Markham fence permits & approvals · Reformity Inc.Fence Permit Drawings in Markham
No permit for a standard fence: Markham exempts fences other than pool enclosures from building permits, though By-law 277-97 caps them at 1.8 m in side and rear yards and 1.2 m in front. Pool enclosures, over-height fences and new fences in heritage districts need approval.
We prepare your fence drawings, and when a permit, variance or heritage approval is needed, we submit the application to the City of Markham for you.
Do you need a permit?
Fence permit rules in Markham.
Markham's fence heights come from Fence By-law 277-97: 1.8 m (6 ft) in side and rear yards, and 1.2 m (4 ft) in front yards and along a corner lot's flankage yard. A standard fence needs no permit, so for most owners our drawing is a layout for your approval: fence line, heights by yard, gates and how panels step with the grade. Approvals come in for pool enclosures, new fences in the four heritage districts and over-height fences, which need a written exemption. The City says these limits don't apply where a yard backs onto a railway like the Stouffville GO line, a major highway or commercial land.
Checked against the City of Markham's own by-laws and pages in November 2026. Rules change, so we confirm them for your address before we draw.
No permit for most fences
Markham's building permit list exempts fences other than pool enclosure fences. Installing or changing a pool enclosure fence does need a permit, so any fence that forms part of a pool enclosure goes through the pool enclosure permit.
City of Markham: building permit processHeight limits by yard
Front yard 1.2 m (4 ft); interior side and rear yards 1.8 m (6 ft); a corner lot's exterior flankage yard 1.2 m. On a corner lot, no more than 1.52 m (5 ft) of the rear fence can be solid, with open lattice above.
Fence By-law 277-97, s.4 (PDF, consolidated to 2012)Corner sight triangles
On a corner lot under Zoning By-law 2024-19, nothing over 0.75 m above average grade, fences included, may stand in the sight triangle: the triangle reaching 6.0 m from where the front and exterior side lot lines would meet.
Zoning By-law 2024-19, s.4.5 (PDF, July 2026 consolidation)Over-height fence exemption
Owners or their agents can apply in writing to the Manager, By-law Enforcement & Licensing, for an exemption from the fence by-law. The Manager weighs hardship and sight lines and can attach conditions; appeals go to Council via the Clerk within 10 days.
Fence By-law 277-97, s.8.1 (PDF, consolidated to 2012)Heritage district fences
On individually designated properties and every lot in the Unionville, Markham Village, Thornhill and Buttonville districts, a new or different fence needs a Minor Heritage Permit, applied for in ePLAN, before work starts. Repairing an existing fence needs none.
City of Markham: heritage permits
What the city asks for
The Markham application.
Issued by: City of Markham: no permit for a standard fence. Over-height exemptions go to the Manager, By-law Enforcement & Licensing (Fence By-law 277-97); new fences on heritage properties need a Minor Heritage Permit from the City's Heritage Section, through ePLAN.. We put the package together, submit it and keep you posted.
Documents
- Exemption: written application naming the by-law section and your reasons
- Exemption: whether the fence will be temporary or permanent
- Exemption (supporting): property survey and site plan
- Exemption (supporting): fence description and construction specifications
- Exemption (supporting): abutting neighbours' consent
- Heritage permit: site plan or sketch showing the work
- Heritage permit: statement of the proposed work
- Heritage permit: drawings, specifications or photographs as needed
How it goes
- 1We confirm your yard types, any corner sight triangle, and whether your lot is in a heritage district.
- 2We draw a layout for your approval: fence line, heights by yard, gates and how the fence follows the grade.
- 3For a fence taller than the by-law allows, we prepare the written exemption request with your survey, a site plan and specifications for the Manager, By-law Enforcement & Licensing.
- 4On a heritage property, we upload the sketch, work statement and specifications to ePLAN for a Minor Heritage Permit before work starts.
- 5We build to the approved layout.
- Processing time
- Markham's heritage permit page gives no processing time for Minor Heritage Permits. For a fence exemption, the City requires 14 days' lead time to set up inspection dates and process the application. An appeal of the Manager's exemption decision must reach the City Clerk within 10 days of the decision.
- Inspections
- None for a standard fence. For an over-height fence, By-law Enforcement staff set up a property inspection as part of reviewing the exemption application. A fence that forms part of a pool enclosure is inspected under the pool enclosure permit. Under a Minor Heritage Permit, the permit card must be posted where the public can see it, and City staff may inspect the finished work.
Pool enclosure fence — sheet 1 — Elevation, board-on-board section and post-footing detail. From a real Reformity permit drawing set, client details removed. Click to enlarge.
Pool enclosure fence — sheet 3
Fence permit drawing
Permit drawings included
We prepare and submit your permit drawings.
Fence layout, elevation and post-footing details drawn to the City of Markham's rules, and submitted with the pool enclosure, variance or heritage application when one is needed.
- Dimensions to your lot lines
- Materials, sizes and spacing
- Footing and base sections
- Code notes for the inspector
Fencing · real projects
Recent fencing jobs in and around Markham.
Real Reformity jobs from our project files. Customer addresses are never published.
Markham fence permit FAQ
Quick answers.
No building permit: Markham lists fences other than pool enclosure fences among projects that don't need one. The fence still has to meet By-law 277-97: 1.8 m (6 ft) in side and rear yards, and 1.2 m (4 ft) in the front yard and along a corner lot's flankage yard. A pool enclosure needs a pool enclosure permit, and a new fence in a heritage district needs a Minor Heritage Permit.
From the finished grade at the base of the fence to its highest point, or from the top of the wall when the fence sits on a retaining wall. The fence has to reasonably follow the slope. Gates can exceed the limit by up to 30 cm and decorative post caps by 15 cm, and entrance archways can reach 2.4 m.
Often, yes. The City says its residential limits don't apply to fences where a property backs onto a commercial lot, railway line or major highway, and the by-law allows up to 3.04 m (10 ft) in a rear or side yard next to commercial, industrial or institutional property. Railway fences and City-approved noise walls are outside the by-law.
Send the form on this page or call 437-241-6287. We reply within one business day, visit to measure, prepare the drawings for the City of Markham, submit the application and give you a fixed written price for the work.
Let us handle the Markham permit.
We measure, draw it to the City of Markham's rules, submit the application and build to the approved plan. One business-day reply.
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