How high can a fence be without planning permission?
By Eli Gjoka · Updated
Short answer
In England, you can usually put up a fence up to 2 metres high without planning permission, or up to 1 metre if it's next to a road used by vehicles or that road's footpath. Those limits come from national permitted development rules, and they don't apply everywhere: listed buildings, some new-build estates and areas with an Article 4 direction can need permission for any fence.
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The two numbers that matter: 2 metres and 1 metre
Fences, walls and gates are permitted development under the General Permitted Development Order 2015, as long as they stay within two height limits:
- 1 metre, if the fence is next to a highway used by vehicles, or the footpath of such a highway
- 2 metres anywhere else
So a typical back-garden fence between neighbours can go up to 2 metres. A front-garden fence along a road is usually limited to 1 metre. These rules are for England; Wales and Scotland have their own.
What “next to a road” means
The law says “adjacent to a highway” but doesn't define how close that is. Planning inspectors have decided cases both ways, and a fence set back from the pavement has sometimes still been treated as adjacent. If your fence runs anywhere near a road or driveway, check with your council before going above 1 metre.
Does trellis count towards the height?
In practice, yes. Trellis or a topper fixed on a fence is usually treated as part of the fence, so a 1.8 metre fence with 0.3 metres of trellis on top is 2.1 metres and over the limit. This is widely applied rather than written out in the regulations, so keep the total within 2 metres if you want to be safe.
Measuring on a slope
Height is measured from ground level, but the rules don't say which side to measure from when the ground is higher on one side. Different councils and inspectors have taken different views, so if your garden slopes or is stepped, ask your council how it measures before you build.
When you need permission even under 2 metres
- Listed buildings: permitted development doesn't apply to fences around a listed building, or on a boundary with a neighbouring listed building.
- Article 4 directions: some councils remove the right to put up gates, fences and walls without permission.
- Planning conditions: many new-build estates have open-plan front gardens because the original planning permission removed fence rights. Your deeds or the estate's planning history will show this.
- Corner plots and driveways: permitted development doesn't allow anything that blocks drivers' view of a road in a way that's likely to be dangerous.
- Conservation areas: taking down an existing fence, wall or gate can need permission.
Replacing an old fence
If you already have a fence that's over the limit, you can repair or replace it without permission as long as you don't make it any higher. That's useful if an old 2.2 metre fence has blown down: you can put back the same height.
Who owns the fence?
Most title plans only show general boundaries, so there's often no record of the exact line or who owns the fence. The “T marks” you sometimes see on deeds only count if the deed itself refers to them, and the old idea that the side with the posts belongs to you has no legal basis. If ownership matters, check your deeds before work starts and talk to your neighbour.
The Party Wall Act doesn't apply to timber fences, so you don't need a party wall notice to replace one.
What if you build over the limit?
Putting up a fence without the right permission isn't a crime in itself, but the council can ask you to apply afterwards or serve an enforcement notice. For fences built since 25 April 2024, councils have 10 years to take action. You get one chance at permission after the event, either by applying or by appealing a notice, so it's far easier to check first.
Hedges are different
Hedges don't need planning permission. If a neighbour's evergreen hedge grows over 2 metres and blocks light, the council can deal with a complaint under the high hedges rules.
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Common questions
Can I have a 7ft fence in my back garden?
Seven feet is about 2.13 metres, which is over the 2 metre limit, so you would normally need planning permission.
Can I put trellis on top of a 2 metre fence?
Not without permission. Trellis on top is usually counted as part of the fence, which would take it over 2 metres.
How high can a front garden fence be?
Up to 1 metre without permission if it's next to a road used by vehicles or its footpath. Further from the road, 2 metres can apply, but check with your council.
Do I need my neighbour's permission to put up a fence?
Not for planning, but you do need to know whose land the fence stands on. If it's on the boundary, agree it with your neighbour first.
Does the Party Wall Act cover fences?
No. The Party Wall Act doesn't include wooden fences or hedges.
Can I replace a fence that's already over 2 metres?
Yes, as long as the new fence isn't any higher than the old one.