Toms River, NJ Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front-yard fence cap
- 30 inches, street to building line
- Rear/side fence cap
- 72 inches (6 feet)
- Corner sightline cutback
- 2.5 feet within 25 ft of intersections
- Adopted
- Dec. 9, 2008, Ord. No. 4168-08
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Toms River Township caps fences at 30 inches between the street and the building line, and at 72 inches everywhere else on the lot, including the sides and rear, under §§ 291-3 and 291-4 of the Township Code. Vision-obscuring hedges and brush near intersections face a separate 2.5-foot height limit under § 291-6, and violating the article can draw up to a $1,000 fine.
No person shall erect, permit or cause to be erected or constructed any fence on any parcel of land in this municipality between the public street and the building line, to a height exceeding 30 inches. ... No person shall erect, permit or cause to be erected or constructed any fence on any parcel of land from the front building line back (including the sides and rear of the lot), to a height exceeding 72 inches.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954830; v33 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Article II of Chapter 291, Fences, Plantings and Walls, adopted December 9, 2008 by Ordinance No. 4168-08, sets Toms River Township's fence height limits in two zones on every lot. Section 291-3 bars erecting or maintaining any fence between the public street and the building line taller than 30 inches, so front-yard fences must stay low near the road. Section 291-4 governs the rest of the property, from the front building line back, including the side and rear yards, where a fence may not exceed 72 inches, six feet, in height.
A related rule in § 291-6 requires every owner or tenant to keep brush, hedges, and other plant life growing within 10 feet of any roadway, and within 25 feet of an intersection of two roadways, cut to no more than two and a half feet as measured from the curb grade, to preserve sightlines at corners and driveways; trees are exempt unless specifically found to present a traffic hazard. If an owner fails to trim vision-obscuring growth within 10 days of notice under § 291-7, the Township Council can direct a department head to cut it and assess the cost as a lien on the property under § 291-8.
Article I of the same chapter separately bars barbed-wire or sharp-projection fencing along any street, road, or public place without the adjoining owner's consent, at §§ 291-1 and 291-2.
Violations & Fines
Section 291-9 makes any violation of Article II, including exceeding the 30-inch front-yard or 72-inch rear/side-yard height limits, punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 60 days, or both, in addition to any other remedy available under the article or state law. Barbed-wire or sharp-projection fencing violations under Article I carry a separate, lighter penalty of up to $200 or 30 days in the county jail under § 291-2.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Toms River
How Toms River compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Toms River to another location·View the New Jersey fence regulations overview
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Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle height limits.