Short answer
The finished side faces out. Lansdale Borough (§ 405-1801B) requires the side without exposed posts and rails to face adjacent properties and streets, and Upper Dublin (§ 255-24B) requires it to face adjacent properties. Cheltenham, North Wales, Worcester and Montgomery Township have similar rules. If you want a good-looking side facing your own yard too, choose a style that's finished on both faces.
What counts as the finished side
The codes define it the same way: the finished side is the side without the exposed structural members. On a typical wood privacy fence, that means the posts and horizontal rails sit on your side and the smooth face of the boards looks at the neighbor. Upper Dublin's wording is the side without the structural supports; Cheltenham's is the side without exposed structural members.
Which local codes say which way the fence faces
| Municipality | What the code says | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Lansdale Borough | Finished side faces adjacent properties or streets | § 405-1801B |
| Upper Dublin Township (Dresher, Fort Washington, part of Ambler) | Finished side faces adjacent properties | § 255-24(B) |
| Cheltenham Township | Finished side faces adjacent properties and rights-of-way | § 295-405A(6)(h) |
| North Wales Borough | Finished side (no exposed supports) faces adjacent properties | Zoning Ch. 208 |
| Worcester Township | Finish side faces adjacent properties or street | § 150-182F |
| Montgomery Township | More attractive side faces outward; posts face inward | § 230-148A |
| Abington Township | A finished-side rule has been reported, but we didn't find it in the code text we read. We confirm with the township. | Unconfirmed |
| Towamencin, Hatfield, Lower Gwynedd, Horsham, Whitemarsh, Ambler | No finished-side rule found in the sections we read | — |
Checked October 2026 from the cited code. Codes change; we confirm with the zoning office before every install.
Why Lansdale's rule reaches the street and the alley
Lansdale's wording covers streets as well as neighbors. Fences in the borough can only go between the front wall of the house and the rear lot line, and they must sit at least 2 ft from sidewalks and alleys and at least 10 ft from the curb. On a corner lot, or a back yard that meets one of the borough's alleys, the face the public sees has to be the finished one.
One Lansdale twist: along railroad property lines, the borough allows an entirely opaque fence up to 8 ft. The finished-side rule still applies to that run, so the smooth face goes toward the tracks.
Upper Dublin: finished side plus a front gate
Upper Dublin pairs the finished-side rule with its front-yard rules. A front-yard fence can be up to 4 ft, measured from sidewalk grade, and needs an operable gate at least 36 in wide on each street frontage so the owner can reach and maintain the strip between fence and street. Behind the house, fences can be up to 6 ft. The township charges $50 for new and replacement fence permits under its 2021 price list.
Styles that look finished from both sides
- Board-on-board or shadowbox wood: boards alternate on both sides of the rails, so each neighbor sees the same pattern. Pressure-treated pine privacy runs about $40–65 per foot installed; cedar about $45–70.
- Vinyl privacy: most of the styles we install look nearly the same from either side, at about $45–75 per foot for 6 ft.
- Aluminum ornamental: pickets and rails read the same both ways, about $50–85 per foot for 4–5 ft.
- Composite privacy: boards slide into posts with no exposed rail face, about $110–160 per foot.
Can my neighbor and I agree to flip it?
Not on your own. None of the code sections above includes an exception for neighbor consent, so a signed note from next door doesn't change the rule. If you have an unusual situation, such as a retaining wall or a fence facing your own second lot, ask the zoning officer before you order materials.
We draw the finished face on the permit sketch for your township, so there's no surprise when the inspector comes out.
Common questions
Does the finished-side rule apply to a replacement fence?
Yes, where the code has one. Montgomery Township and Upper Dublin both require permits for replacement fences, and a new permit means the fence has to meet the current code, including which way it faces.
What if my lot backs onto a park or the railroad?
Lansdale's rule says adjacent properties or streets, and Upper Dublin's says adjacent properties. Read those as including a park or rail line behind you unless the zoning officer tells you otherwise.
Which way does the finished side go on chain link or aluminum?
Those fences look nearly the same from both sides, but posts still go on your side where the code says the structure faces in. We set them that way by default.