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

§ 461-51 is short and absolute: a permit shall be required for the erection of a fence, full stop, with no exemption for a low fence or a temporary one, and the applicant must submit a certified survey showing the proposed fence's type, height and location before the Zoning Officer signs off. The fee schedule at § 461-70I(1)(a) sets the residential fence permit at $75. For nonresidential property, § 461-70I(2)(a) charges $100 for a fence up to six feet and another $100 for a fence taller than six feet, so a tall commercial fence effectively costs double the base fee.

Because § 461-47 sets different height and open-construction rules depending on where along the lot line the fence sits, front, side or rear, the certified survey the Zoning Officer reviews has to show enough of the lot geometry to confirm the fence meets the specific segment rule that applies to that stretch of property line, not just an overall height. A fence built without first obtaining the § 461-51 permit is out of compliance even if its height and materials would otherwise satisfy § 461-47, because the permit step is a separate, independent requirement.