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What are the height and distance rules for a fence wall?
Verified 11 May 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)
Unwritten rules laid down by the use of places: local customs that apply to all, or specific customs that apply to certain categories of people (farmers, private individuals...)
Additional cases ?
Would you like to know the rules to follow regarding the construction or installation of a fence? These rules differ depending on the nature of the fence chosen (wall, plant fence, fence or palisade).
What applies to you ?
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FYI
every owner has the law to close your land as long as you respect certain rules. It doesn't matter whether it's urban or rural. Before settling a fence, it is recommended that you to limit your land to know the boundaries of your property.
Wall
Infographie - What rules to follow to build a fence wall?
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What rules to follow to build a fence wall?
1. Check the rules of your municipality
Contact the city planning department of your city hall.
Rules may be laid down by:
- The local city planning plan (PLU)
- The communal map
- Local customs (unwritten rules)
2. If no local rules exist
You must respect a minimum height for your wall, including a chaperone (top of the roof-shaped wall).
Note: the law does not provide for a maximum height.
- Commune of less than 50,000 inhabitants: minimum height of 2.60 meters
- Municipality of 50,000 inhabitants or more: minimum height of 3.20 meters
Did you know that?
There are other rules for the location of your future fence wall. They depend on the specifics of your land (land in subdivision, close to a road...).
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, we must refer to the law which lays down minimum height rules. These rules depend on the situation of your land.
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Your land is located on a commune of less than 50,000 inhabitants
Your wall including the chaperone when it exists (top of the wall in the form of a roof) must respect a minimum height of 2,60 meters.
Warning
the act does not provide for a maximum height. However, your wall should not cause abnormal neighborhood disorder (for example, loss of sight or sunlight).
Before building the wall, it is recommended to talk to your neighbor. If he accepts, you can then build the wall on the boundary separating your 2 plots by sharing the costs by half (this will also avoid a loss of land). The wall will then be adjoining. If your neighbor refuses (for example, he or she does not want to contribute to the construction costs or see a wall on his or her land), you will need to build the wall only on your land. Otherwise, your neighbor may demand that the wall be demolished or moved.
Your land is located on a commune of at least 50,000 inhabitants
Your wall including the chaperone when it exists (top of the wall in the form of a roof) must respect a minimum height of 3,20 meters.
Warning
the act does not provide for a maximum height. However, your wall should not cause abnormal neighborhood disorder (for example, loss of sight or sunlight).
Before building the wall, it is recommended to talk to your neighbor. If he accepts, you can then build the wall on the boundary separating your 2 plots by sharing the costs by half (this also avoids a loss of land). The wall will then be adjoining. If your neighbor refuses (for example, he or she does not want to contribute to the construction costs or see a wall on his or her land), you will need to build the wall only on your land. Otherwise, your neighbor may demand that the wall be demolished or moved.
Before you build the wall, you'll have 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
- The height of the wall to be built is greater than or equal to 2 meters
- 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.
Vegetable fence (hedge/trees or shrubs)
You have to imperative contact the city planning department of your city hall to find out if there are local distance rules to respect with respect 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 no local rules exist, the minimum distance to respect from the neighboring land varies according to the height of your plantation.
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Planting less than or equal to 2 meters
The minimum distance to be respected at the neighboring property limit is 0.5 meters.
This distance is measured from the middle of the trunk and the height from the ground to the top of the tree.
Your plantation must not cause abnormal neighborhood disorder (for example, loss of sight or sunlight).
If you don't follow these rules, your neighbor may require your plant fence to be removed or moved.
Planting greater than 2 meters
The minimum distance to be respected at the neighboring property limit is 2 meters.
This distance is measured from the middle of the trunk and the height from the ground to the top of the tree.
Your plantation must not cause abnormal neighborhood disorder (for example, loss of sight or sunlight).
If you don't follow these rules, your neighbor may require your plant fence to be removed or moved.
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.
Other fences (fence, palisade)
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
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Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Dila) - Prime Minister