Do You Need a Fence Permit in West Chester, PA?

A “West Chester, PA” mailing address covers the borough itself and parts of several surrounding townships, and each one writes its own fence rules. Two houses a mile apart can face completely different requirements, one needing a permit for a 30-foot run of 4-foot picket and the other needing nothing until the fence passes 6 feet. Below: which rules apply where, and how 76 FENCE West Chester handles the paperwork.

• Borough: $50 zoning review for fences (borough fee schedule adopted May 2026), using the borough’s Shed, Fence & Patio application.
• Strictest trigger nearby: West Goshen, where every fence needs a zoning permit, plus a building permit at 8 feet or taller.
• Size-based triggers: Westtown (over 40 ft of total length, or any pool enclosure), East Whiteland (over 4 ft), East Bradford and Kennett (over 6 ft side/rear).
• HOA letter: Uwchlan and Kennett ask for HOA approval with the permit application.
• Who applies: when you hire us, our team pulls the permit.

Do you need a permit for a fence in West Chester Borough?

Yes, the borough reviews fences. Its fee schedule lists “Zoning Review (Site plans, fences, sheds, patios, etc.)” at $50, and the Building Permits page links a dedicated Shed, Fence & Patio application with instructions.

The borough zoning code (Chapter 112) adds a few rules worth knowing before you choose a design. Section 112-805 keeps fences out of the clear sight triangle at intersections, which matters on the many corner rowhome lots. Section 112-903B requires swimming pools to be fenced with good-quality materials maintained in a safe condition. Height limits in § 112-804 are written by district; the residential-district limits were not clear in that section, so we confirm height with the zoning officer before ordering materials. If the property sits in the historic district, there may be a second layer of review, covered in our HARB fence guide. More on borough lots is on our West Chester Borough page.

Which townships require a permit for every fence?

West Goshen, Thornbury (Chester County) and Pocopson require a permit no matter how short or small the fence is.

West Goshen began requiring fence permits in 2023 (Ordinance 6-2022, amended by Ordinance 12-2024). A 3-foot garden fence still needs a zoning permit there, and a fence 8 feet or taller also needs a building permit. Thornbury’s Chapter 76 requires a permit before any fence, wall or screen goes up, and Pocopson’s township FAQ lists fences and walls among the projects that need one. See our West Goshen fence page for that township’s front-yard details.

Which townships only require a permit above a certain size?

Westtown, East Whiteland, East Bradford and Kennett tie the permit to length or height, so a small or low fence may need no permit at all.

Westtown’s § 170-1505 requires a permit for fences over 40 feet of total length and for any pool enclosure fence. East Whiteland’s § 200-93 requires one for any fence over 4 feet. East Bradford requires no township permit unless the fence is over 6 feet, and then it needs a building permit with engineered plans. Kennett Township requires one for fences over 6 feet in side or rear yards or over 4 feet in the front. Length adds up fast: two sides of a small yard often pass 40 feet. Our Westtown and East Bradford pages cover local details.

What do West Chester-area townships allow, at a glance?

The table below summarizes what we found in each municipality’s code or official guidance at the time of writing. Entries marked “verify” came from secondary sources or were not fully confirmed.

What does a fence permit application usually ask for?

Expect a plot plan showing where the fence runs, the height and style, and often contractor details.

Uwchlan’s fence permit guide asks for a contractor estimate, a plot plan and an HOA approval letter if the property is in an association; the fee there is $154.50. Kennett asks for a plot plan, a certificate of insurance, an HOA letter and contractor registration. The borough’s FAQ notes that general contractors must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, with the registration number on the permit. If your community has an HOA, get its approval first, since some townships will not accept the application without it. Our HOA approval service covers that step.

Front yards are where most applications get revised

Side and rear yards in this area almost always allow 6 feet. Front yards are different: most townships cap height at 3 to 5 feet and require an open design, measured as a ratio of open space to solid boards. A solid 4-foot fence that would pass in a back yard can be rejected out front. The details are in our front-yard fence rules guide.

Who pulls the permit, you or the fence company?

When you hire 76 FENCE, we prepare and file the permit for you.

At the free on-site walkthrough we note the property’s municipality, measure the runs, and check height, setbacks and front-yard rules against the plan. We then submit the application with the drawings the township wants. You may be asked to sign as the property owner, and if your HOA needs its own form, we help assemble that packet. Learn more on our fence permit service page.

What happens if a fence goes up without a permit?

A township that requires a permit could cite the owner and ask for an after-the-fact application, or for changes if the fence breaks a height or setback rule.

Pulling the permit up front is cheaper than moving posts later. Utility marking is a separate requirement from the permit; see calling PA One Call before digging.

Rules change, so confirm with the township — when you hire us, we pull the permit. Call or text 484-999-0965 to start with a free estimate.