What's Required in Pittsburgh
- Fences 6 feet or less need a Building and Development Application with zoning review only; PLI does not review them.
- The residential zoning review fee is $1.00 per $1,000 of project cost with a $50 minimum, charged even at $0 value.
- Fences closer to the street than the house must be open and ornamental and no taller than 4 feet.
- Fences elsewhere on the lot may be up to 6 feet and opaque, including within required setbacks.
- Taller fences need a $100 Administrator Exception and may not exceed the normal limit by more than 1 foot.
- Fences over 6 feet also need PLI building review, with a $130 minimum base fee plus $11.50 in fixed fees.
- The finished side of the fence must face the adjacent property.
- Barbed wire and razor edge are not permitted in any district.
- Any exterior work in a historic district or on a designated historic structure requires zoning review.
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Fence in Pittsburgh?
You need a zoning approval, not a building permit, for an ordinary fence. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code and Pittsburgh's own building code both exempt fences up to 6 feet high from a building permit, which is where many guides stop. But PLI's Work Not Requiring a Permit page lists fences 6 feet or less in height under work that requires a Building and Development Application (BDA) with Zoning review only. The city planning FAQ says the same thing in older words: fences of 6 feet or less need a Record of Zoning Approval but no building permit. So a backyard privacy fence still gets filed in OneStopPGH, and zoning, not PLI, reviews it.
The height limits come from Zoning Code Section 912.04.K. Where a fence runs closer to the street than the house, in the front yard or a street-side yard, only open and ornamental fences are allowed, no taller than 4 feet. Everywhere else, fences and walls may be up to 6 feet and may be opaque, even inside required setbacks. A fence above those heights can be approved only as an Administrator Exception, and then by no more than 1 foot. The finished side faces the neighbor, and barbed wire and razor edge are banned in every district. In a historic district, any exterior work, a fence included, goes to zoning review, and the city's historic process may apply.
Pittsburgh Fence Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Backyard or side fence up to 6 ft, solid or open | BDA, zoning review only ($50 minimum) | PLI zoning-only list; Zoning 912.04.K(2) |
| Open, ornamental fence up to 4 ft in front of the house | BDA, zoning review only ($50 minimum) | Zoning 912.04.K(1) |
| Solid fence, or any fence over 4 ft, in front of the house | Administrator Exception ($100) plus zoning review | Zoning 912.04.K(3); max 1 ft extra |
| Fence over 6 ft in a back or side yard | PLI building permit, zoning review and Administrator Exception | Building code R105.2; Zoning 912.04.K(3) |
| Barbed wire or razor wire on a residential fence | Not permitted | Zoning 912.04.K(6) |
| Any fence in a historic district | Zoning review of exterior work | PLI zoning-review-only list |
| Retaining wall 4 ft or less, no surcharge | None | PLI exempt list |
How Much Does a Fence Permit Cost in Pittsburgh?
The zoning review fee is $1.00 per $1,000 of project cost, minimum $50, and the planning department's fee FAQ says the $50 residential minimum is charged even when the value is $0. A $6,000 fence works out to $6 of zoning fee, so the minimum applies: $50. The city's zoning fee page also lists a technology fee that starts at $2. If you want something taller than the code allows, an Administrator Exception costs $100. A fence over 6 feet also needs PLI building review, whose 2026 residential base fee is $6.00 per $1,000 with a $130 minimum, plus a $4.50 state training fund fee, a $5.00 digital record retention fee and a $2 technology fee. A 7-foot privacy fence valued at $6,000 therefore runs $130 + $2 + $4.50 + $5 + $50 + $100 = $291.50. Those are PLI's residential rates; its permitting page puts attached single- and two-family dwellings in the commercial category, where the minimum base fee is $605, so confirm which category the portal assigns your house.
Who Can Build It and What to Submit?
PLI lets a homeowner do the work on a primary residence, or hire a licensed City of Pittsburgh contractor or a registered Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor. The BDA asks for the location, the construction value and the scope; a scaled site plan showing the fence line and heights is the practical way to show compliance with 912.04.K.
How to Get a Fence Permit in Pittsburgh
Pick height and location
Keep front fences open and ornamental at 4 ft or less and other fences at 6 ft or less to avoid an Administrator Exception.
Check historic status
If the house is in a historic district or individually designated, plan for zoning review of exterior work and the historic process.
File a BDA in OneStopPGH
Choose the fence scope, enter the construction value and upload a site plan showing the fence line and heights.
Pay the zoning fee
Expect the $50 residential minimum for a typical fence, plus $100 for an Administrator Exception and PLI fees if over 6 ft.
Build with the finished side out
Install the fence as approved, finished side facing the neighbor and with no barbed or razor wire.