Bethlehem, PA Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Bethlehem layers two permit tracks for fences. (1) Zoning permit: the Bureau of Code Enforcement (City Hall, 10 East Church Street) issues a zoning permit confirming the fence complies with Article 1318 - the seven-foot height cap in §§ 1318.13, 1318.15, and the rear-yard rule; the corner sight-triangle restriction in § 1318.06; and the historic-district overlays applicable to South Bethlehem Historic Conservation District and other designated areas under Article 1310 (which trigger Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission (BHCC) or Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) review before any visible exterior alteration). The permit application typically requires a scaled site plan showing the lot, structures, and proposed fence location with distances to property lines, the proposed height and material, the property owner's signature, and a permit fee set by the Council fee schedule. (2) UCC permit: Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, codified at 34 Pa. Code Ch. 401-405, generally exempts residential fences six feet and shorter from a separate UCC building permit (this is the well-known statewide exemption for low fences). Fences taller than six feet, or pool-barrier fences (which must comply with the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code adopted by Pennsylvania), require a UCC building permit from the City's Building Code Official. Bethlehem's local zoning permit is independent and applies even where the UCC exempts the structure. Where the fence is on a shared boundary, Bethlehem does not require neighbor consent, but Pennsylvania common-law partition-fence principles impose separate civil obligations on cost-sharing - the City permit does not resolve those private disputes.