Greater Victoria, BCFencing Rules

Can I build a taller fence to keep deer out?

Keeping deer out

Direct answer · reviewed 2026-09-29

In four municipalities, yes, and the conditions matter more than the height. Saanich and Esquimalt both permit 2.5 m, but only in see-through material — Esquimalt specifies woven wire mesh of 5 cm × 10 cm or less, and forbids anything above 1.2 m that could impale a deer attempting to jump it. Central Saanich disapplies its height rules entirely to open mesh erected for crop and garden protection. Sooke gets there differently: its rural zones are simply allowed 2.5 m.

Conditions and exceptions

  • Read from the bylaws on 29 September 2026. Esquimalt's deer provisions were added by Amendment Bylaw 3183 in 2026.
  • A solid fence at deer height is not a deer fence. Every one of these allowances is conditional on the material being non-opaque.
  • Saanich excludes street frontage and corners; Esquimalt limits it to parcels of six or fewer dwelling units.
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Local evidence

Every figure below is quoted from the source shown or is our labelled estimate. Verified dates are the day we last checked the source; a figure whose check is overdue is withheld rather than shown.

Keeping deer out in Saanich
Deer fences and deer fence extensions to a combined 2.5 m are permitted on agricultural lots and on any other lot, provided the material is non-opaque except for posts and the fence does not border a street or sit on a street corner.
District of Saanich · quoted · verified 2026-09-29
Keeping deer out in Esquimalt
Deer fences, or a fence with deer fence extensions, to 2.5 m on any residentially zoned parcel of six or fewer dwelling units — see-through woven wire mesh with openings of 5 cm × 10 cm or less, and nothing above 1.2 m that could impale or injure a deer attempting to jump it.
Township of Esquimalt · quoted · verified 2026-09-29
Keeping deer out in Sooke
No deer clause, but the rural zones (RU1–RU5, including Rural Residential and Neighbourhood Rural Residential) are allowed 2.5 m, which gets to the same place.
District of Sooke · quoted · verified 2026-09-29
Keeping deer out in Central Saanich
The height rules are disapplied entirely to open mesh, netting or wire erected for crop and garden protection on agricultural, rural OR residential land.
District of Central Saanich · quoted · verified 2026-09-29

Where a taller fence for deer is allowed

Four municipalities. Everywhere else the ordinary maximum applies, whatever the deer do.

Deer and garden-protection fencing, by municipality
MunicipalityWhat is allowed
SaanichDeer fences and deer fence extensions to a combined 2.5 m are permitted on agricultural lots and on any other lot, provided the material is non-opaque except for posts and the fence does not border a street or sit on a street corner.
EsquimaltDeer fences, or a fence with deer fence extensions, to 2.5 m on any residentially zoned parcel of six or fewer dwelling units — see-through woven wire mesh with openings of 5 cm × 10 cm or less, and nothing above 1.2 m that could impale or injure a deer attempting to jump it.
SookeNo deer clause, but the rural zones (RU1–RU5, including Rural Residential and Neighbourhood Rural Residential) are allowed 2.5 m, which gets to the same place.
Central SaanichThe height rules are disapplied entirely to open mesh, netting or wire erected for crop and garden protection on agricultural, rural OR residential land.

Esquimalt's impalement rule

Esquimalt s. 22(6): a deer fence or a fence with deer fence extensions exceeding 1.2 m "must not have finials, protrusions, or other elements that could impale or injure a deer attempting to jump over it".

It is the only animal-welfare design requirement in any fence rule in this region, and it rules out the decorative spear-top panels that are commonly sold for exactly this job.

You can usually extend an existing fence rather than replace it

Saanich and Esquimalt both define a deer fence extension separately: mesh or wire used to increase the height of an existing fence. So a 1.9 m board fence in Saanich can carry wire above it to a combined 2.5 m, without rebuilding anything.

That is usually the cheaper job and it is worth asking a contractor to price both ways.

Questions homeowners ask

How tall does a fence need to be to stop deer?
The four municipalities that legislate it all settled on 2.5 m (about 8 ft), which tells you what the local answer is. Below that, deer in this region clear fences routinely.
Can I build a solid 8-foot fence and call it a deer fence?
No. Saanich requires non-opaque material except for posts; Esquimalt specifies see-through woven wire with openings of 5 cm × 10 cm or less; Central Saanich's exemption applies to open mesh, netting or wire. A solid fence at that height is just an over-height fence.
What if I am not in one of those four municipalities?
The ordinary maximum applies, and in most of the region that is between 1.8 m and 2.0 m — below what these four decided deer need. Metchosin and Colwood set no height at all, and Highlands allows 2.5 m at the lot line anyway, so those three are not a constraint. Everywhere else the formal route is a variance: ask your municipality about a development variance permit or its board of variance. It is an application with a fee and a timeline, so begin it before you book anyone.

Your next step

Deer allowances are conditional on frontage, zone and unit count.

Check your own lot

Related decisions

Sources

Every figure on this site is read from the bylaw or statute itself, with the date it was read and a link to the document. Bylaws are amended at council meetings, so confirm the current rule for your exact address before you build. Report a correction.

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