Short answer
It depends on the municipality. Lansdale Borough accepts a dimensioned site plan drawn on the graph page in its permit packet. Abington Township's building code says a fence on or within 5 ft of a property line needs a building permit, and the permit won't issue without evidence of a boundary survey unless the Building Official can readily establish the line. Most other townships nearby ask for a plot plan rather than a new survey.
What each township asks for
| Municipality | What goes with a fence application | Survey? |
|---|---|---|
| Lansdale Borough | Dimensioned site plan on the packet's graph page, plus the contractor's proposal or contract | Not required by the packet |
| Abington Township | Building permit for a fence on or within 5 ft of a property line | Evidence of a boundary survey, unless the Building Official can readily establish the line |
| Upper Dublin Township | Plot plan showing the fence location, filed online | Not stated |
| Montgomery Township | Site plan showing the fence and its distances from the lot lines | Not stated; fence must be at least 2 in inside the line |
| Upper Gwynedd Township | Two plot plans with location and dimensions | Not stated |
| Towamencin Township | Two plot plans with fence location, dimensions and existing features | Not stated |
| Worcester Township | Two copies of the plot plan, HOA letter if applicable | Not stated |
From each municipality's code or permit form, read October 2026.
Abington is the exception
Abington's rule is in its building code, Chapter 62, sections 3311.2 and 3311.5. A fence, screen or wall built on or within 5 ft of an established property line needs a building permit, and the township wants "satisfactory evidence" of a boundary survey before it issues one. The exception is when the Building Official can readily establish the line. In practice, if you have a recent survey with pins still in the ground, bring it. If you don't, ask the Building Department what it will accept before you hire a surveyor. Abington's separate engineered plot plan requirement is for in-ground pools, not fences.
Where to find a plot plan you already have
- Your settlement folder. Many closings include a survey or a mortgage plot plan showing the house and lot lines.
- Recorded subdivision plans. In planned neighborhoods, the recorded plan shows lot dimensions and easements.
- Your deed. It describes the lot and may mention easements or restrictions.
- Pins and monuments. Iron pins at lot corners, if you can find them, anchor any measurement.
Why Lansdale cares about easements more than surveys
Lansdale's packet lets you draw the plan yourself, but it warns that failing to disclose easements or deed restrictions voids the approval. So the documents that matter most there are the deed and any recorded plan, not necessarily a fresh survey. On older Lansdale lots with alleys and rail lines behind them, read those papers before you draw.
When a survey is worth paying for anyway
Even where the township doesn't require one, a survey is cheap insurance when:
- You want the fence close to the line, as Montgomery Township requires for boundary fences.
- An old fence, hedge or wall might not be on the true line.
- A neighbor has questioned where the line is.
- You're in Worcester and need to prove a 6-ft fence is at least 3 ft inside the line.
Pennsylvania law also gives weight to long-standing fences in boundary disputes. Our pages on fences on the wrong side of the line and consentable lines explain why knowing the line before you build matters.
We draw the site plan for permits we file. If we can't find the line with confidence, we tell you before you sign, not after the posts are in.
Common questions
Will the fence company find my property line?
We measure from pins, plans and the house, but we are not surveyors. Only a licensed surveyor can set or certify a boundary.
Can I use the county's online parcel map?
It's useful for a rough idea, but parcel maps are not surveys and can be noticeably off. Don't set a line fence by one.
Does my HOA need the survey too?
Some associations ask for the same plot plan the township gets. Montgomery Township and Worcester both expect HOA approval where it applies.