Fences and walls in Newark: the local rules

Each rule below links to the section of the Newark Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Newark's code says

Newark code What Newark's code adds
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 6 feet. Applies: Outside required front yards and more than 4 feet from a street side lot line. § 17.17.040 · code text Fences, walls, hedges, and related structures are limited to a maximum of six feet except as follows: three feet high when located within required front yards or within four feet of a street side lot line, eight feet adjacent to four or more lane arterials for residential uses. Up to 8 feet. Applies: Residential uses next to arterial streets with 4 or more lanes. § 17.17.040 · code text Fences, walls, hedges, and related structures are limited to a maximum of six feet except as follows: three feet high when located within required front yards or within four feet of a street side lot line, eight feet adjacent to four or more lane arterials for residential uses. A hedge may be any height. Applies: Hedges only, with the main trunk more than 4 feet from the street side lot line and within 5 feet of a permitted structure. § 17.17.040 · code text Where the base of the main trunk is further than four feet from the street side lot line and within five feet of a permitted structure, a hedge may be of any height.
Front yard height	Fences in a required front yard are limited to 3 feet. Also within 4 feet of street side lot line. Director may approve up to 6 feet next to non-residential uses with a minor use permit. § 17.17.040 · code text Fences, walls, hedges, and related structures are limited to a maximum of six feet except as follows: three feet high when located within required front yards or within four feet of a street side lot line, eight feet adjacent to four or more lane arterials for residential uses. Up to 6 feet. Applies: Residential districts, with Director approval and minor use permit; front yard or within 4 feet of a street lot line, next to non-residential use. § 17.17.040 · code text Fences within the front yard and fences within four feet of a street lot line on a lot adjacent to a non-residential use may be up to six feet in height.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 3 feet. Applies: Within 4 feet of a street side lot line. § 17.17.040 · code text Fences, walls, hedges, and related structures are limited to a maximum of six feet except as follows: three feet high when located within required front yards or within four feet of a street side lot line, eight feet adjacent to four or more lane arterials for residential uses. Up to 8 feet. Applies: Residential districts, with Director approval and a minor use permit; outside the required front yard and over 4 feet from a street lot line. § 17.17.040 · code text Fences located outside of a required front yard and more than four feet from a street lot line may be up to eight feet in height.
Permit	Yes. A permit is needed for a hedge, fence or similar structure in a right-of-way. Applies: Unless the code provides otherwise. § 12.08.430 · code text No hedge, shrub, or other planting whatever, fence or similar structure, except as provided in Section 12.08.460, shall be planted, erected or maintained in a right-of-way without a permit. A minor use permit with Director approval is needed for extra fence height. § 17.17.040 · code text The Director may approve additional fence height with a minor use permit, in compliance with the following.

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How tall can a fence be in Newark?

Newark limits fences to 3 ft in required front yards, 6 ft outside them and over 4 ft from a street side line.

Fences and walls in Newark

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What Newark's code says

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