Short answer: In most of West Chester, PA, yes, a fence needs some form of municipal approval, and 76 FENCE West Chester prepares and files it for you. The borough requires a zoning review for fences, West Goshen permits every fence, and other townships set triggers by height or length. We confirm your municipality’s rule, file, and schedule the install around approval.
The question “do I need a fence permit in West Chester, PA?” has no single answer because West Chester is not a single municipality. A West Chester mailing address can sit in the borough or in West Goshen, East Goshen, Westtown, East Bradford, West Bradford, Thornbury or Birmingham, and each writes its own fence rules. Our team starts every project by identifying which code applies to your parcel, then handles the paperwork from application to approval.
- Who files: 76 FENCE prepares and submits the application as part of your project.
- Borough fee: West Chester Borough lists a $50 zoning review for fences at the time of writing; confirm with the borough.
- Most common limits: 6 ft in side and rear yards; front yards lower and often required to be open.
- HOA first: Uwchlan asks for an HOA approval letter with the permit where one applies.
- Before digging: We also place the PA One Call (811) request.
What triggers a fence permit around West Chester?
It depends on the municipality: some permit every fence, others only fences over a certain height or length. This summary reflects the codes we reviewed.
| Municipality | When approval is needed | Notable rules |
|---|---|---|
| West Chester Borough | Zoning review for fences | Clear sight triangle at intersections; pools must be fenced |
| West Goshen | Every fence, any height; building permit too at 8 ft or more | Front yard 4 ft max, at least 1:1 open; side and rear 6 ft |
| Westtown | Fences over 40 ft total length, and any pool enclosure fence | Finished side faces the neighbor or road |
| East Bradford | Only fences over 6 ft (building permit, engineered plans) | Out of road right-of-way and sight lines; floodway limits |
| Thornbury (Chester Co.) | Any fence, wall or screen | 6 ft max; at least 6 in off the line unless the neighbor agrees in writing |
| Uwchlan | Building permit application | Front yard 36 in max; fee listed at $154.50 at the time of writing |
| Pocopson | Fences and walls require permits | Check with the township on details |
For the full town-by-town breakdown, including front-yard and good-side rules, read our West Chester fence permit guide.
Who pulls the permit, you or the homeowner?
We do, as part of the job. You sign where the township needs an owner’s signature, and we handle the rest.
Applications typically ask for a plot plan showing the fence location, the height and material, and contractor information. In the borough, general contractors must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the registration number goes on the permit. Some townships want a contractor estimate or an HOA letter attached. Putting the package together correctly the first time is what keeps a permit from sitting in a review queue.
- Identify the code. We confirm which municipality your parcel is in and pull its current fence section.
- Design to the rules. Height, front-yard openness, setbacks and finished-side orientation are built into the layout before you approve it.
- Collect attachments. Plot plan, product details and, where needed, the HOA approval letter.
- Submit and track. We file, answer reviewer questions and let you know when approval comes through.
- Schedule the install. The PA One Call request and crew date follow approval.
Does the historic district add another step?
Possibly. In the West Chester Downtown Historic District, a fence visible from the street may need review by the Historical and Architectural Review Board in addition to the zoning review.
The borough’s HARB issues Certificates of Appropriateness for work in the district and meets roughly monthly, which can add weeks to a timeline. Whether a particular fence requires HARB review is something we confirm with the borough before materials are ordered. Our HARB fence guide covers what tends to suit Italianate and Federal streetscapes, and the historic district page describes the area.
What happens if a fence goes up without a permit?
The municipality can require a permit after the fact, changes to the fence, or its removal if it does not comply. It can also surface when you sell the house.
West Goshen only began requiring fence permits in 2023, so some neighbors may remember putting up fences without one. That does not carry over to new work. A fence that violates a front-yard height or sight-triangle rule can be costly to correct, which is why we design to the code before filing.
Do pool fences have their own requirements?
Yes. Pool barriers follow Pennsylvania’s adopted pool code, based on the 2018 ISPSC, plus any local additions.
Westtown requires a permit for any pool enclosure fence, and the borough’s code requires pools to be fenced. See the PA pool fence code guide for barrier height, gaps and gate hardware, and our HOA approval service if your community also reviews pool fences.
Rules change, so confirm with the township; when you hire us, we pull the permit. Call or text 484-999-0965 with your address and we can tell you which code applies.
Walk the fence line with us.
A free on-site estimate in West Chester, PA and the surrounding townships. We check the rules for your street, handle the permit and HOA paperwork, and call PA One Call before we dig.
Sources & references
- West Chester Borough Building Permits
- West Goshen Township Ordinance 12-2024
- Westtown Township Code § 170-1505
- Thornbury Township Code, Ch. 76
- East Bradford Township: Fences
Codes and ordinances change. This page is general information, not legal advice; confirm requirements with your municipality.