Fence rules change from one town to the next. This page sums up what ten communities around Winchester say on their own official pages, with a link to each one, so you know what to ask before you order a fence.
Fence rules are set town by town. Each town has its own zoning rules, and some add extra review for corner lots, pools, historic districts or conservation areas. So the same 6-foot fence can need a permit in one town and nothing in the next.
Height is the most common trigger. In most of these towns, 6 feet and 7 feet are the usual cut-offs for a building permit. A corner lot, a pool or a historic district can change the answer.
Rules also change. Before you order a fence, call your town's building department and confirm the rules for your own address.
What each town's own pages say, in short. Each town name links to our page for that town.
| Town | Permit needed when | Height limits | Front yard / corner lots | Historic district / conservation | Where to ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester | Only for a fence higher than 7 ft. Pool fences and corner lots: call the Building Department first. | Ask the town | Corner lots: the Building Department reviews them, so call first. Front yard: Ask the town | Ask the town | Building Department, 781-721-7115 (Mon 8–7, Tue–Thu 8–4, Fri 8–noon). Building Inspector: 781-759-9765, 8 to 9 am only. Town fence FAQ · Building Department |
| Woburn | Yes, for a new fence. Not needed to replace a legal fence within 30 days of removing the old one, or to repair a damaged section of a legal fence. | 6 ft max (the form notes one exception). | 3 ft max inside the street setback, measured from sidewalk or street level. Corner lots: no fence between 3 and 10 ft high inside the 16-ft sight triangle at the corner (per the city's form). Confirm with Inspectional Services. | The permit form asks for conservation approval. Historic district: Ask the town | Inspectional Services, City Hall Annex, 6 Common St., (781) 897-5840. Fence permit form (2017) · Inspectional Services |
| Lexington | Under 6 ft: no building permit. Over 6 ft: building permit. Over 7 ft: Special Permit. | 6 ft at the side and rear lines. 4 ft at the front line. | 4 ft at the front property line. Corner lots: keep sight lines clear. | The town says to check with Conservation and the historic district boards. | Building Department, 1625 Massachusetts Ave., 781-698-4530. Apply online. Fence rules sheet (PDF) · Building Department |
| Arlington | No building permit needed. | 6 ft max. | Can go up to the property line (a certified plot plan is highly suggested). Corner lots and next to driveways: follow the town's traffic visibility bylaw. | Ask the town | Inspectional Services. Fence guidelines (town permit portal) |
| Bedford | 6 ft or under: Zoning / Conservation Compliance Permit. Over 6 ft: building permit, with footing details. | Ask the town | No fence setbacks; the town suggests about 1 ft in from the line. Corner lots: Ask the town | Historic District review if you're in the district and the fence can be seen from a public way. Conservation review first, where it applies. | Code Enforcement, 10 Mudge Way, 781-275-7446. Apply online. Fence guide (PDF) · Building Department |
| Belmont | Under 7 ft: no building permit. | No fence rules of its own; Belmont follows the state building code. | Corner lots: corner clearance rules in Zoning By-Law Sec. 4.3.7. Front yard: Ask the town | Local historic districts need a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior changes seen from a public way. Fences aren't named, so ask the Commission. Conservation: Ask the town | Building Division. Town fence answer · Local historic districts |
| Lynnfield | Ask the town | Ask the town | Ask the town | Ask the town | Building Department, 55 Summer St., 781-334-9470. Building Department |
| Medford | No building permit needed. | Set by zoning district. In certain districts, 6 ft max beyond the front-yard setback. | In certain districts, 4 ft max inside the front-yard setback (usually 15 ft from the front line for 1- and 2-family homes). Corner lots: Ask the town | Ask the town | Building Department, City Hall Room 115A, 85 George P. Hassett Dr., (781) 393-2511. Building Department |
| North Reading | Only for a fence taller than 6 ft. | Ask the town | Ask the town | Ask the town | Building Department, 235 North St., 978-357-5240. Apply online. Town fence FAQ · Building Department |
| Reading | Building permit at 7 ft and over (another town page says over 7 ft). Every fence needs Engineering and Conservation approval. | Ask the town | No rule on which way it faces. It can sit near the line if you can maintain it without going on the neighbor's land. Front yard / corner: Ask the town | In the Historic District: Commission approval for any size fence. Conservation approval for every fence. | Inspectional Services, 16 Lowell St., 781-942-6613 (Mon to Thu). Permitting page · Permit checklist (PDF) |
This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Rules change; the town has the final word.
A few sentences per town, plus where to ask and the official page to check.
The Town of Winchester says no permit is required unless the fence is higher than 7 feet. Its Building Department says it does not oversee where fences go, with two exceptions: pool fencing and fences on corner lots. If you have a pool or a corner lot, call before you build.
Where to ask: Building Department, 781-721-7115 (Mon 8–7, Tue–Thu 8–4, Fri 8–noon). To talk to the Building Inspector, call 781-759-9765 between 8 and 9 am.
Official: Town fence FAQ · Building Department
Per the city's fence permit form, you need a permit before you put up a fence. You don't need one to replace a legal fence within 30 days of taking the old one down, or to repair a damaged section of a legal fence. Height is capped at 6 feet (the form notes one exception), and at 3 feet inside the street setback. The good side (smoother, nicer-looking) must face the neighboring property unless the fence viewer approves otherwise in writing. The form asks for two copies of a certified plot plan and conservation approval. On a corner lot, the form says no fence between 3 and 10 feet high inside the 16-foot sight triangle at the corner.
Where to ask: Inspectional Services, City Hall Annex, 6 Common Street, (781) 897-5840.
Official: Fence permit form (2017, PDF) · Inspectional Services
Lexington's fence regulations sheet says a fence can be up to 6 feet at the side or rear property line and up to 4 feet at the front property line, and the fence, posts and holes must be on your property. No building permit is needed under 6 feet. Over 6 feet needs a building permit, and over 7 feet needs a Special Permit. On a corner lot, keep sight lines clear, and check with Conservation and the historic district boards before you order.
Where to ask: Building Department, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, 781-698-4530. Permits are applied for online.
Official: Fence and retaining wall rules (PDF) · Building Department
Arlington Inspectional Services' guidelines say a fence does not need a building permit. It can go right up to the property line (a certified plot plan is highly suggested, not required) and can be no taller than 6 feet. On a corner lot or next to a driveway, it must follow the town's traffic visibility bylaw. Historic district or conservation review: ask the town.
Where to ask: Arlington Inspectional Services.
Official: Fence guidelines (town permit portal)
Bedford's fence guide says a fence 6 feet or under needs a Zoning / Conservation Compliance Permit, and a fence over 6 feet needs a building permit with footing details (48-inch minimum footing depth). There are no setback rules for fences, but the town suggests setting the fence about 1 foot in from the property line. A certified plot plan stamped by a land surveyor is part of the submission. If your home is in the Historic District and the fence can be seen from a public way, the Historic District Commission reviews it, and any Conservation Commission review has to finish before the permit is issued.
Where to ask: Code Enforcement, 10 Mudge Way, 781-275-7446. Permits can be applied for online.
Official: Fence guide (PDF) · Residential projects · Building Department
The Town of Belmont says it has no fence rules of its own and follows the Massachusetts State Building Code. A fence under 7 feet does not need a building permit. Corner lots still fall under the corner clearance rules in Section 4.3.7 of the Zoning By-Law. Belmont's local historic districts (Pleasant Street, Common Street and Richardson Farm) need a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior changes seen from a public way. The town page doesn't name fences, so ask the Historic District Commission before you order.
Where to ask: Belmont Building Division.
Official: Town fence answer · Local historic districts
We could not find fence rules on Lynnfield's official pages, so we won't guess. Ask the Building Department whether your fence needs a permit, how tall it can be, and what applies to a pool fence.
Where to ask: Building Department, 55 Summer Street, 781-334-9470.
Official: Building Department · Building permit forms
Medford's Building Department says you don't need a building permit to put up a fence. The zoning ordinance still limits height: in certain districts, 4 feet inside the required front-yard setback (usually 15 feet from the front lot line for 1- and 2-family homes) and 6 feet beyond it. The city asks you to contact the Building Department before you build, since the limits depend on your district.
Where to ask: Building Department, City Hall Room 115A, 85 George P. Hassett Drive, (781) 393-2511.
Official: Building Department
North Reading's Building Department FAQ says you don't need a permit unless the fence is taller than 6 feet. Pool and spa barriers have their own town rules, so check those separately. Applications go through the town's online permit system.
Where to ask: Building Department, 235 North Street, 978-357-5240 (Monday to Thursday 8 to 4, Friday 8 to 1).
Official: Town fence FAQ · Building Department
Reading's residential permit checklist says every fence needs Engineering and Conservation approval, and a building permit is required at 7 feet and over. The town's permitting page says over 7 feet, so ask about a fence that is exactly 7 feet. If your home is in the Historic District, any size fence needs Historic District Commission approval. The town says there is no rule on which way a fence faces, and it can sit near the property line if you can maintain it without going onto the neighbor's land.
Where to ask: Inspectional Services, 16 Lowell Street, 781-942-6613 (Monday to Thursday 7 am to 5:30 pm, closed Friday). Engineering 781-942-9082, Conservation 781-942-6616, Historic District Commission [email protected].
Official: Permitting page · Residential permit checklist (PDF)
Massachusetts has pool-barrier rules in the state building code, so confirm with your town's building department.
A fence that works for a yard may not meet the rules around a pool. Confirm the pool-barrier rules with your building department before you build or replace a pool fence.
Find your plot plan or survey before you pick the spot. Woburn's permit form asks for a certified plot plan, Bedford's asks for one stamped by a land surveyor, Lexington says you must have a stamped, certified plot plan from a Massachusetts licensed land surveyor (and the fence, posts and holes must be on your property), and Arlington highly suggests one.
Ask about the permit, the height limit, corner lots, and whether your address is in a historic district or needs conservation review. Note who you spoke with and the date.
Some towns set this. Woburn's form says the good side must face the neighbor unless the fence viewer approves otherwise in writing. Reading says it has no rule. Elsewhere, ask the town.
If the fence is part of a pool enclosure, ask the building department about the pool-barrier rules before anything is ordered.
Post holes go into the ground, so call 811 to have underground utility lines marked first. If a contractor is digging, ask them to confirm the call was made. Details: digsafe.com.
Last checked: October 2026. This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Rules change; the town has the final word.
Once you know your town's rules, Carmen can look at your yard and give you a free estimate. He does every estimate himself.
