Prince George's County, MD Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard / corner sight-line fence
- 4 feet maximum height
- Side and rear yard fence
- 6 feet maximum height
- Multi-building perimeter fence
- 6 feet maximum height
- Corner sight triangle
- No fence within 25 feet of intersection
- Special exception / community garden fence
- Up to 8 feet allowed
- Support posts
- May extend 18 inches above fence top
- Violation penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Prince George's County caps residential and rural-zone fences at 4 feet in front yards, corner-lot side yards facing the street, and build-to zones, rising to 6 feet in every other required yard, per Zoning Ordinance Sec. 27-6603. Sec. 27-6602(d) separately bars any fence or wall from the 25-foot corner sight triangle at street intersections.
General Fences and walls shall be located outside of the public right-of-way. Fences and walls are allowed on the property line between two or more parcels of land held in private ownership. Fences and walls may be located within any required yard. ... Avoidance of Traffic Hazards Notwithstanding other provisions of this Subsection, fences and walls shall not be allowed within the triangle formed by the intersection of the street lines and points on the street lines 25 feet from the intersection, or in a location that is determined by an agency will create a traffic hazard. ... Table 27-6603(a): Fence and Wall Height Within a required front yard, build-to zone, corner lot side yard in front of the principal building (2) | 4 | 4 | 4 Within any other required yard or in corner side yard behind the front plane of the principal building | 6 | 6 | 6 Along the lot lines of a development consisting of multiple buildings, such as along the perimeter of an apartment complex, office park, or industrial park | 6 | 6 | 6
Full Breakdown
The county's fence and wall standards sit in Subtitle 27, the Zoning Ordinance, at Sec. 27-6600 through 27-6604. Sec. 27-6602, General Standards, requires fences and walls to sit outside the public right-of-way, though they may run along a shared property line or inside any required yard; fences inside a utility easement need written authorization from the easement holder or the County, which takes no responsibility for damage caused when a fence must come down for utility access. Fences may go inside required landscaping areas only under an approved landscaping plan. Subsection (d), Avoidance of Traffic Hazards, is the corner rule: no fence or wall may stand inside the triangle formed by two intersecting street lines and the points 25 feet from that intersection, and the Department can also block a fence anywhere it finds a traffic hazard.
Table 27-6603(a) sets the height ceiling by location, and the same numbers apply across every base zone group, Residential and Rural and Agricultural, Nonresidential, and Transit-Oriented/Activity Center alike: 4 feet within a required front yard, a build-to zone, or a corner-lot side yard in front of the principal building; 6 feet in any other required yard, in a corner side yard behind the front building plane, or along the shared lot lines of a multi-building development such as an apartment or office park. A note to the table raises the front-yard cap to 8 feet when a use-specific or special exception standard calls for that height, or for a community garden or urban agriculture fence, unless the taller fence would block a driver's line of sight under Sec. 27-6602(d). Height is measured from the fence's highest point, excluding support posts, down to the lowest adjoining grade, excluding any retaining wall beneath it; posts may rise no more than 18 inches above the fence top, and required safety railings do not count. A landowner needing a taller fence for security can apply for a security exemption plan under Sec. 27-6610, decided by the Board of Appeals or, where delegated, the municipality.
Violations & Fines
Building or replacing a fence above these limits without a permit or exemption is a Zoning Ordinance violation under Sec. 27-8206. The County may pursue a civil fine or prosecute the case as a misdemeanor; conviction carries up to a $500 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both, and each day a non-compliant fence stays up counts as a separate violation, with repeat violations within 36 months triggering the same escalated fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can I build a fence in my front yard?
What is the corner sight triangle rule?
How tall can a side or rear yard fence be?
Can I get a taller fence for security?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
How Prince George's County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland fence regulations overview
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