Fences across Essex County communities top out at 6 feet in back and side yards and 3 to 4 feet in front yards under town zoning. A fence over 6 feet built to spite a neighbor is a private nuisance under MGL c.49 §21.
Massachusetts sets no statewide fence height cap, so Salem, Lynn, Peabody, Haverhill, and the other Essex towns fix limits through zoning bylaws: 6 feet along rear and side lot lines, 3 to 4 feet within the front-yard setback for sight-line safety. A fence over 6 feet erected maliciously to spite an adjoining owner loses that protection and becomes an actionable private nuisance under c.49 §21. Corner lots carry tighter limits near intersections.
A neighbor injured by a spite fence sues in tort for damages under c.243. Zoning violations draw a stop-work order and fines up to $300 per day until the fence is lowered to the permitted height.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Essex County, MA
Light trespass, a neighbor's glare spilling onto your property, is controlled by town outdoor-lighting bylaws across Essex County, not by state law. Fixtures...
Essex County, MA
Massachusetts has no statewide dark-sky law, so night-sky protection in Essex County comes from town outdoor-lighting bylaws. Rowley, Rockport, and other com...
Essex County, MA
Parks in Essex County close at night. State conservation land follows a dawn-to-dusk rule under 302 CMR 12.03, and each town sets matching hours for its own ...
Essex County, MA
Massachusetts has no statewide juvenile curfew, and Essex County has no county code. A few towns keep local nighttime curfews, but the state's high court lim...
Essex County, MA
Commercial drone work anywhere in Essex County runs under the FAA's Part 107 rule. Massachusetts adds no county permit; operators hold a Remote Pilot Certifi...
Essex County, MA
Recreational drone flying across Essex County follows federal FAA rules, not a county code. Fly under 400 feet, within sight, pass the free TRUST test, and r...
See how Essex County's height limits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.