Annapolis, MD Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Barbed wire
- Prohibited except jails, utilities
- Design standard
- Must match neighborhood character
- Historic district
- HPC approval required for materials
- Permit
- Required under § 17.34.010
Summary
Annapolis requires fence and wall materials to match the character of the surrounding neighborhood and bans barbed wire outright, except at correctional facilities and utility installations.
6. Fence Design to Match the Surrounding Neighborhood. The overall design and materials used for fences and walls shall keep with the character and purpose for which the fence or wall is intended and be compatible with similar structures in the neighborhood. ... 8. Barbed Wire. Except in connection with penal and correctional institutions and public utility and service uses, no fence or wall shall consist, in whole or in part, of barbed wire or similar materials designed or customarily utilized to inflict injury upon persons or animals.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under Annapolis City Code § 21.60.070(B)(6), fence and wall design and materials must keep with the character and purpose of the fence and be compatible with similar structures in the neighborhood -- a design-review standard rather than a fixed materials list. Section 21.60.070(B)(8) separately bans barbed wire and similar injury-inflicting materials outright, whole or in part, except for penal and correctional institutions and public utility and service uses. Fences citywide need a permit under § 17.34.010, and any fence within the historic district also needs Historic Preservation Commission approval of its materials under § 21.60.070(B)(1).
Violations & Fines
Installing barbed wire on a residential or commercial fence violates § 21.60.070(B)(8) and can trigger a code enforcement notice; fences with mismatched materials in the historic district risk HPC denial or a stop-work order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a barbed wire fence in Annapolis?
Does Annapolis require a specific fence material?
Do historic district fences face extra material rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
Compare Annapolis to another location·View the Maryland fence regulations overview
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