Whitby fence permits & approvals · Reformity Inc.Fence Permit Drawings in Whitby
No: Whitby doesn't require a permit for a standard fence that meets Fence By-law 8228-25 (2.0 m in side and rear yards, 1.0 m in front yards), though it strongly encourages a current survey. Approval is needed for a pool enclosure, a fence on a designated heritage property, a gate opening onto Town property, or a fence taller than the by-law allows, which needs a Fence By-law exemption.
We prepare your fence drawings, and when a permit, variance or heritage approval is needed, we submit the application to the Town of Whitby for you.
Do you need a permit?
Fence permit rules in Whitby.
Whitby replaced its old fence by-law on January 1, 2026, and Fence By-law 8228-25 now sets the limits: 2.0 m in side and rear yards, 1.0 m in front yards, and 2.5 m for the part of a fence that abuts an arterial road. Height is measured from the higher side where the ground differs, which matters on sloping yards. In the Werden's Plan (250 properties) and Brooklin (169) heritage districts, the updated plans exempt rear-yard fences on non-corner lots that remove no trees; most other fence work there needs a heritage permit. Elsewhere, the drawing keeps the fence off Town land and out of sight triangles.
Checked against the Town of Whitby's own by-laws and pages in November 2026. Rules change, so we confirm them for your address before we draw.
Height limits
Side and rear yards: 2.0 m. Front yards: 1.0 m, and within 2.4 m of a driveway the fence must be open for 2.4 m from the lot line where the driveway starts. Along an arterial road: 2.5 m. Posts may rise 200 mm higher.
Whitby Fence By-law 8228-25, s.9 (PDF)Measuring on sloped lots
Height runs from finished grade to the top of the fence, measured from the higher side where the ground differs. On a corner lot whose larger usable yard is the interior side yard, the front-yard fence beside that yard may be 2.0 m.
Whitby Fence By-law 8228-25, ss.1.11 & 9.8 (PDF)Sight triangles, Town land
No fence may stand in a sight or visibility triangle, or anywhere it blocks drivers' or pedestrians' view or a traffic sign. No fence may be built wholly on Town land, and a gate opening onto Town property, such as a park, needs a permit.
Whitby Fence By-law 8228-25, ss.9.11, 13.1, 14.2 (PDF)Taller fence: exemption
Up to 2.2 m (10% over): the Town's Commissioner decides after adjacent owners are notified; a reasonable objection means refusal. 2.2 m to 3.0 m: virtual hearing before the Municipal Licensing and Standards Committee, whose decision is final. Above 3.0 m: Council.
Whitby Fence By-law 8228-25, s.18 (PDF)Heritage district fences
On designated heritage properties, including the Brooklin and Werden's Plan districts, building, altering or removing a fence, shared lot-line fences included, needs a heritage permit unless waived in writing. The 2026 district plans exempt minor repairs, and rear-yard fences on non-corner lots that need no tree removal.
Whitby Fence By-law 8228-25, s.2.1 (PDF); Brooklin and Werden's Plan HCD Plans, s.18.3
What the city asks for
The Whitby application.
Issued by: Town of Whitby: Legal and Enforcement Services (Fence By-law exemptions) or Heritage Planning staff (heritage permits). No permit is issued for a standard fence.. We put the package together, submit it and keep you posted.
Documents
- Exemption: online Fence Exemption Application, made by the registered owner
- Exemption: site plan or drawing showing where the fence goes
- Exemption: description of the fence, materials and reasons, including surrounding grades
- Exemption: photos of the existing fence, if there is one
- Exemption: the adjoining owner's written authorization for a division fence
- Heritage permit: drawings and a site plan of existing and proposed structures with setbacks
- Heritage permit: photos of the property and neighbours, and material samples
How it goes
- 1We confirm your yard types, any arterial-road frontage, sight triangles and heritage status, and work from a current survey where you have one, as the Town strongly encourages.
- 2We draw a layout for your approval: fence line, gates and section heights measured from the higher grade.
- 3For a standard fence within the limits, no Town approval is needed, and we build to the approved layout.
- 4If you want more height, we prepare the drawing and description for the Fence Exemption Application, which the registered owner must submit; an Enforcement Officer inspects and neighbours are notified.
- 5On a heritage property, we prepare the heritage permit drawings and submit them through the Town's online portal before any work starts.
- Processing time
- Standard fence: no Town approval or timeline. Exemption: no processing time published; requests up to 2.2 m are decided by the Commissioner and emailed, and 2.2 m to 3.0 m goes to a Municipal Licensing and Standards Committee hearing. Heritage permit: not published; larger applications may also go to the Heritage Whitby Advisory Committee's monthly meetings.
- Inspections
- None for a standard fence. For an exemption, an Enforcement Officer reviews the application and schedules an inspection. A pool enclosure is inspected under its pool permit.
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 Town of Whitby'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 Whitby.
Real Reformity jobs from our project files. Customer addresses are never published.
Whitby fence permit FAQ
Quick answers.
Not for a standard fence. The Town says a permit isn't required but strongly encourages a current survey to confirm the fence sits entirely on your property; a fence on Town land breaks the by-law and may have to come down. Pool enclosures, designated heritage properties, gates onto Town property and fences over the height limits are the exceptions.
Generally, yes. Under Whitby's Division Fence By-law and the Line Fences Act, neighbours share the basic cost, based on a standard 4-foot chain-link fence. Send written notice by registered mail at least 14 days before work starts, including that basic cost. If they don't pay, a registered notice within 90 days of completion gives them 30 days.
Yes, within limits. The Fence By-law bans privacy screens in front yards. In side and rear yards a screen must be at least 0.6 m from side and rear lot lines, no more than 2.63 m above grade and no more than 6 m long in total. On a raised deck, deck plus screen can't exceed 3.5 m.
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 Town of Whitby, submit the application and give you a fixed written price for the work.
Let us handle the Whitby permit.
We measure, draw it to the Town of Whitby's rules, submit the application and build to the approved plan. One business-day reply.
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