Ridgewood, NJ Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Village of Ridgewood Code § 190-124F(1) allows fences and retaining walls in the front, side and rear yard, but confines freestanding walls to the side and rear yard except for sitting or planter walls of 24 inches or less. Fences and freestanding walls generally need no setback from a property line, though retaining walls follow a one-foot-of-setback-per-foot-of-height formula near side and rear lines under § 190-124F(2). Maximum height under § 190-124F(3)(a) is four feet for fences and walls accessory to single-family, two-family and similar residential uses, but a height up to six feet is allowed if the fence sits at or near a line abutting a nonresidential use, a multifamily dwelling, a single-family attached dwelling, or serves as a required pool enclosure, and is located in the side and/or rear yard.

Retaining walls are separately capped at four feet each, with combined stacked walls limited to twelve feet within any twenty-foot horizontal span. Fence posts and gates may exceed the height cap by up to one foot. Section 190-124F(4) requires that no fence, wall or retaining wall interfere with safe sight distance at street intersections, driveways, parking access aisles or sidewalks, or along horizontal street curves; the Village Engineer sets the required sight distance case by case and can demand more stringent clearance than the standard height rule allows.