Harford County, MD Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Harford County Code § 267-24B opens the fences-and-walls subsection with a blanket rule: a zoning certificate is required for all fences and walls, with no minimum height or exemption for chain-link, wood or ornamental fencing. That permit sits inside the county's general zoning certificate framework in § 267-8A, which makes it unlawful to initiate development of any lot, building, structure or improvement, including accessory features like fences, without first obtaining a zoning certificate from the Director of Planning. The application must be made in writing by the property owner or contract purchaser, and it must include scaled plans showing the lot's shape and dimensions, the exact location, size and height of the proposed fence, and the existing and intended use of the property.

The Director of Planning will not issue the certificate until the application is complete, reviewed, approved and all applicable fees are paid in full. If a fence also requires a building permit under Chapter 82 of the Harford County Code, a separate zoning certificate and separate zoning certificate fee are not required; the building permit itself stands in for the zoning certificate. Once issued, a certificate can be revoked by the Director of Planning for noncompliance with the conditions of approval, but only after certified-mail notice and a hearing held within 10 to 30 calendar days of that notice, with a final decision issued within 10 calendar days of the hearing's close.