In the City of Pittsburgh a fence 6 feet or lower needs zoning approval but not a building permit. Taller fences need both, and the suburbs each have their own rules. We check the rule for your address before we quote.
Do I need a permit to build or replace a fence?
In the city, the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) lists fences 6 feet or less in height as work that needs no building permit but does need zoning approval, which the city calls a Record of Zoning Approval. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code likewise leaves residential fences up to 6 feet out of building permits. Outside the city it changes town by town. Mt. Lebanon and Monroeville both require a fence permit for a new fence and for a replacement, and both ask for a survey or plot plan. A like-for-like replacement is treated as a new fence in those towns. Our town pages name the office for each place we serve.
How tall can my fence be? Is 6 feet allowed?
Yes, in most back and side yards. Pittsburgh's zoning code (section 912.04.K) allows fences and walls up to 6 feet, and they may be solid. The exception is the area closer to the street than the house, in the front or on the street side. There only open, ornamental fence up to 4 feet is permitted. The Zoning Administrator can approve up to one more foot as an exception. The finished side has to face the neighboring property, and barbed wire and razor edge are not permitted.
How close to the property line can I build? Do I need a survey?
A fence can generally go up to the line as long as all of it is on your side. The trouble in Pittsburgh is knowing where the line is. Row house lots, shared walks, party walls and old retaining walls often do not match the deed. If the boundary is not marked, or the neighbor has a different idea of it, get a plot plan or a survey before any post goes in. Some suburbs require one with the permit application anyway.
I live in a historic district. What can I build?
Talk to the city's Historic Review Commission staff first. In City-designated historic districts, such as the Mexican War Streets, Allegheny West and Schenley Farms, exterior work that can be seen from the public right-of-way has to be reviewed, and a fence counts. The district guidelines say which materials and heights fit. Approval comes before the zoning sign-off, so start early.
Can my condo association or HOA restrict my fence?
Yes. Covenants and association rules can be tighter than zoning on style, color, height and even whether a fence is allowed. This is common in newer suburban plans. Have the approval in writing before you order.
We are adding a pool. What fence does code require?
A barrier that meets Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code. The state moved to the 2021 editions of the international codes on January 1, 2026, and the pool barrier rules come from the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. In short: at least 48 inches high, small openings, nothing climbable on the outside, and gates that swing away from the pool and close and latch by themselves. Your local code official gives the exact list for your pool and inspects it.
The inspector failed my existing fence for the pool. Who brings it up to code?
A fence contractor does. Send us the inspector's written list. The usual failures are a gate that does not self-close, a gap under the fence where the yard slopes, mesh or picket spacing that is too wide, or a wall or bank beside the fence that makes it easy to climb. We quote the items on the list and nothing else.
My association only allows a 4-foot open fence, but I want privacy. What are my options?
Work inside the rule first. Evergreens or tall grasses planted behind a 4-foot open fence fill in over a few years. A screen next to a deck or patio is sometimes covered by a different rule than a boundary fence. You can also ask the board for a written variance. Check the survey for sewer, storm and utility easements as well, because a fence may not be allowed across them.
Who calls 811 before digging, me or the contractor?
Whoever is doing the digging. In Pennsylvania the service is Pennsylvania One Call, also known as PA 811, and state law (the Underground Utility Line Protection Law) requires the notice. It has to be made at least 3 business days and no more than 10 business days before digging. We place it for every fence we install. Utilities mark the lines they own. They may not mark lines that belong to you, such as a gas line to a grill, pool wiring, yard lighting or an invisible dog fence, so point those out to us.
My contractor wants to skip the permit and reuse the old holes. What is the risk?
You carry it. Any notice for work without approval is sent to the property owner, and the city or borough can order the fence changed or removed. Reusing old holes is its own problem. If the old posts leaned or lifted, the holes were too shallow or in the wrong ground, and new posts in them will do the same.
The city says my existing fence breaks the current rules. Can I just repair it?
Get the answer from the zoning office before paying for work. Older fences that were legal when built can often be maintained, but a full rebuild generally has to meet the code as it stands now. Mt. Lebanon, for instance, only allows a solid privacy fence as a replacement for an existing legal one.
The only real price is one based on your own yard. The estimate is free and done on site. Call (412) 851-6524 or text us a photo of the fence line.