Short answer
Horsham Township allows fences up to 4 ft in the minimum required front yard and up to 6.5 ft in side and rear yards; anything over 6 ft must be at least 50% open across the whole fence. Front-yard fences not made of stone, brick or wood need shrubs planted along them. Corner lots have two front yards, and 60 ft clear sight triangles at intersections must stay free of fences. We haven’t confirmed Horsham’s fence permit process.
| Rule | What the code says |
|---|---|
| Front yard | Up to 4 ft in the minimum required front yard. Fences not of stone, brick or wood need shrubs along them to soften the view from the street. |
| Side and rear yards | Up to 6.5 ft. Over 6 ft, the entire fence must be at least 50% open. |
| Corner lots | Two front yards, one rear yard and, if applicable, one side yard. |
| Sight triangle | 60 ft, measured along the street right-of-way lines from their junction, at all intersections. No fence or wall inside it. |
| Barbed wire and electric | Only for agriculture on lots over 10 acres, or for commercial or industrial uses approved by Township Council. Invisible pet fencing is excluded from the ban. |
| Floodway | No fences or other permanent structures. |
| Retaining walls | Allowed in front yards where needed to stabilize grade changes, rising no more than 1 ft above the ground they retain. |
| Pools | No township pool-barrier rule found in the code. |
| Permit | Not confirmed. The zoning code requires a zoning permit for buildings but doesn’t name fences. |
From Horsham Zoning § 230-13, § 230-14 and § 230-21, and Floodplain § 115-12A.
The front-yard shrub rule
Horsham is one of the few codes around here that cares what a front fence is made of. A front-yard fence of stone, brick or wood can stand on its own. A vinyl, aluminum or chain-link front fence needs enough shrubs planted along it to soften the view from the street. Wire mesh that’s built into a wood fence, such as welded wire on a split-rail, doesn’t trigger the shrub rule.
So the material choice changes the budget. A 4 ft wood picket or split rail out front is just the fence. A 4 ft black aluminum fence is also allowed, but plan for a planting bed along the street side.
How tall can a back-yard fence be in Horsham?
Up to 6.5 ft in side and rear yards. That half foot over the usual 6 ft gives room for a privacy panel with post caps or a little clearance on uneven ground. Go above 6 ft and the whole fence, not just the top, must be at least 50% open. A solid 6.5 ft board fence doesn’t qualify; a 6.5 ft open wire or spaced-picket fence can. The code’s wording reads “50% of more,” which appears to be a typo for “50% or more.”
Corner lots and intersections
Every corner lot in Horsham has two front yards, so the 4 ft limit and the shrub rule apply along both streets. At the corner itself, a 60 ft clear sight triangle is measured along the right-of-way lines, and no fence or wall may stand inside it.
Creeks, the Power Line Trail and storm exposure
Park, Little Neshaminy, Pennypack and Wissahickon creeks run through or near Horsham, and the floodplain chapter keeps fences out of the floodway entirely. The Power Line Trail runs along a PECO right-of-way through the township; PECO treats fencing on its rights-of-way as a restricted use that needs its permission. The Ida tornado of September 1, 2021 tracked from Upper Dublin into Horsham, a reminder to set posts deep and pick wind-tolerant designs on exposed lots.
Which Horsham addresses we serve
Horsham covers 17.3 square miles with about 26,600 residents, and its communities include Horsham, Prospectville, Hallowell and part of Maple Glen. We work in the parts of the township with North Wales (19454) or Ambler (19002) mailing addresses, including the Horsham side of Maple Glen. Maple Glen is split with Upper Dublin, whose front-yard rules differ, so check your tax bill. See our Ambler and North Wales pages.
What we haven’t confirmed
- Whether a residential fence needs a permit, the fee and the application process. The township website wasn’t reachable when we checked.
- Any finished-side rule.
- A township pool-barrier rule beyond the state code.
Rules checked in October 2026 from Horsham’s zoning and floodplain chapters. Codes change, so we confirm with the zoning office before every install, including whether a permit is needed. For other townships see PA fence permits. If you’re weighing wood against aluminum out front, we’ll price the fence and the planting together at the estimate.
Common questions
Do I have to plant shrubs along my front fence in Horsham?
Only if the front-yard fence isn’t stone, brick or wood. Vinyl, aluminum and chain-link front fences need shrubs along them; wire mesh built into a wood fence doesn’t count against you.
Can I have an electric fence in Horsham?
Only for agriculture on lots over 10 acres, or commercial and industrial uses approved by Township Council. Invisible pet fencing is excluded from the restriction.