Please note: Fence regulations change over time, and each town sets its own rules. Always verify current requirements with your municipality before you buy materials or start work. This article is a general summary, not legal advice.
If you’re planning a fence in Monmouth County, New Jersey, it helps to know who makes the rules. For most homeowners, fence height, placement, and permits are set by your town. The county’s fence standards apply to subdivision and site plan applications reviewed by the Monmouth County Planning Board.
At Eastcoast Fence, we’ve worked with Monmouth County property owners since 1999. Here’s what the county’s design standards say about fences.
Where Monmouth County’s Fence Rules Come From
The county’s fence standards appear in the Monmouth County Development Regulations, Volume II: Design Standards. The county adopted Volume II in 2004. It updated Volume I in 2026, so check the Planning Board’s site for the latest versions.
Volume II also states that fence and wall height and design must follow municipal ordinances. That’s why your town’s zoning code is the first place to check.
Key Fence Regulations in Monmouth County, NJ
1. Plans Must Show Existing and Proposed Fences
Preliminary subdivision plans and site plans submitted for county review must show existing and proposed fences. This covers fences within the development and within 100 feet of it.
What this means for you: If your project needs county review, make sure your engineer shows all fencing on the plans.
2. Landscape Plans Must Include Fence Details
Landscape plans must show the location of existing and proposed sidewalks, fences, decorative walls, retaining walls, and berms. They must also detail how fences and walls next to the county right-of-way will be built.
3. Detail Sheets Must Cover Fence Installation
Detail sheets go at the end of a preliminary plan set. The county’s list of details includes a fence and fence installation detail. It also includes a silt fence installation detail.
4. Silt Fence and Tree Protection
Soil erosion and sediment control plans must follow Freehold Soil Conservation District requirements. Those requirements come from the New Jersey Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Act.
The county also sets standards for protecting trees during construction. Barriers must be at least four feet high and made of highly visible orange plastic mesh. A silt fence goes along the outside base of that mesh to prevent siltation.
Eastcoast Fence installs silt fence for construction sites throughout Monmouth and Ocean County.
5. Keep Fences Out of the County Right-of-Way
The county road right-of-way must stay clear of fences and walls unless the Development Review Committee approves them. Subdivisions and site plans also can’t use the right-of-way to conduct private business.
Fences and walls must be built within property lines. Building into the county right-of-way requires a specific waiver from the Development Review Committee. The owner must also provide proper indemnification to the county.
6. Scenic Road Considerations
The Monmouth County Scenic Road Plan identifies the county roads considered scenic. Major subdivision and site plan applications along these roads have added landscape requirements. The county’s standards include:
- Existing fences or walls with historic significance may remain, case by case. Sight lines must stay clear, and the county requires indemnification.
- Fences and walls along the county right-of-way can’t block the view along a scenic road. The exception is when safety requires it.
- The finished side of a fence must face outward, unless the Development Review Committee directs otherwise.
- Barbed wire, razor wire, sharp pointed metal, canvas, cloth, and electric fences are prohibited along county rights-of-way. Temporary expandable and collapsible fences are also prohibited.
- Snow fencing is allowed only during the winter snow season.
Not sure if your property sits on a scenic county road? We can help you find out before you apply for permits.
Fence Permits Are Set by Your Town
Volume II leaves fence height and design to municipal ordinances. Contact your town’s zoning office or construction code official for permit rules. Eastcoast Fence works with homeowners, HOAs, and commercial property owners on the permit process.
Serving Monmouth County Since 1999
Eastcoast Fence is based in Freehold, NJ and has served Monmouth County since 1999. We install:
- Residential fences — wood, vinyl privacy, aluminum, post and rail
- Commercial fences — chain link, high-security, perimeter fencing
- Construction site fences — temporary chain link, silt fence, snow fence, safety fence
- Specialty fences — deer fence, agricultural and horse fencing
Before we install, we’ll talk through the local rules that may apply to your property.
Ready to Start Your Fence Project in Monmouth County?
Don’t let permit confusion or regulation questions slow down your project. Contact Eastcoast Fence today for a free consultation. We’ll walk you through local requirements and provide a transparent quote for your residential or commercial fence installation.