7 rules for unincorporated Richmond County, New York.
Verified from official government sources
NYC Zoning Resolution 23-44 caps residential fences at 4 ft front yard, 6 ft side/rear. Over 6 ft requires DOB permit and special height variance.
NYC Building Code §3112.1; ZR §23-44; 1 RCNY §101-14
Applications for fences may be filed with a PW1 form by checking Box 6D and entering Fence Not Temp. However, as per 1 RCNY §101-14 , for one- and two-family dwellings, the Department does not require permits for fences 6 feet or less in height and homeowners may install their own fencing. Residential and commercial fences for privacy are typically made of wood, plastic, brick, or chain link. T...
Fences 6 ft or under: no DOB permit required. Over 6 ft: DOB work permit. Landmark districts and historic homes require LPC approval regardless of height.
No statutory shared-cost fence rule. NY RPAPL 843 allows action against spite fences over 10 ft erected to annoy a neighbor. Party fence disputes resolved in civil court.
Staten Island retaining walls over 3 feet (measured from lowest adjacent grade to top) require a NYC DOB permit, PE/RA-stamped plans, and Special Inspections under NYC Building Code §1704.22. Walls in sloped North Shore/Grymes Hill areas face stricter geotechnical review, and ECB/OATH violations are aggressively issued.
Staten Island pool barriers must meet NYC Building Code Appendix G / §3109 and NYS Uniform Code: minimum 48-inch fence, self-closing and self-latching gate with latch 54 inches above grade, maximum 4-inch openings, plus a NYS-mandated pool alarm (NY Exec. Law §378(5-b)). Installation requires a DOB permit and DOB-witnessed final inspection.
NYC Zoning Resolution 23-44(b) requires sight triangles at corner residential lots. Obstructions between 2.5 ft and 10 ft prohibited within the triangle.
No citywide material restriction on residential fences. Landmark districts require LPC-approved materials. Barbed wire and electrified fencing prohibited in residential zones.
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