New Jersey has no Good Neighbor Fence Act; each Bergen County owner pays for their own fence. Spite fence doctrine applies. Disputes handled by Bergen County Superior Court or Small Claims Division.
New Jersey has no statutory fence cost-sharing requirement, so in Bergen County each property owner is responsible for their own fence on their own side of the property line. Boundary disputes are common due to Bergen's small lots (many under 0.15 acre) and should be resolved through a licensed NJ land surveyor. NJ common law recognizes the spite fence doctrine — a fence erected primarily to annoy a neighbor may be enjoined as a private nuisance (see Pollard v. Phelps). Bergen County Superior Court (Hackensack) handles property-line and nuisance actions; disputes under $5,000 go to Small Claims. Trees overhanging property lines follow the Ayala v. B&B Realty rule: an owner may trim branches to the property line without notice.
Civil remedies only: injunction plus damages for spite fence. Trespass/encroachment: civil suit with survey. No criminal penalties absent fraud.
See how Bergen County's neighbor fence rules rules stack up against other locations.
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