Fence laws in Pennsylvania
What Pennsylvania statutes and statewide codes say about fences, one topic at a time, with the section number and a link to the document behind every line.
Pennsylvania fence laws at a glance
| Topic | What the record says | Figure | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fences on the property line | Silent | no figure | 34 Pa. Code 403.62 |
| Fence height | Silent | no figure | 34 Pa. Code 403.62 |
| Permits | Stated | 6 ft | 34 Pa. Code 403.62(c)(1) |
| Pool barriers | Stated | no figure | 34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(14) |
| Spite fences | Silent | no figure | 34 Pa. Code 403.62 |
| How height is measured | Not researched yet | no figure | none |
| Corner visibility | Not researched yet | no figure | none |
| Retaining walls | Not researched yet | no figure | none |
| Materials | Not researched yet | no figure | none |
| Agricultural fencing | Not researched yet | no figure | none |
Fence laws in Pennsylvania, question by question
Who owns the fence between two properties in Pennsylvania?
SilentThe documents were read and none of them cover it. The list of what was read is printed with the finding.
No partition fence rule appears in the published Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. Pennsylvania's old line fence law sits among the unconsolidated statutes, which the General Assembly does not publish as free text, so it could not be read here. The two Uniform Construction Code chapters that were read set permit and code adoption rules and say nothing about who pays for a fence on a boundary.
Documents read before writing that:
- 34 Pa. Code 403.62Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin
- 34 Pa. Code 403.21Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin
How tall can a fence be in Pennsylvania?
SilentThe documents were read and none of them cover it. The list of what was read is printed with the finding.
Pennsylvania sets no statewide limit on residential fence height. The six foot figure in the Uniform Construction Code is a permit threshold and not a cap, so a taller fence is allowed with a permit unless local zoning says otherwise. The code adoption section names no height at all. Height limits come from municipal zoning ordinances.
Documents read before writing that:
- 34 Pa. Code 403.62Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin
- 34 Pa. Code 403.21Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin
Do I need a permit for a fence in Pennsylvania?
StatedThe code gives a plain answer, and the line it appears on is quoted.
Pennsylvania writes the residential fence permit exemption straight into its own regulation instead of leaving it in the model code. A fence of six feet or less needs no permit, as long as the work breaks no other law or ordinance. The same list exempts a retaining wall under four feet that carries no surcharge and a prefabricated pool under 24 inches deep.
Fences that are no more than 6 feet high.
6 ftresidential fence height at or below which no building permit is required
Pool fence requirements in Pennsylvania
StatedThe code gives a plain answer, and the line it appears on is quoted.
Pennsylvania does not write its own pool barrier rule. The Uniform Construction Code adopts a list of model codes by reference, and one of them is the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code of 2021, which carries the barrier height and gate rules for a home pool. The same section also adopts the International Residential Code of 2021.
International Swimming Pool and Spa Code of 2021
Spite fence laws in Pennsylvania
SilentThe documents were read and none of them cover it. The list of what was read is printed with the finding.
Pennsylvania has no spite fence statute. The Uniform Construction Code chapters that govern fences treat them as construction work and set a permit line by height, with nothing about why a fence was built. A Pennsylvania claim over a fence put up to annoy a neighbor runs on common law nuisance and on local zoning.
Documents read before writing that:
- 34 Pa. Code 403.62Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin
- 34 Pa. Code 403.21Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin
How fence height is measured in Pennsylvania
Not researched yet for Pennsylvania. Nothing on this page states what the rule is, because nothing has been read that says.
Fence rules for corner lots in Pennsylvania
Not researched yet for Pennsylvania. Nothing on this page states what the rule is, because nothing has been read that says.
Retaining wall rules in Pennsylvania
Not researched yet for Pennsylvania. Nothing on this page states what the rule is, because nothing has been read that says.
Fence materials allowed in Pennsylvania
Not researched yet for Pennsylvania. Nothing on this page states what the rule is, because nothing has been read that says.
Livestock and boundary fence law in Pennsylvania
Not researched yet for Pennsylvania. Nothing on this page states what the rule is, because nothing has been read that says.
Documents behind this page
2 documents, each read on the date shown. Nothing on this page rests on a summary of one.
- Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin34 Pa. Code Chapter 403, Administration, Permit requirements and exemptions
- Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin34 Pa. Code Chapter 403, Administration, Uniform Construction Code
What this page does not cover
Everything above is state law. Fence height, setback, corner visibility and materials are set by city and county ordinance in almost every state, and a local rule can be far stricter than the statewide default. A parcel can also carry an easement, an overlay district, a fire hazard zone or a recorded HOA restriction, none of which appear in a statute.
This is general information drawn from published government documents. It is not legal advice, statutes are amended, and the date beside each finding is the date the document was read. How findings are made · What the terms mean