Lynn, MA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Frontage area height cap
- 4 feet (both frontages on corner lots)
- Interior/rear height cap
- 6 feet, unless required for screening
- Retaining wall behind setback
- No height limit
- Prohibited materials
- Barbed wire, concertina wire, citywide
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 7.B.2-3
Summary
Lynn caps fences and retaining walls at 4 feet in a lot's frontage area (both frontages on a corner lot) and 6 feet everywhere behind it, per Section 7.B.2 of the zoning ordinance. Retaining walls can go higher behind the required front setback. Barbed and concertina wire are banned outright.
2. Fence and wall height maximum
a. Fences and retaining walls located in the frontage area of a lot may be up to four feet in height. On corner lots, the frontage area includes both the primary and secondary frontage. Successive retaining walls must be built with a minimum horizontal separation distance of four feet.
b. Fences and retaining walls located behind the frontage area, internal to the lot, may be up to six feet in height, unless required as screening.
c. Retaining walls may be built to any height behind required front setbacks. ... 3. Restrictions
a. Fences are prohibited within any existing or required drainage or utility easement.
b. Barbed wire and concertina wire are prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
2, Fence and wall height maximum, in the City of Lynn Zoning Ordinance adopted December 9, 2025, splits a lot into two height zones. In the frontage area, fences and retaining walls may be up to 4 feet high; on a corner lot, the frontage area rule reaches both the primary and secondary frontage, so both street-facing sides are held to the 4-foot cap. Where a property builds a series of retaining walls in that frontage area, each successive wall must be separated by a minimum of 4 feet of horizontal distance, preventing a stepped wall from functioning as one tall wall.
C can govern instead. Retaining walls specifically get one more allowance: they may be built to any height as long as they sit behind the required front setback. 3 fences are barred from any existing or required drainage or utility easement, with barbed wire and concertina wire prohibited citywide regardless of height.
Violations & Fines
A fence or wall over 4 feet in the frontage area, over 6 feet elsewhere without a screening basis, or built with barbed or concertina wire violates Section 7.B.2-3. Inspectional Services can order it cut down or removed on a complaint, and as a zoning violation it's a misdemeanor under Section 11.B.3: a $300 fine per violation, each additional day a separate offense, plus costs and legal fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a fence be in my front yard in Lynn?
Can I build a fence taller than 6 feet in my backyard?
Is barbed wire allowed on a fence in Lynn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynn
How Lynn compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Lynn to another location·View the Massachusetts fence regulations overview
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