Hudson, NH Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Hudson draws its permit line for fences at exactly eight feet, and pins it down twice in the code. Under § 334-12A and B of the Zoning Ordinance, amended 3-14-1995 by Amdt. No. 3 and 3-9-2010 by Amdt. No. 6, any fence, wall or similar enclosure at eight feet or under in a residential district needs no permit whatsoever. Go above eight feet, and that includes sports and tennis court enclosures, and a permit becomes mandatory. Section 334-16A, the general building-permit exemption list, backs this up by naming fences eight feet or less in height among the accessory structures that do not require a building permit at all, alongside mailboxes, doghouses and clotheslines.

Once a permit is required, § 334-12C and D add two construction conditions on top of the paperwork: the fence must go up adjacent to or behind the front corner of the house rather than at the street line, and it must be built with metal or metal-reinforced support posts, not wood alone. Applications for a fence permit run through the Community Development Department; if the fence or a tennis enclosure will exceed 10 feet, § 334-12E moves the review to the Planning Board instead of a routine desk permit.

The permit requirement applies townwide in every residential zoning district, and the Board of Selectmen holds the underlying authority to administer and enforce the chapter.