Permits & Rules
How tall can my fence be?
Six feet is the residential standard permitted by right in rear and side yards across most municipalities in Chester, Delaware and Montgomery County, with front and street-facing yards commonly limited to four feet. Eight-foot fences generally require a variance. The governing figures are set by your specific township or borough and, separately, by any HOA — so both need confirming before a height is chosen.
The rule that catches people most often is corner-lot treatment. A corner property is generally treated as having two front yards, one facing each street, so the lower front-yard height limit applies along both street frontages rather than just the one the house faces. Homeowners routinely design a six-foot rear fence only to find part of it runs along a second front yard.
Grade matters too. Height is measured from the finished grade, so a fence on top of a berm or retaining wall may measure taller than intended from one side — and for a pool barrier, grade on the outside face is part of the compliance measurement.
HOA standards frequently cap height below what the township would permit. Where they conflict, build to the more restrictive.
