Colonie, NY Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Fence types covered
- Electrified and barbed wire fences
- Extra step required
- Special use permit under § 190-57
- Sequence
- Special permit needed before building permit
- Ordinary fences
- Exempt from building permit under § 62-14B(4)
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 15 days jail
Summary
Barbed wire and electrified fences are not banned outright in the Town of Colonie, but § 62-45E requires a special permit before the Building Department will even issue the building permit needed to erect one, putting these fence types through Zoning Board review that ordinary fences never face.
E. The erection or use of electrified or barbed wire fences, or a combination thereof, shall be subject to the obtaining of a special permit pursuant to § 190-57 of the Town Code of the Colonie before obtaining a building permit therefor. F. Fences, planters, garden structures, accessory structures, pools and other minor construction shall be maintained in a safe and substantial manner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4902401; v37 updated 2026-05-28; through 05-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
" That sends an applicant to § 190-57's special use permit review, the same procedure used for other discretionary land-use approvals, before the Building Department Manager can even accept a building permit application for the fence. Ordinary wood, chain-link, or vinyl fencing carries no such requirement; § 62-14B(4) exempts most fences from the building permit process outright as long as they are not part of a swimming pool enclosure. Barbed wire and electrified fencing lose that exemption twice over: they need both the special use permit under § 190-57 and, once that is granted, the building permit itself.
The rest of § 62-45 continues to apply to any fence once installed: Subsection F requires that "fences, planters, garden structures, accessory structures, pools and other minor construction shall be maintained in a safe and substantial manner," so a barbed or electrified fence that falls into disrepair is a maintenance violation on top of any permitting issue.
Violations & Fines
Installing a barbed wire or electrified fence without first obtaining the § 190-57 special permit, or without the follow-on building permit, is a Chapter 62 violation enforceable the same as any unpermitted construction: the Building Department Manager can issue a stop-work order under § 62-21, and § 62-26 sets a fine of up to $500 or 15 days in jail per offense, or a civil penalty of up to $500 for each day the fence remains up without approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a barbed wire fence in Colonie?
Is an electric fence treated the same as barbed wire?
Do regular fences need this special permit too?
What if a barbed or electric fence is put up without the special permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colonie
New York rules heatmap·Compare Colonie to another location·View the New York fence regulations overview
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Material Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Albany County handle material restrictions.