Short answer
Upper Hanover Township requires a fence permit from the Zoning Officer whenever a fence or wall is built, replaced or expanded (Zoning §500-814, amended July 2025). Fences must sit at least 1 ft off every property line unless all abutting owners agree in writing. Within 5 ft of a road's legal right-of-way the limit is 4 ft; elsewhere it's 6 ft, or 8 ft if the part above 6 ft is at least 4:1 open. The finished side faces the neighbors.
Upper Hanover's fence section, summarized
| Rule | What the code says |
|---|---|
| Near the road | 4 ft wherever the fence is within 5 ft of the legal right-of-way line; never inside the right-of-way |
| Side and rear yards | 6 ft; up to 8 ft if the part above 6 ft is at least 4:1 open |
| Taller than that | Conditional use approval from the Board of Supervisors, which may require a 10 ft or greater setback and landscaping |
| Setback | At least 1 ft from all property lines, including right-of-way lines; reduced or waived only with written agreement of all abutting owners, filed with the township |
| Finished side | Faces adjacent properties; the finished side is the side without structural supporting members |
| Drainage | No fence in a drainage easement or where it affects proper drainage |
| Corner lots and driveways | No fence or freestanding wall may obstruct sight distance at a street or driveway intersection |
| Prohibited | Temporary wire, rolled plastic or wood lath fences, except seasonal snow fence or on active construction sites |
| Pools | No barrier rule in the zoning code; the state building code applies |
| Permit | Yes, for new, replacement and expanded fences and walls |
Source: Upper Hanover Zoning §500-814 Fences and walls (amended by Ord. 2016-04, 2017-01 and 2025-03), read October 2026.
The 1 ft setback, and how to waive it
Most townships near us let a fence go right up to the boundary. Upper Hanover doesn't: fences and freestanding walls stay at least 1 ft inside every property line, and that includes the line along the road. The only way to build closer is a written agreement signed by every abutting owner, with a copy filed at the township. For a shared side fence between two neighbors who both want it on the line, that's a simple letter. For a lot that touches three or four neighbors, it means getting each signature on the affected sides, so start early.
The 1 ft strip has a practical upside: you can reach the outside of your own fence to stain it, trim along it or fix a picket without stepping onto your neighbor's land.
Road frontage in the Upper Perk
On country roads it's hard to tell where the right-of-way ends and your lawn starts. The code keeps fences out of the legal right-of-way entirely, holds anything within 5 ft of it to 4 ft, and still wants the 1 ft setback from the line. In practice, a front fence along a rural road is a 4 ft fence set somewhere between 1 and 5 ft behind the right-of-way line, or a 6 ft fence set more than 5 ft back. We confirm where the line is before staking.
Water, easements and village houses
No fence may sit inside a drainage easement or block drainage. That matters here: during Ida in 2021, the Perkiomen Creek at East Greenville reached the second-highest flow on its record. On a lot with a swale or stormwater easement across the back, we lay the fence out to stop at the easement line rather than cross it, and keep the bottom clear wherever runoff flows.
Two design rules apply to specific neighborhoods. A village house, as the code defines it, is meant to have a front-yard fence between 30 in and 4 ft high. In a Traditional Neighborhood Development, privacy fencing may not completely enclose a rear yard or patio.
Which addresses fall in the township
Upper Hanover surrounds the boroughs of Pennsburg, Red Hill and East Greenville, each of which has its own fence rules. Township homes have Pennsburg 18073, Red Hill 18076, Palm 18070 or East Greenville 18041 addresses, and a smaller part uses Green Lane 18054. If your address says one of those boroughs, check whether your tax bill says borough or township. See our Pennsburg, Red Hill and Palm and East Greenville pages.
What we haven't confirmed
- The permit fee and how to apply: the township website wasn't reachable when we checked.
- Residential rules on barbed wire or electric fence: none found. A 2026 barbed and razor wire ban we saw applies to data centers only.
This summary comes from Upper Hanover's zoning code as amended through Ord. 2025-03, checked October 2026. We confirm with the zoning office before every install, since sections like this one get amended.
Common questions
When did Upper Hanover start requiring fence permits?
The current permit language in §500-814 comes from Ord. 2025-03, adopted July 8, 2025. It covers new fences, replacements and expansions, except fences shown on an approved land development plan. The section's history also lists 2016 and 2017 amendments, and we haven't confirmed which version first added the permit.
Can my neighbor and I put a shared fence right on the line?
Yes, if every abutting owner on that line signs a written agreement and a copy is filed with the township. Without it, the fence stays at least 1 ft inside the line.