Fence height limits for Long Island towns

Hempstead

Six feet in backyard; 4 feet open, or chain link, fence in front.

North Hempstead

A 6-foot fence is permitted when: a residence abuts a business or industrial district; residence abuts a state road or county road and the main entrance of the dwelling does not face the road; residence abuts state, county, town or village parkland. Four feet for side and rear.

Oyster Bay

Up to 4 feet without a permit. A building permit is required for any fence higher than that. A variance is required from the Zoning Board of Appeals for a fence higher than 6 feet.

City of Glen Cove

Up to 6 feet.

Babylon

A building permit is not required if a fence complies with these provisions: Six-feet tall from the front of the house to the rear yard; 4 feet in the front yard; 3 feet for corner lots within 20 feet of the corner.

Brookhaven

Four feet for front yard. Six feet for side and rear yards. Corner lots: No higher than 2 feet within a 30-foot radius of a corner. If it is a visible see-through fence, it can be 4 feet. On the section of the front without an entrance, a 6-foot fence can be erected, with a permit, 5 feet off the property line.

Huntington

Six feet without a permit. Anything higher requires a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals and a building permit.

Islip

Up to 6 feet in side or rear yards. Fences in the front yard are limited to 4 feet unless set back from the property line by 15 feet. The town allows fences up to 8 feet if 15 percent is see-through.

Smithtown

Four feet in the front of the property. Six feet for the rest of property. A resident can apply for a variance for a higher fence on the interior of the property around athletic courts, such as tennis or basketball courts.

East Hampton

Four feet maximum facing the front door. Six feet for rear and side.

Southold

Four feet in front. Six-and-a-half feet for rear and side.

Shelter Island

Four feet in front. Side yard can have a 4-foot fence extending for 30 feet, 40 feet or 50 feet, depending on the zoning of the area, after which the fence can be 6-feet high. Rear fence can be 6 feet.

Southampton

Four feet in front. Up to 6 feet with a permit for rear and side.

Riverhead

Four feet in front. Six feet for rear and side.Compiled by Stacey Altherr, Jennifer Barrios, Denise M. Bonilla, Jennifer Maloney, Nomaan Merchant, Deborah S. Morris and Patrick Whittle