Portland, ME Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front fence height (within 15 ft of street)
- 4 feet max, § 7.5.4(A)
- Side/rear fence height
- No cap under this section
- Corner sight-triangle limit
- 3.5 feet, § 7.5.1
- Sight triangle size
- 25 feet from corner each way
- Exception authority
- Public Works Authority review
Summary
Portland limits residential fences near the street to four feet within 15 feet of the street line, with no height cap in this section for side or rear yards. A separate corner-clearance rule caps sight obstructions at 3.5 feet within a 25-foot sight triangle at street intersections.
No shrub, wall, fence, sign, or pile of material higher than 3 1/2 feet above the lowest elevation at the curbline shall be permitted on a corner lot within the area of a triangle formed by a line connecting the curblines of the intersecting streets at points 25 feet from the corner, unless said obstruction is reviewed by the Public Works Authority and found not to be a traffic or public safety hazard. ... A. Fences. In residential zones, no wall or fence within 15 feet of the street shall be more than four feet in height, unless said fence is located in the side or rear yard.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Article 7's dimensional standards address fences in two places. ' The four-foot cap applies to the portion of a lot within 15 feet of the street line, front yards, in practice, while fences set back in side or rear yards are not capped by this provision. 5-foot sight-triangle limit within 25 feet of the corner, and the four-foot street-frontage limit governs any fence within 15 feet of the street outside that triangle. The Public Works Authority can approve an obstruction inside the sight triangle if it reviews the specific obstruction and finds no traffic or safety hazard.
Violations & Fines
A fence exceeding these limits is a Land Use Code violation enforceable by the Code Enforcement Officer under Section 1.5.1, punishable by a fine of $100 to $500 per offense under Code of Ordinances Section 1-15, with each day the noncompliant fence remains standing treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my fence be in Portland, Maine?
What is Portland's corner-lot fence rule?
Can I get an exception to the corner-clearance height limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portland
How Portland compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Portland to another location·View the Maine fence regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.