What are the height and distance rules for a fence wall? - Other fences (fence, palisade)
Verified 11 mai 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)
You have to imperative contact the city planning department of your city hall to find out if there are any local rules to respect in relation to the neighboring land.
These rules may be laid down by the local city planning plan (PLU) or by the municipal map or by local customs.
If there are no local rulesHowever, it all depends on whether your land is located in a municipality of more or less than 50,000 inhabitants.
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Municipality of less than 50,000 inhabitants
Your fence must respect a minimum height of 2,60 meters.
There are other rules relating to the location of your future fence or dependent on the specific features of your land (land in subdivision, near a road, ...).
If you don't follow these rules, your neighbor may require your fence to be removed or within the legal height.
Please note
If your land adjacent to a dwelling is located in a natural or forest area bounded by a local city planning plan (PLU) or in a natural area, your fence must be placed 30 centimeters above the ground surface to allow for the free movement of wildlife. Its height is limited to 1.20 meters.
Municipality of at least 50,000 inhabitants
Your fence must respect a minimum height of 3,20 meters.
There are other rules relating to the location of your future fence or dependent on the specific features of your land (land in subdivision, near a road, ...).
If you don't follow these rules, your neighbor may require your fence to be removed or within the legal height.
Please note
If your land adjacent to a dwelling is located in a natural or forest area bounded by a local city planning plan (PLU) or in a natural area, your fence must be placed 30 centimeters above the ground surface to allow for the free movement of wildlife. Its height is limited to 1.20 meters.
Before settling your fence, you will need to make a preliminary declaration of works to the city hall if you are in one of the following cases:
- The local city planning plan (PLU) requires it
- Your land is located in an area where it is mandatory. It can be the vicinity of a remarkable heritage site classified or a historic monument, a registered site (classified or awaiting classification), an area delimited by the PLU, an area defined by the municipality or theEPCI: titleContent.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For information
Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service
The informants who answer you belong to the ministry in charge of housing and city planning.
Cost: free service
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.
The service is available at the following times:
- Monday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
- Tuesday: 8:30 to 12:15
- Wednesday: 8:30 to 12:15
- Thursday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
- Friday: 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m
- Lundi : de 08h30 à 16h15
- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
For advice
Architectural, city planning and Environmental Council (CAUE)
Freedom to close
In the absence of local rules
Fence and free movement of wild animals
Service-Public.fr
Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Dila) - Prime Minister