Portland, ME Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

Section 25-1, in Chapter 25 (Streets, Sidewalks and Other Public Places), covers any fence 'of barbed wire, or of which barbed wire is a part' that would sit 'along the line of any such streets, ways, or public places' in Portland. The rule doesn't ban the material outright, it makes barbed wire fencing along a public way unlawful unless the property owner first gets a revocable permit from the building inspector. The city council sets the permit fee by order, and the building inspector may issue the permit only after finding that the barbed wire 'will be erected and maintained in such a way as to adequately protect users of such streets, ways and public places', meaning the fence has to be installed and kept up so it doesn't create a hazard for pedestrians, cyclists, or anyone else using the adjoining public space.

Because the permit is revocable, the building inspector can pull it later if the barbed wire stops meeting that protective standard. 8) and was last amended by Ordinance No. 118-82 on August 2, 1982, so it predates the 2026 Land Use Code's dimensional fence standards, those newer height rules for residential lots in Table 9-B don't address barbed wire or electrified fencing at all, leaving Section 25-1 as Portland's only codified fence-material restriction. There is no companion provision in the General Ordinances or Land Use Code specifically restricting electric fencing.