Fence rules in Richmond Hill.
A backyard fence in Richmond Hill can be up to 1.8 m (5 ft 10 in). A pool needs an enclosure at least 1.2 m high, approved by the city before the water goes in.
How tall a fence can be in Richmond Hill.
The rules below come from Municipal Code Chapter 973, Fence (Height and Description), and cover Oak Ridges, Mill Pond, Bayview Hill, Jefferson and the rest of the city.
| Where the fence is | Height limit |
|---|---|
| Any yard on a residential lot | 1.8 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Front yard | 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) |
| Corner lot next to a key lot, along the back line for the depth of the house’s side setback | 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) |
| Corner daylighting triangle, at least 4.5 m by 4.5 m | 0.6 m (1 ft 11 in) |
| Along a line shared with a non-residential lot | 2.44 m (8 ft) |
How it’s measured. From the ground to the top of the fence, not counting the posts. Where the ground is higher on one side, it is measured from the higher side.
Posts and caps. Posts don’t count. On a slope, alternate posts may run over the limit to keep the top of the fence level.
Corners and driveways.
Nothing but a fence of 0.6 m or less inside a corner daylighting triangle. The City asks owners of corner lots to call By-law before they build, because special rules apply.
Pool enclosures in Richmond Hill.
Pools need the Swimming Pool Site Alteration Permit, which includes the enclosure: $673.06, a $5,000 refundable security and a grading plan by an engineer or surveyor. The pool can’t be filled until the enclosure is inspected. Hot tubs and temporary above-ground pools that don’t change the grading skip the site alteration permit but still need a proper enclosure.
- 1.2 m to 1.8 m high, measured from the highest ground within 1 m outside, and at least 1.5 m from the water.
- Nothing a child could climb on the outside between 100 mm and 1.2 m up.
- Wood: boards at least 19 × 89 mm and no more than 38 mm apart where the rails are less than 1.2 m apart (100 mm where they are 1.2 m or more apart); posts at least 100 mm, no more than 2.4 m apart and 1.2 m into the ground.
- Gates close by themselves, with a lockable self-latching device inside near the top or outside at least 1.5 m up.
What needs a permit, and how to ask for more.
Permits. No permit for an ordinary fence. Pools need the Swimming Pool Site Alteration Permit, which covers the enclosure.
Exemptions. Exemptions are site-specific amendments passed by Council. Call By-law before you plan anything outside these limits.
- Every fence post in Richmond Hill, pool or not, has to go below the frost line and at least 1.2 m (47 in) into the ground (section 973.3.31).
Check with the city before you build.
By-law and Licensing Enforcement, City of Richmond Hill: 905-771-0198, [email protected].
This page covers heights, corners and driveways, pools and permits; the full by-law, linked below, covers everything else. We read each figure here from the city’s own documents and last checked them on September 26, 2026. By-laws change, and zoning, a subdivision agreement or a heritage designation can set a lower limit on your street. The city’s by-law office has the final word, so check with them before you build.