Fence rules in Vaughan.
A backyard fence in Vaughan can be up to 2.0 m (6 ft 6 in). A pool needs an enclosure at least 1.22 m high, approved by the city before the water goes in.
How tall a fence can be in Vaughan.
The rules below come from Fence By-law 189-2020, as amended (consolidated April 28, 2025), and cover Woodbridge, Maple, Kleinburg, Concord and Thornhill west of Yonge.
| Where the fence is | Height limit |
|---|---|
| Back and side yards, between houses | 2.0 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| Along a flanking street, a public walkway, an apartment building or a business (not the front yard) | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Front yard, within 2.4 m of the street | 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) |
| Front yard, more than 2.4 m back from the street | 2.0 m (6 ft 6 in) |
| On an open deck, away from the street | 2.0 m above the deck |
How it’s measured. From the ground to the highest point of the fence. Where the ground is higher on one side, it is measured from the lower side.
Posts and caps. The limit is the highest point of the fence, so posts and caps count.
Corners and driveways.
Within 2.4 m of a driveway, the fence has to be chain link or another see-through build for the first 2.4 m in from the street, and fences at corners have to leave a sight triangle clear to the City’s satisfaction.
Pool enclosures in Vaughan.
The enclosure permit comes first, for any pool 76.2 cm (30 in) deep or more. A temporary fence goes up before any digging, and the pool can’t be filled until the City approves the enclosure.
- At least 1.22 m (4 ft) high, measured from the ground within 0.9 m outside the enclosure.
- Wood: boards no more than 10 cm apart, at least 1 × 4 on 2 × 4 rails; posts at least 4 in., no more than 2.4 m apart and 0.6 m into the ground.
- Lattice in the bottom 1.2 m can have openings no bigger than 3.8 square centimetres.
- Gates close by themselves, with a lockable self-latching device inside near the top or outside at least 1.5 m up, and sit no more than 5 cm off the ground. Keep them locked.
What needs a permit, and how to ask for more.
Permits. No permit for an ordinary fence. A pool, even a seasonal one, needs a Swimming Pool Enclosure Permit before you dig or set it up.
Exemptions. Apply in writing to By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services. Owners within 60 m are told, and the City has to refuse if a neighbour next door objects, unless public safety needs the fence.
- Fence installers working in Vaughan need a City of Vaughan business licence.
- A fence straddling the property line can be no more than 20 cm wide, and a fence across a maintenance easement needs a gate at least 0.9 m wide.
Check with the city before you build.
By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services: 905-832-2281, [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.