Somerville, MA Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

1(a) spells out the general rules for fences citywide: fences may be placed up to and along any lot line, but a fence installed directly onto a shared side or rear lot line requires the consent of the abutting property owner first. The same subsection states plainly that fences do not require a Building Permit and are erected at the property owner's risk, meaning Somerville treats fence installation as an activity governed by the dimensional standards in Article 10 rather than by the city's building permitting process.

The ordinance does still regulate orientation: fence posts and supporting rails must face inward toward the property being fenced, with the finished face oriented toward the abutting property or the street, so a homeowner installing a privacy fence needs to mind which side faces the neighbor. 1(f) lets the Review Boards require taller privacy fencing, up to eight feet behind the frontage area, as a condition attached to a Special Permit or Site Plan Approval issued for some other reason, such as addressing a neighbor's privacy concerns during a larger development review. 1(e). 1 only holds outside a mapped flood hazard area.