Albany, NY Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Fences in the City of Albany are regulated by Section 375-98 of the Unified Sustainable Development Ordinance, titled "Location of Fences and Walls." The City requires a building permit before a new fence is constructed or an existing fence is replaced, with a $25 application fee per lot submitted to the Department of Planning and Development as a check or money order made out to the City of Albany Treasurer. Section 375-98 sets three baseline height tiers. Fences not exceeding 4 feet in height and no more than 60% solid (i.e., at least 40% open/visually transparent) may be located in any front yard or in any yard that has street frontage — the open-design standard is intended to preserve sightlines along the public way and the character of Albany's historic residential streets. Fences in any side or rear yard, including corner-side yards, may rise to a maximum of 6 feet. The single major land-use exception is in the I-1 (Light Industrial) and I-2 (General Industrial) districts, where side- and rear-yard fences may go up to 8 feet to provide perimeter security. Applicants who need to exceed any of these limits must first obtain a written letter of denial from the Department of Planning and Development explaining why the proposal does not comply with the USDO, and then file the appropriate variance or special-use application with the Board of Zoning Appeals. Specific design rules (such as which side of a stockade fence must face out and which materials are prohibited) are detailed in the Department's Fence Information Sheet that accompanies §375-98.