Fence Regulations in Maryland (2026)

Annapolis caps street-facing fences at four feet in its Neighborhood Conservation districts, requires a Planning and…

Fences up to 6 feet tall are permit-exempt across unincorporated Anne Arundel County, but a permit is required…

In unincorporated Baltimore County, residential fences may be up to 42 inches (3.5 feet) in a front yard and 6 feet in…

Carroll County lets fences rise up to 10 feet without a building permit, so long as they meet County, City, or Town…

Charles County caps front-yard fences at four feet (six feet if part of a coordinated project design), and rear or side…

Gaithersburg limits fences and screen walls to 3 feet in any front yard or along a public or private road, 6 feet in…

In unincorporated Harford County, front-yard fences and walls on residential lots top out at 4 feet under Harford…

On a corner lot, no fence over 3 feet may sit inside the sight triangle formed by lines 25 feet back from where the…

Montgomery County's Zoning Ordinance limits fences, walls, and hedges on residential corner lots to 3 feet within 15…

Prince George's County caps residential and rural-zone fences at 4 feet in front yards, corner-lot side yards facing…

Rockville regulates fence placement, height, and design under Chapter 25, Article 9. Electric and barbed wire fences…

Washington County's Zoning Ordinance sets no fixed maximum height for residential fences and walls. Section 23.3(c)…

Annapolis requires a Department of Planning and Zoning permit before erecting, altering, replacing, or removing more…

Baltimore County caps residential fences at 42 inches in front yards and six feet in side and rear yards, but BCZR §…

A Residential Fence Permit is required in Gaithersburg for all new fences and any additions or alterations to existing…

Every fence or wall built in unincorporated Harford County needs a zoning certificate before construction starts, per…

Fences that stay within the exempt heights need no zoning setback approval, but Howard County's building code requires…

Montgomery County requires a building permit before installing or replacing a fence, issued by the Department of…

Prince George's County requires a building permit for any residential fence above four feet, per County Code Sec…

Rockville requires a fence permit from the Chief of Zoning before any fence is built in the city. Deer mesh…

Anne Arundel County requires a construction permit for any fence taller than 6 feet, and for any residential fence on…

Charles County does not require a building permit for a fence up to seven feet tall. Once a fence exceeds seven feet…

Fences up to eight feet high in unincorporated Wicomico County do not need a building permit under § 117-3E of the…

Annapolis lets you build a fence or wall right up to the property line but not over it. Placement responsibility falls…

A residential fence may not be built in your rear or side yard where it adjoins a neighbor's front yard, and within 10…

A closed fence up to 6 feet along a shared side or rear lot line is exempt from setbacks, so it can sit on the property…

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance allows fences on the shared property line and requires the finished side to…

When the City orders supplemental inspections on a grading permit, retaining wall construction must be directed and…

Retaining walls up to 2 feet tall are permit-exempt in Anne Arundel County; taller walls, or any wall holding back a…

Baltimore County requires a retaining wall built entirely on the property causing the change whenever a graded lot…

Carroll County requires a retaining wall taller than 30 inches, measured from finish grade to the top of the wall…

Harford County requires a zoning certificate for any retaining wall 4 feet or taller under § 267-27C(6)(f) of the…

A retaining wall in Howard County needs no building permit if it is 3 feet or less, measured from the lowest adjacent…

Montgomery County exempts residential retaining walls under 36 inches from permits, but any wall over 48 inches, or…

Prince George's County's Zoning Ordinance limits retaining walls to 6 feet in height from finished grade, allowing up…

Washington County requires any retaining wall built in connection with land disturbance to appear on the grading plan…

Gaithersburg only exempts a retaining wall from a building permit if it is 3 feet or less, measured from the lowest…

Retaining walls up to four feet high, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, do not need a…

Rockville places no height cap on retaining walls that hold back earth along a lot line, they may be built to any…

Anne Arundel County bans barbed wire and electrified fences in most residential areas, allowing them only for farming…

Annapolis requires fence and wall materials to match the character of the surrounding neighborhood and bans barbed wire…

Barbed wire is allowed only on top of fences more than 6 feet 9 inches high (or on farms for livestock). Electric…

Howard County defines a closed fence as board-on-board, privacy or stockade, or any fence 50% or less visibly open…

Prince George's County requires fences and walls to use masonry, ornamental metal, treated or rot-resistant wood…

Rockville allows wood, vinyl, aluminum, composite, and chain link fencing in residential zones. Chain link is…