Bloomfield, NJ Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

The fence permit rule in Bloomfield Township is in § 315-43A of the Land Development and Zoning chapter. A fence in excess of 18 inches in height shall require a zoning permit, except decorative split rail fences at property corners. The same subsection states that a retaining wall of four feet or less in height is not a fence, so the fence permit rule does not reach it.

The code names the administrative officer, defined in the chapter as the Zoning Officer of the Township of Bloomfield, as the official who administers and enforces the fence section under § 315-43M. The permit review measures the fence against the height and yard standards in the same section: fences over four feet only in the rear yard, a six-foot ceiling, and 60% open construction with a 10 foot setback for any front yard fence.

The zoning permit is not the only approval in play. Section 315-43N states that the fence section does not supersede the provisions of the Township Code that it incorporates by reference: the Building Code, Chapter 497, Streets and Sidewalks, Article VIII, Obstruction of Vision, and Chapter 508, Swimming Pools. Those chapters remain in force alongside the fence section.

Several construction rules apply regardless of height. Under § 315-43F, no fence can be erected that would create a hazard by the manner of construction or the materials used, or that could cause injury due to jagged end surfaces, spikes or points. Section 315-43G bars fences of nonstandard materials that could be considered makeshift, create an eyesore or cause an annoyance, and § 315-43H bars any fence that encroaches upon a public right-of-way. Section 315-43L makes it unlawful to install or maintain security grills, gates or doors of any type on the exterior of any building, including rolling, solid swinging, sliding or accordion garage-type doors. Interior security gates are permitted on businesses only if they are open, have window transparency and carry a Knox box under Fire Department regulations.