Short answer
Elverson Borough requires a permit for any new fence or wall, and a full replacement must meet current rules (Zoning §290-1111). Front-yard fences can be 4 ft and must be at least as open as they are solid; side and rear fences on homes can be 6 ft. Posts and rails face your own yard. Corner lots keep a 25 ft triangle clear from 30 in to 10 ft high. The residential zoning permit application fee is $50.
Elverson fence rules, summarized
| Rule | What the code says |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 4 ft within the required front yard, at least 1:1 open to solid |
| Side and rear yards | 6 ft for residential uses (8 ft for nonresidential) |
| Corner lots | Nothing between 30 in and 10 ft high in the triangle formed by the street lines and a line joining points 25 ft from their intersection (§290-1103) |
| Placement | Not in the legal or ultimate street right-of-way or a floodway; in utility or drainage easements only if the easement agreement allows it; no blocking sight lines at driveways or intersections |
| Finished side | Posts and rails face the property being enclosed (§290-1111A(6)) |
| Materials | Wood, split rail, wrought iron, composite, chain link or combinations; other standard residential materials only with Zoning Officer approval |
| Pools | Pools 2 ft or deeper in the rear or side yard; equipment 10 ft from lot lines; above-ground pools use wall plus fence per the UCC |
| Prohibited | Barbed or razor wire on homes; it's allowed only on nonresidential security fences |
| Permit | Yes. $50 residential zoning permit application fee |
Source: Elverson Zoning Chapter 290, §290-1103, §290-1111 and §290-1223, read October 2026.
Is vinyl allowed in Elverson?
Read the material list closely. It names wood, split rail, wrought iron, composite and chain link, and combinations of them. Vinyl and aluminum aren't named. The code lets the Zoning Officer approve another standard residential material, so they aren't ruled out, but they need that sign-off. When a customer in the borough picks vinyl or aluminum, we put the material in the permit application and get the approval before ordering. Walls have their own list: decorative concrete block, brick, stone, or concrete faced with brick or stone.
Front yards in a small borough
The borough's zoning objectives talk about a walkable community and protecting historic and scenic resources, and the front-yard rule follows from that: 4 ft and at least half open, so the house stays visible from the street. Picket, split rail, aluminum or wrought-iron styles fit. Solid board or privacy panels go behind the front building line, where 6 ft is allowed.
What's exempt
Four kinds of fence sit outside the fence section entirely (§290-1111B):
- Agricultural fences that contain livestock.
- Historic fences accessory to a designated historic structure.
- Buried electronic pet fences.
- Fences that screen utility infrastructure.
Ordinary repairs don't need a permit either. Replacing a fence in its entirety does, and the new fence has to meet today's rules, which matters if an old front fence is taller or more solid than the code now allows.
Pools
Pools 2 ft deep or more go in the rear or side yard, with pumps, filters, propane tanks and similar equipment at least 10 ft from any property line. For above-ground pools, the borough relies on the state building code: a combination of pool wall and fence that meets the UCC. A pool whose sides stand 4 ft above grade is exempt from the fencing provisions if its access is removed or locked when not in use (§290-1223).
Filing a permit with the borough
- Get the permit application packet from the borough website.
- Mail it or drop it off at Borough Hall, 101 S. Chestnut St. (Route 82), 610-286-6420. Email applications aren't accepted.
- Pay the $50 application fee, which is non-refundable and credited toward the total; the balance is due when you pick up the permit.
- Kraft Municipal Group reviews it as the borough's Zoning Officer. If the property line is uncertain, the Zoning Officer can require a land surveyor to mark it, at the owner's cost.
Elverson addresses
The Elverson 19520 ZIP covers the borough plus Warwick and West Nantmeal townships and slivers of others, all with their own codes. Warwick takes in part of French Creek State Park, 7,730 acres with hunting allowed on more than 6,000 of them, which is worth knowing if deer are why you want a fence. See our Elverson page.
Gaps
- We took the $50 fee from the borough's permit page; we didn't open the 2026 fee schedule itself.
- Whether a plot plan must go with a fence application.
- Above-ground electric fences aren't addressed in §290-1111.
This page reflects Elverson's zoning code as read in October 2026. Codes get amended, and we confirm the current rules with the borough's zoning officer before every install.