Old Bridge, NJ Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Any property owner in Old Bridge Township planning to erect, replace or alter a fence on residential property must first obtain a fence permit from the Department of Community Development, per Township Code § 164-1. The permit requirement applies to every fence in the Township except living fences, meaning hedges or planted screening are exempt from the paperwork, though they carry their own maintenance rule under § 164-6. The standard fence permit fee is $30, set by a 2014 amendment, Ord. No. 2014-22. If the fence will stand higher than six feet, the applicant needs a separate construction permit in addition to the fence permit, reflecting the added structural review the Construction Code Office applies under the Uniform Construction Code chapter, Ch.

108. Existing fences that are being replaced or altered are treated the same as new construction: the property owner must pull a new fence permit and meet every other requirement of Chapter 164, including the height and material rules in §§ 164-3 and 164-4. Fences proposed as part of new construction projects are folded into the site plan review before the approving board rather than handled as a standalone permit, per § 164-10. Anyone denied a permit, or facing hardship under the chapter's residential fence rules, can appeal to the Township Council, which may grant a variance after the applicant proves adjacent property owners were notified, under § 164-8.

Because Chapter 164 carries no fence-specific penalty clause, an unpermitted fence falls under the Code's general penalty in § 1-3: a fine up to $1,250, up to 90 days imprisonment, or community service, with each day of a continuing violation counted separately under § 1-4.