Short answer
Lansdale Borough requires a permit for every fence. Side and rear fences can be 6 ft, or up to 8 ft if the part above 6 ft is see-through; a fully solid 8 ft fence is allowed only along railroad property. In front of the house, only open “architectural” fences 2 to 3 ft high, at least 75% open, along no more than 25% of the frontage are allowed. Fences must sit at least 2 ft from sidewalks and alleys.
Lansdale Borough fence rules at a glance
| Rule | What the code says |
|---|---|
| Front yard | No fence in front of the front wall of the house, except open architectural fences 2 to 3 ft above grade, at least 75% open, along no more than 25% of the frontage. On a lot with no building, no fence in the front-yard setback. |
| Side and rear yards | 6 ft. Up to 8 ft in total if the part above 6 ft is not opaque. |
| Railroad lot lines | A fully opaque fence up to 8 ft is allowed along railroad property. |
| Corner lots | No separate corner-lot height found. The permit packet calls for a 75 ft clear sight triangle from the point of intersection. |
| Placement | Finished side faces neighbors and streets. At least 2 ft from sidewalks and alleys; at least 10 ft from the curb, with the sidewalk between the fence and the street. Built at natural grade, never on a berm or mound. |
| Materials | Fencing made only of wire is prohibited. Materials must look natural. Picket uprights no more than 4 in apart. |
| Floodplain | No fences in the floodplain district, even by special exception. |
| Pools | In-ground and above-ground pools need a borough permit. No borough-specific pool barrier standard found. |
| Permit | Required. Fence Permit Application with a dimensioned site plan and a copy of the contractor’s written proposal. |
From Lansdale Zoning Chapter 405, Article XVIII (§ 405-1801 and § 405-1802), § 405-2604A, and the borough’s Fence Permit Application packet.
How tall can a back-yard fence be in Lansdale?
Six feet is the working limit for side and rear yards. If you want more height for screening, the borough lets the fence reach 8 ft as long as everything above 6 ft is open, such as a lattice or spaced-board topper on a 6 ft privacy panel. A solid 8 ft wall of boards is only allowed on a lot line that borders railroad property.
That exception matters here. Lansdale grew up around the North Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1850s, and SEPTA’s Lansdale/Doylestown Line still stops at Lansdale, Pennbrook and 9th Street, with back yards along the tracks.
Why front yards are so limited
Most people expect to be allowed a 4 ft picket fence out front. In Lansdale the code only allows fences between the front wall of the house and the rear lot line, plus a short, open accent fence ahead of the house. That accent fence tops out at 3 ft, has to be at least 75% open, and can cover no more than a quarter of the frontage, so a 40 ft wide lot gets about 10 ft of it. A 3 ft aluminum section or a widely spaced picket can meet the 75% open requirement; solid board can’t.
The borough is compact, about 3 square miles with roughly 18,800 people. On a corner lot, the 2 ft sidewalk offset and the 10 ft curb rule can take a real bite out of the side yard, so we measure them first.
Rules that catch Lansdale homeowners off guard
- No all-wire fences. A welded-wire dog run or a wire garden fence standing on its own doesn’t pass. Wire mesh on a wood or metal frame is a different question, and we put it to Code Enforcement before we quote it.
- No berms. The fence has to sit at natural grade. Building up a planting bed and setting the fence on top to gain height isn’t allowed.
- Good side out. The finished side faces the neighbors and the street, and the fence has to stay straight, without sagging or leaning.
- No floodplain fences. Lots in the borough’s floodplain district can’t have a fence at all. That mostly affects ground along the Wissahickon headwaters, such as the land around Wissahickon Park on Norway Drive.
Is your Lansdale address actually in the borough?
The 19446 Lansdale mailing address also covers parts of Upper Gwynedd, Towamencin, Hatfield, Montgomery and Worcester townships, and each of those has its own fence code. Only lots inside the borough follow the rules on this page. One quick clue: most borough homes buy power from borough-owned Lansdale Electric rather than PECO. Your tax bill names the municipality for certain. See our Lansdale service area page for the township pages.
Getting the borough permit
Lansdale uses a paper Fence Permit Application. Every section has to be filled in, with a dimensioned site plan drawn on the packet’s graph page or attached, plus a copy of the contractor’s written proposal or contract. It goes to Code Enforcement at One Vine Street (215-368-1691). The packet also warns that failing to disclose easements or deed restrictions voids the approval, so know what’s recorded on your lot before you apply. We didn’t find the fee in what we read.
What we haven’t confirmed
- The borough’s permit packet says front-yard architectural fences may be up to 4 ft, but the code as amended in 2010 says 3 ft. We design to 3 ft unless Code Enforcement tells us otherwise.
- The permit fee.
- A borough pool barrier standard. We found none, so the state Uniform Construction Code is likely what the inspector applies; we confirm before ordering pool fencing.
- Any corner-lot height rule beyond the sight triangle.
These rules were checked in October 2026 against Lansdale’s Chapter 405 and the borough permit packet linked below. Codes change, and we confirm with the zoning office before every install. For other municipalities, see Pennsylvania fence permits. When we come out for a free estimate, we’ll walk the curb and sidewalk distances on your lot with you.
Common questions
Can I put a 4 ft picket fence in my front yard in Lansdale?
Not under the current code. Ahead of the front wall of the house, Lansdale allows only open architectural fences up to 3 ft, at least 75% open, along no more than 25% of the frontage. The permit packet mentions 4 ft, so if you want the taller height, ask Code Enforcement to confirm in writing first.
How close to the sidewalk can my fence go in Lansdale?
At least 2 ft from sidewalks and alleys, and at least 10 ft from the street curb with the sidewalk between the fence and the street.
Can I build an 8 ft fence in Lansdale?
Yes, in side and rear yards, if everything above 6 ft is see-through. A fully solid 8 ft fence is allowed only along railroad property.