Philadelphia restricts fences by opacity rather than by listing approved materials: front/street-side fences may be no more than 50% opaque. Barbed, razor, and concertina wire are prohibited on residentially zoned property under Title 14, and masonry fences trigger stricter permit thresholds.
Zoning Code 14-706 regulates fences chiefly through height and opacity, not a list of permitted materials. Fences between the street and the building must be no more than 50% opaque, so solid wood or masonry walls are limited in the front yard regardless of material. Title 14 of the Philadelphia Code prohibits the use of barbed wire, razor wire, concertina wire, or any similar type of wire on residentially zoned property. Material drives the permit pathway: per L&I FAQ PG_004, a building permit is required for masonry fences (poured concrete, stone) that exceed two ft. in height, while non-masonry fences (wood, metal, vinyl) only require a building permit above six ft. A building permit is always required if the property is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places or in the 100-year floodplain, regardless of fence material. Philadelphia has not adopted a code provision banning vinyl, chain link, or wood in residential yards; those are permitted subject to the opacity and height limits of 14-706.
Installing prohibited barbed/razor/concertina wire on a residential lot, or a masonry fence over two feet without a building permit, can result in an L&I violation notice and required removal. Historic-district and floodplain properties that skip the mandatory building permit face stop-work orders and fines.
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