Anne Arundel County, MD Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Under the county's adopted Construction Code, a permit is required before any structure regulated by the code is built (§ 105.1), but § 105.2.1.2 exempts residential fences up to 6 feet high from that requirement: with two exceptions: fences on waterfront property and fences on corner lots with intersecting streets always need a permit, whatever their height. This applies throughout unincorporated Anne Arundel County, including Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Pasadena, Odenton, and Crofton, where the County Code is the only local building law (Annapolis and Highland Beach have their own separate codes). Applications go to the Department of Inspections and Permits, and fences within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area can trigger additional review even when the permit itself is exempt.