requirements. A Development Variance Permit from the Planning Department is required because Zoning Bylaw 5000 itself caps walls at 1.2m — anything at or above that is a variance. Submitting only the building permit is a common mistake that causes multi-month delays.

Is an engineer required for retaining wall permits in Vernon?

Yes. Building Bylaw 5900, Part 11, Section 11.2 mandates certification by a BC-registered professional engineer with geotechnical expertise. This is not optional and cannot be waived. The engineer provides Letters of Assurance for both the structural and geotechnical components.

How much does a retaining wall permit cost in Vernon, BC?

The main costs under Bylaw 3909: $150 non-refundable application fee, $11.50 per $1,000 of declared construction value (permit fee), $1,500 refundable security deposit, and $1,100 DVP issuance fee. On a $15,000 retaining wall, expect approximately $1,423 in fees plus the deposit. The DVP is valid for 24 months; letting it lapse means reapplying and paying the $1,100 fee again.