Elizabeth, NJ Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential side/rear fence
- 6 feet maximum
- Residential front fence
- 3 feet maximum (decorative/screened)
- Commercial fence height
- 8 feet maximum
- Industrial fence height
- 12 feet maximum
- Corner sight triangle
- No 3-10 ft obstruction within 110 ft of intersection
Summary
City Code Section 17.36.110(C)(5) caps residential fences at 6 feet in a side or rear yard and 3 feet in front, with taller limits of 8 feet commercial and 12 feet industrial. Section 17.36.130 separately bars any obstruction between 3 and 10 feet high inside the sight triangle at street corners.
c.In industrial districts, fences or walls may not exceed twelve (12) feet in height.d.In commercial districts, fences or walls may not exceed eight (8) feet in height. In front yards, fences or walls shall be of a decorative material or obscured by plant material with visually solid portions limited to a height of three (3) feet.e.For residential uses in any district, fences or walls may not exceed six (6) feet in height in any side or rear yard. In front yards, fences or walls shall be of a decorative material or obscured by plant material and may not exceed three (3) feet in height. // 17.36.130 - Visibility at intersections: At all street intersections, no obstruction to vision between a plane three feet above the established grade of the street at the property line and a plane ten (10) feet above said grade shall be erected on any lot within a triangle bounded by the street center lines and a line connecting points on each center line one hundred ten (110) feet from the intersection of such lines.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
36. 110(C)(5) set the baseline: residential fences and walls cannot exceed 6 feet in a side or rear yard, and front-yard fences are held to 3 feet unless built of decorative material or screened by planting. A lot with more than one street frontage gets a narrow exception, allowing a 6-foot fence to project into one front yard in a two-segment angled configuration that starts and ends on the front setback line. Commercial districts allow taller fencing, up to 8 feet, though front-yard commercial fences still need decorative material or plant screening below a 3-foot visually solid portion, and industrial districts allow fences and walls up to 12 feet.
130 imposes a separate, citywide sight-triangle rule: no obstruction to vision is permitted between a plane 3 feet above the street grade and a plane 10 feet above that grade, anywhere inside a triangle formed by the two street center lines and a line connecting points 110 feet out from the intersection on each center line. That triangle rule overrides the otherwise-permitted fence height, so a 6-foot residential fence that would comply everywhere else on the lot still has to drop below the visibility plane, or stop short entirely, inside the 110-foot corner triangle.
Violations & Fines
An oversized fence or a fence built inside the corner sight triangle is enforced as a general code violation under Section 1.12.010: a fine of $100 to $2,000, up to 90 days in county jail, or community service, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. The bureau of zoning can order a fence cut down or relocated where it exceeds the district height limit or blocks the visibility triangle at an intersection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a backyard fence be in Elizabeth?
Can I build a fence right up to the corner of my lot at an intersection?
Are fence heights different for commercial and industrial properties?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elizabeth
How Elizabeth compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Elizabeth to another location·View the New Jersey fence regulations overview
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