Fence Regulations in Reading, PA (2026)
5 verified fence regulations for Reading, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Reading caps fence and wall heights at four feet in the front yard of residential and R-PO districts and six feet elsewhere in residential or mixed-use districts, per Zoning Code § 600-1302. Fences in Manufacturing or C-H districts may be taller, but cannot exceed eight feet within 20 feet of a residential zone or use. Decorative posts and ornamentation may extend an additional one foot above the cap. Height is measured from the ground including any wall the fence sits on.
Reading Fence and Wall Height Limits - § 600-1302
Some RestrictionsPermit Requirements
Reading Zoning Code § 600-1301 requires a permit from the Zoning Administrator for any fence, wall, or similar structure greater than three feet in height. Fences three feet or shorter generally do not need a permit but still must comply with corner sight-triangle, material, and historic-district rules. Permits are issued through the Department of Community Development.
Reading Fence and Wall Permits - § 600-1301
Some RestrictionsNeighbor Fence Rules
Reading's zoning code does not require neighbor consent for a boundary fence under § 600-1301, but Pennsylvania's partition-fence statute (53 P.S. § 46202) and common-law trespass principles still govern shared-line disputes. Cost-sharing for a partition fence between adjoining owners is a civil matter heard in Berks County Magisterial District Court, not at City Hall. The City enforces zoning compliance; private property disputes are between the neighbors.
Reading Boundary Fences and Neighbor Disputes
Some RestrictionsPool Barriers
Every swimming pool in Reading must be enclosed by a permanent barrier or fence at least four feet in height with no opening larger than four inches, and the gate must be securely locked when the pool is not in use, per Zoning Code § 600-1013. Aboveground pool walls may count as part of the barrier, and the access ladder must be removable or secured to a height of four feet. Hot tubs and spas may substitute a locking cover for the four-foot fence. These rules are reinforced by the Pennsylvania UCC-adopted International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC 2018), which sets a 48-inch barrier height statewide.
Reading Pool Barrier Fence Rules - § 600-1013
Heavy RestrictionsApproved Materials
Reading Zoning Code § 600-1304 bans barbed-wire fences in residential settings, electrically-charged fences (except invisible pet fences), broken glass affixed to fence tops, and junk materials. Barbed wire is also restricted in front yards and within six feet of grade citywide, and cannot project beyond the exterior face of a fence or wall. Commercial and industrial sites have somewhat broader latitude.
Reading Prohibited Fence Materials - § 600-1304
Some RestrictionsLooking for Berks County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Reading city rules.
Fence Regulations in Berks County →