Start with the location and complete proposal
Describe where the fence will stand, what is there now and what you intend to change. Include the complete proposed height and any wall, gravel board or trellis in the arrangement. A panel's advertised size does not describe every part of an installed boundary.
Keep a simple sketch showing the fence line, entrances and nearby roads or paths. If the ground slopes or the two sides sit at different levels, record that rather than choosing a measurement point yourself. Ask the authority how it wants the proposal shown.
The usual height thresholds are not the whole test
Planning Portal's England guidance generally allows new or altered fences without an application up to one metre beside a highway used by vehicles, including its footpath, or two metres elsewhere, subject to its other conditions. An existing fence above those limits may be maintained or altered without increasing its height, again subject to the conditions.
Its fence planning guidance also identifies listed-building circumstances, boundaries with listed properties, Article 4 directions and planning conditions as exceptions. Conservation-area demolition may need permission. Read the complete guidance and ask the local authority about your site; these figures are not automatic approval for a particular fence.
Check whether permitted development rights are restricted
GOV.UK explains that an Article 4 direction can remove specified permitted development rights. That means work covered by the direction may need a planning application even if it would normally be permitted. It does not mean that every application for that work will be refused.
Use the government's permitted development guidance as background, then ask the authority which direction or condition applies to the address and proposed work. A conservation-area label alone does not explain the precise restrictions. Keep the authority's response with the project information so the final specification can be checked against it.
Separate planning from boundary ownership
Planning questions and questions about who owns or may alter a fence are different. GOV.UK's property boundary guidance notes that most title plans do not show exact boundaries, and that there is usually no record identifying ownership of every fence between properties.
If the location or responsibility is disputed, get appropriate property or legal advice before instructing changes. Do not ask an installer to resolve a boundary dispute by selecting where to put new posts. Confirm the line and the authority to proceed separately from the installation quotation.
Prepare a useful planning enquiry
Give the address and describe whether the work is a replacement, a height change or a new boundary feature. Provide photographs taken from lawful, safe positions and mark the part of the site involved. Explain any nearby highway, footpath, listed property or known planning condition.
Ask a specific question about the proposed work rather than simply asking how high fences can be. If you are comparing two arrangements, label them separately. This helps avoid receiving an answer about one option and applying it to a materially different final design.
Do not leave decorative additions out
If your preferred design includes a trellis top, raised base or fencing above a wall, show it as part of the proposal when seeking advice. Ask how the authority will assess the full arrangement and the relevant ground level. Do not assume that describing an element as decorative makes it irrelevant.
Our privacy fencing guide can help you explain what you want the fence to achieve. Share the intended effect with the contractor while keeping height and permission questions open until they are resolved. This avoids choosing a product around an assumption that later has to change.
Keep the approved scope and quotation aligned
Once the necessary checks are complete, make sure the quotation describes the same position, height and materials that were assessed. Keep any drawings or written responses alongside the scope. If a design change is proposed later, check whether it changes the basis on which you decided permission was or was not needed.
Our fencing quotation checklist helps record the practical details. Discuss who will obtain any required permissions and what must be in place before installation is booked. A contractor's willingness to quote is not a planning decision or confirmation of property rights.
Discuss the installation with clear information
You can begin an enquiry while checking the rules. Tell us which points are confirmed and which are still being investigated, along with your postcode, approximate length and access arrangements. Our how it works page explains the stages to discuss when preparing a project.
Call 020 3797 3058 to request a free quotation. This page is general information, not a determination that your proposal is lawful. Planning guidance and local restrictions should be checked again before work proceeds. Sources reviewed on 17 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is every fence under two metres allowed without planning permission?
No. The highway-related threshold and other site restrictions can change the position. Check the complete guidance and the circumstances of the property rather than relying only on height.
Can I replace an existing tall fence at the same height?
The Planning Portal guidance allows some work to existing fences above the usual height limits without increasing height, subject to its other conditions. Check those conditions and any local restrictions before relying on that provision.
Does a quotation confirm that permission is unnecessary?
No. Keep the installation quotation separate from the planning and property-rights checks. Ask the local planning authority about your proposal and obtain other advice where needed.