Yonkers, NY Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Barbed wire/electric fences
- Prohibited on all lots
- Front yard fence height
- 4 feet maximum
- Side/rear yard fence height
- 6 feet maximum
- Nonresidential open fence
- 8 feet if 75% open
- Corner sight triangle
- 4 feet max within 75 ft
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Housing and Buildings
Summary
Yonkers City Code § 43-41D bans electrically charged fences, barbed wire and any fence built of sharp materials on residential lots. Fences must also sit inside lot lines and meet height caps: four feet in front yards, six feet elsewhere, or eight feet if at least 75% open in nonresidential districts.
D. Fences and walls. (1) All fences or walls and their appurtenances shall be located inside all lot lines. (2) Electrically charged fences, barbed-wire fences and other fences constructed of sharp materials shall not be permitted. (3) Fences and walls, including retaining walls, shall only be permitted within required yard setbacks and courts in accordance with the following: (a) Such fences or walls shall not exceed four feet in height if located in a required front yard setback or in any other required yard setback abutting a street, and six feet in height within any other required yard setback, except that a fence of not less than 75% open construction may have a maximum height of eight feet where located in a nonresidential district...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745274; v31 updated 2025-10-28; through 10-28-2025).
Full Breakdown
Under § 43-41D(1), all fences and walls, including retaining walls, must be located entirely inside the property's lot lines; a fence cannot straddle or sit outside the boundary. Subsection D(2) flatly bars electrically charged fences, barbed-wire fences and any other fence built of sharp materials anywhere fences and walls are otherwise permitted, with no residential exception. Height is capped by D(3)(a): a fence or wall in a required front yard setback, or any yard setback that abuts a street, tops out at four feet, while side and rear yard fencing can reach six feet.
In nonresidential districts, a fence built with at least 75% open construction (chain-link, split-rail and similar styles) can rise to eight feet. The Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Buildings can also require a retaining wall to carry a motor vehicle bumper guard or an open-construction fence up to four feet taller than the base limit where needed for safety. Corner-lot owners face an added restriction under D(3)(c): within the sight triangle formed by the two street center lines and a line connecting points 75 feet out on each, no fence, wall or structure may exceed four feet, so drivers can see cross-traffic.
Fences and walls are among the few accessory features allowed in a front yard at all under § 43-40D(1), since most accessory structures are barred there entirely.
Violations & Fines
A fence that uses barbed wire, electric charging or sharp materials, or that exceeds the height caps, is a zoning violation under § 43-153 and rates as a Class II offense: a fine of $100 to $5,000, up to 15 days in jail, or a civil penalty of $250 to $5,000 under § 1-21. The Department of Housing and Buildings enforces the fence rules and can order removal; the Corporation Counsel may sue for an injunction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a barbed-wire fence around my Yonkers yard?
How tall can my front-yard fence be in Yonkers?
Does my fence have to sit exactly on the property line?
What happens if I install a fence that breaks these rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yonkers
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