Abington, PA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Section 3311.2 of the Abington Township Code, added to the adopted Building Construction Code by Section 62-2(Q), sets the trigger for a fence permit: "No fence, screening, wall or retaining wall shall be erected on or encroach within five feet of an established property line without first securing a building permit." The same section conditions issuance of that permit on proof of the boundary itself, stating no permit for a fence, screening, wall or retaining wall may be issued until satisfactory evidence is presented to the Building Inspector of a boundary survey with its corners properly marked by monuments or stakes placed under a registered engineer's or land surveyor's direction.

Section 3311.5 repeats that survey requirement whenever a fence, wall or screening is actually erected within five feet of a property line, though it lets the Building Official waive the survey if the boundary line can be easily established without one. Height is handled separately in Section 3311.4, which caps most fences, screening or walls at six feet unless the Zoning Hearing Board grants a special exception after a public hearing, and open wire fencing and retaining walls are carved out of that height cap.

Section 3311.6 gives the Building Official authority over sight lines near the street: a fence, screening or wall installed within 10 feet of a front property line that creates a vision obstruction for a motorist must be removed or reinstalled as the Building Official directs, independent of whether it otherwise complied with the five-foot permit rule.