Few people today question that agood fence is essentialto a newly built orremodeled home.
Gone are the days of vast, interconnected backyards.
Urban density and legal liability have taken care of that.
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What is a property line?
The line is a legal boundary that is usually defined in your property deed.
Every state, city, and county is different, which means that laws are different.
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These fence laws are only basics you might expect in most areas.
Fence Distance From the Property Line
How close can youbuild the fenceto the property line?
You may need to step back the fence.
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Yes, you might be required to do so.
Traditionally, notice has not been required, but the trend is for communities to require neighbor notification.
One example of this isCalifornia’s Good Neighbor Fence Law.
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Whatever you do, it is always good etiquette to speak to your neighbor first.
Can Your Neighbor Build a Fence on the Property Line?
Their fence project may hinge more on the issue of notice than anything else.
Your local statutes may allow a court to halt the construction of aspite fence.
If your neighbor initiates the fence-building project, are you required to pay for half of the costs?
Local fence laws assume that boundary fences benefit both homeowners and so both owners must pay for the fence.
The same holds true for fence maintenance and repairs.
In other words, both landowners must equally share the cost of a partition fence.
In many areas, state-level fence law dates back centuries and mainly addresses issues of grazing animals.
Beyond the general edict that fence costs must be shared, details are left open-ended.
Should that fail, the only recourse is court.
This is not the case.
These can be located by yourself or by hiring a locating service.
Beyond that, your neighbor is allowed to build thatchainlink, vinyl, or concrete block wall.
Can you plant shrubs in place of a fence and grow those shrubs super-high?
Wise to such evasions, local lawmakers often include vegetation as a form of fence.
Sometimes, a homeowner may own a house for decades with no issues coming up about the easement.
This usually happens if the dominant estate issues notice that they need to work on the easement.
In most cases, youcanbuild afence on an easementthat runs through your property.
They are allowed to do this.
Can You Install a Fence Just Inside a Property Line?
Installing a fence directly on a shared property line opens up a new set of complications.
For one, it can be awkward to approach a neighbor who you like and propose a fence.
It’s even more awkward to approach a troublesome neighbor about a fence.
Can you bypass these issues by installing the fence just inside your property?
Reporting a Non-Code-Compliant Fence
Neighbors and passersby often take sharp notice of fences.
Localplanning and permitting departmentsreceive daily anonymous complaints about fences.
Cities typically will not notice or do anything about a fence until a complaint is received.
Usually, you will have a certain amount of time to do so.
Laws vary, but in many places, a neighbor can build a fence directly on a property line.
However, you may be able to seek reimbursement for damages to the property through a civil action.
It’s one thing to pay for half of a reasonably priced wood panel fence.
But what if your neighbor builds a highly expensive palisade security fence?
In this case, it might be more to your benefit to decide the matter in civil court.
Frequently Asked Questions.Los Angeles County (CA)
