Prince George's County, MD Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Approved materials
- Masonry, ornamental metal, treated wood, composite, vinyl
- Barbed/razor wire
- Banned without security exemption plan
- Scrap materials
- Chicken wire, corrugated metal, plywood banned
- Electric fencing
- Above-ground banned except rural livestock use
- Chain-link
- Banned in Transit-Oriented/Activity Center zones
- Below-ground pet fencing
- Allowed countywide
- Violation penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 90 days jail
Summary
Prince George's County requires fences and walls to use masonry, ornamental metal, treated or rot-resistant wood, composite, vinyl, or living-wall cladding under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 27-6604. The same section bans barbed and razor wire, chicken-wire and scrap materials, and above-ground electric fencing, except for approved security plans, farm operations, utility substations, and livestock enclosures in rural zones.
General Unless otherwise specified in Section 27-6604(b) below, fences and walls shall be constructed of any one or more of the following materials: Masonry, concrete, or stone; Ornamental metal, except that fencing shall not incorporate spiked tops within a residential zone without approval of a security exemption plan in accordance with Section 27-6610, Security Exemption Plan; Painted wood, pressure treated wood, or rot-resistant wood such as cedar, cypress, or teak; ...Vinyl. Prohibited Materials The following fence types or materials are prohibited: Barbed and/or razor wire, unless approved as part of a security exemption plan in accordance with Section 27-6610, Security Exemption Plan, or on land with an agricultural use, or on land used for installation and operation of high-voltage equipment at substations...; ...Above-ground fences that carry electrical current, except as used for the purposes of enclosing livestock in the Rural and Agricultural base zones and in the RE and RR zones (nothing shall prohibit below-ground electrical fences intended for the keeping of pets).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 27-6604, Materials, gives the master list of approved fence and wall materials for most of the county: masonry, concrete, or stone; ornamental metal (spiked tops need a Sec. 27-6610 security exemption plan in residential zones); painted, pressure-treated, or rot-resistant wood such as cedar, cypress, or teak; composite material designed to look like wood, metal, or masonry; wrought iron, welded steel, or electrostatically plated black aluminum, but not chain-link; vinyl; and walls clad to support living vegetation, plus any material the Planning Director finds equally durable and similar in appearance. In the Transit-Oriented/Activity Center base and PD zones the list narrows to native or imitation stone, brick, stucco or decorative block with a brick or stone coping, painted or stained wood, the same metal options for fences and gates, and black vinyl-coated chain link, but only around schools, daycares, recreational facilities, and similar outdoor uses.
Subsection (c), Prohibited Materials, bans four categories countywide: barbed and/or razor wire, unless it is part of an approved Sec. 27-6610 security exemption plan, sits on land in agricultural use, or protects high-voltage electrical substation equipment operated by a regulated public utility; fences of chicken wire, corrugated metal, fabric, fiberboard, garage door panels, plywood, rolled plastic, sheet metal, debris, or waste materials, unless the material is recycled and remanufactured to resemble a standard building product; chain-link in the Transit-Oriented/Activity Center zones, nonresidential zones other than IH, and the IE-PD and MU-PD zones, except to keep wildlife off produce in a community garden or urban agriculture use; and above-ground electric fencing, except to enclose livestock in the Rural and Agricultural base zones or the RE and RR zones, with below-ground electric pet-containment fencing allowed everywhere.
Violations & Fines
Installing a prohibited material, such as barbed wire or an above-ground electric fence, without a qualifying exemption is a Zoning Ordinance violation enforced under Sec. 27-8206. The County can pursue a civil fine or charge a misdemeanor, and a conviction carries up to a $500 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both; each day the prohibited fence remains counts as its own violation, and violations repeated within 36 months draw the same escalated penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a barbed wire fence around my house?
Is an electric fence legal in Prince George's County?
Can I build a chain-link fence?
What materials can I use for a standard yard fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
Compare Prince George's County to another location·View the Maryland fence regulations overview
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