Fence Regulations
Height limits, permit requirements, neighbor rules, and approved materials.
Fence law is written in feet and inches. Heights step down toward the street, with front yards capped lower than side and rear, and a visibility triangle at corners where nothing tall may stand. Below a stated height, many cities ask for no permit at all. Above it, or for anything retaining earth, the building code takes over.
Materials get less regulation than most people expect, barbed wire and electrified fencing aside. The disputes that actually fill inboxes, who pays for a shared boundary fence, whose tree dropped the limb that crushed it, are mostly state civil law, and a municipal code has surprisingly little to say about them.
All 50 States: Fence Regulations at the State Level
Each tile shows the strongest state-level rule for that state. Click a state to see its full statewide rules and how local cities are constrained.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
What's Covered
Height Limits
Maximum fence heights for front, side, and back yards, including privacy fences, corner-lot visibility rules, and how height is measured on slopes and retaining walls.
Fence Permit Requirements
Whether you need a building permit to install or replace a fence, and what the permit process and fees look like.
Neighbor Fence Rules
Rules about shared boundary fences, including who pays for construction and maintenance, and which side faces the neighbor.
Retaining Walls
Height limits and permit requirements for retaining walls, including engineering requirements for taller walls on sloped lots.
Material Restrictions
Specific materials that are prohibited for fencing, such as barbed wire, razor wire, or electric fencing in residential zones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about fence regulations in the United States.