Richmond Hill fence permits & approvals · Reformity Inc.Fence Permit Drawings in Richmond Hill
No City permit for an ordinary fence: Richmond Hill's Fence By-law (Chapter 973) requires one only for pool enclosures, though fences must stay within 1.8 m, or 1.2 m in a front yard. A new street-visible fence in the Gormley heritage district needs a heritage permit, a solid fence on a TRCA-regulated lot may need TRCA's permission, and the City asks corner-lot owners to contact By-law first.
We prepare your fence drawings, and when a permit, variance or heritage approval is needed, we submit the application to the City of Richmond Hill for you.
Do you need a permit?
Fence permit rules in Richmond Hill.
Richmond Hill's Fence By-law No. 140-90, now Municipal Code Chapter 973, involves little paperwork: an ordinary fence needs no permit, but no residential fence may top 1.8 m in any yard, or 1.2 m in a front yard. Height is measured at each post, from the higher side where the ground differs, and on a slope a fence may exceed the limit at alternate posts to keep its top level. Corner lots carry extra limits beside a key lot and in the corner daylighting triangle, and in Gormley a new street-visible fence needs a heritage permit. For a standard fence, our drawing is a layout for your approval.
Checked against the City of Richmond Hill's own by-laws and pages in November 2026. Rules change, so we confirm them for your address before we draw.
Permit only for pools
Chapter 973 requires a permit only to erect a swimming pool enclosure. An ordinary fence needs none but must meet the by-law, and no fence may go on City land or a public road allowance without authorization from the agency that has jurisdiction.
Fence By-law, Municipal Code Chapter 973, ss.973.3.12 and 973.7.2 (PDF)Height limits and measuring
Residential fences: 1.8 m maximum in any yard, 1.2 m in a front yard. Height runs from the ground at each post to the top of the fence (the posts themselves don't count), from the higher side where grades differ; on slopes, the fence may exceed the limit at alternate posts to keep its top level.
Fence By-law, Municipal Code Chapter 973, ss.973.2.19, 973.2.20, 973.3.17, 973.3.19 (PDF)Corner lots and daylighting
Fences in the corner daylighting triangle (at least 4.5 m by 4.5 m): 0.6 m maximum, and none on public land. On a corner lot backing onto a key lot, the rear-line fence is capped at 1.2 m for the house's exterior side yard setback distance.
Fence By-law, Municipal Code Chapter 973, ss.973.3.15, 973.3.16, 973.3.32 (PDF)Over 1.8 m: limited routes
Council can allow a taller noise-attenuation fence built under a Planning Act agreement, and the Chief Building Official can allow extra height on or beside a railway, utility or hazardous public works installation. Chain-link up to 3.0 m is allowed around an outdoor recreational facility such as a private tennis court, 1.27 m off side and rear lot lines. Any fence over 1.8 m must resist 0.718 kPa of wind pressure.
Fence By-law, Municipal Code Chapter 973, ss.973.3.21-973.3.23, 973.3.25 (PDF)Gormley heritage district
In the Gormley Heritage Conservation District, fences count as structures. Changes not readily visible from the street, such as rear-yard fencing, are exempt from a heritage permit; other new fencing needs one. The district plan supports unfenced front yards and preserving historic fences.
Gormley Heritage Conservation District Plan, ss.3.1, 4.5.2, 8.2, 9.2.11 (PDF)
What the city asks for
The Richmond Hill application.
Issued by: City of Richmond Hill: no permit or application for an ordinary fence (Fence By-law Chapter 973; the City's By-law and Licensing Enforcement Section answers fence questions at 905-771-0198). Heritage permits are applied for through the City's online permit portal, with help from the Heritage Planner; pool enclosures go through the Swimming Pool Site Alteration Permit.. We put the package together, submit it and keep you posted.
Documents
- Ordinary fence: no City application or drawings required
- Pool enclosure: plan showing the pool relative to the lot lines and adjoining buildings
- Pool enclosure: complete details of the enclosure
- Heritage permit: online Heritage Permit Application
- Heritage permit in Gormley (the plan's suggested checklist): results of any historical research, such as historic drawings or photographs
- Heritage permit in Gormley, for more substantial work: drawings showing compliance with the HCD Plan's policies and guidelines
How it goes
- 1We check your lot type (interior, corner or key lot), the yards and any daylighting triangle, and whether the property is in Gormley, designated, or in a TRCA-regulated area.
- 2We draw a layout for your approval: fence line, section heights against the grade, gates, and posts set below the frost line and at least 1.2 m deep, as Chapter 973 requires.
- 3On a corner lot, we confirm the layout with By-law and Licensing Enforcement before building, as the City asks.
- 4For a new street-visible fence in Gormley, or one affecting a designated property's heritage attributes, we prepare the heritage permit drawings and apply before any work starts.
- 5We build to the approved layout once any approval is in hand.
- Processing time
- No City timeline for an ordinary fence. Gormley heritage permits: the district plan lets staff issue permits for minor work that complies with it and sends work that doesn't comply to Heritage Richmond Hill and Council. Under the Ontario Heritage Act, Council has 90 days from its notice of receipt to decide, or longer if the applicant agrees.
- Inspections
- None for an ordinary fence. A pool enclosure must be inspected before the pool may be filled (Chapter 973, s.973.7.4).
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 Richmond Hill'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 Richmond Hill.
Real Reformity jobs from our project files. Customer addresses are never published.
Richmond Hill fence permit FAQ
Quick answers.
Not for an ordinary fence: Chapter 973 requires a permit only for a swimming pool enclosure. Your fence still has to stay within 1.8 m (1.2 m in a front yard), stay off City land and road allowances unless authorized, and, in the Gormley heritage district, get a heritage permit if it's new and visible from the street.
The City asks corner-lot owners to contact By-law before building. Chapter 973 bars fences over 0.6 m in the daylighting triangle (at least 4.5 m by 4.5 m), and if your rear lot line abuts a key lot, the fence along it is limited to 1.2 m for a distance equal to your house's exterior side yard setback.
Possibly. In a conservation authority regulated area, O. Reg. 41/24 exempts only rail, chain-link or panelled fences with at least 75 mm between panels, outside wetlands and watercourses. A solid privacy fence there may need TRCA's permission, so we check the City's TRCA regulation overlay before drawing.
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 Richmond Hill, submit the application and give you a fixed written price for the work.
Let us handle the Richmond Hill permit.
We measure, draw it to the City of Richmond Hill's rules, submit the application and build to the approved plan. One business-day reply.