Fences & pool enclosures across Nova Scotia
How tall can my fence be? Do I need a fence around my pool?
42 of 49 municipalities in Nova Scotia have an adopted bylaw on fences & pool enclosures on file. Each row links the municipality's answer page and, where transcribed, the full text of the document.
| Municipality | Adopted document | Key facts | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town |
Town of Amherst Land Use Bylaw P-2 | permit required: yes · pool enclosure: minimum 1.2 m high; at least one gate self-closing with self-latching device; completely enclose; no opening greater than 10 cm. · sight triangle: no fence... shall be erected... to a height greater than 0.6 metres above grade within a corner lot sight triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Annapolis Royal Town |
Swimming Pool Fencing By-law
+1 more adopted 2005-06-20 |
pool enclosure: In-ground pool fence not less than 1.5 meters (5 feet); above-ground sides raised to 1.2 meters (4 feet); gates self-closing, self-latching, kept closed and locked. · max height rear side: 2.4 m (8 ft) in Residential, Institutional and Parks and Open Space Zone; 3.04 m (10 ft) in all other Zones · max height front: 2.4 m (8 ft) in Residential, Institutional and Parks and Open Space Zone; 3.04 m (10 ft) in all other Zones | 2026-09-27 |
| Antigonish County municipality |
Municipality of the County of Antigonish Land Use By-law
adopted 2024-06-11 |
sight triangle: No building, structure, fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree, or any other structure or vegetation shall be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 metres (1.96 feet) above grade within the corner vision triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Antigonish Town |
Town of Antigonish Land Use By-law
adopted 2020-01-20 |
pool enclosure: enclosed by a fence with a minimum height of 1.2 m and a self-locking door · sight triangle: On a corner lot, no structure or vegetation shall be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 m above grade of the streets that abut the lot within the triangular area included within the street lines for a distance of 6 m from their point of intersection. · prohibited materials: Chain-link fences shall not be permitted in front yards or flankage yards of any Residential Neighbourhood Zone. | 2026-09-27 |
| Barrington District municipality |
Municipality of the District of Barrington Land Use By-law
adopted 2013-11-25 |
sight triangle: height greater than 0.61 metres above grade ... within the triangular area included within the street lines for a distance of 6 metres from their point of intersection | 2026-09-27 |
| Bridgewater Town |
Town of Bridgewater Land Use By-law
adopted 2014-11-10 |
max height rear side: 2.5m (8ft) for All Residential Zones, C6, C7, C8; 3m (10ft) for C1, C2, C3, C9; 3.75m (12ft) for I1, I2, C10 and All Other Zones; No Limit for M1, M2 · max height front: 1.2m (4ft) for All Residential Zones, C6, C7, C8, C1, C2, C3, C9; 3m (10ft) for I1, I2, C10; 2.5m (8ft) for All Other Zones; No Limit for M1, M2 · pool enclosure: Outdoor pools or yards must be completely enclosed; enclosure/gates min 1.5m (5ft) high; gates self-closing, self-latching lockable devices. | 2026-09-27 |
| Cape Breton Regional municipality |
Cape Breton Regional Municipality Swimming Pool Fences By-law (No. S-600)
+1 more adopted 1995-12-19 |
prohibited materials: barbed wire fencing · pool enclosure: Enclosure extends from ground to height not less than five (5) feet; gates self-closing, self-latching at top and inside. | 2026-09-27 |
| Clark's Harbour Town |
Town of Clark's Harbour Land Use By-Law | sight triangle: On a corner lot a fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree or any other structure or vegetation shall not be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than two (2) fee above grade of the streets that abut the lot within the triangular area included within the street lines for a distance of twenty (20) feet from their point of intersection. | 2026-09-27 |
| Colchester County municipality |
Municipality of Colchester Land Use Bylaw, Chapter 40
adopted 2025-03-27 |
pool enclosure: enclosed by a fence min 1.5 m (5.0 ft) at grade; self-latching gates; set back greater of accessory building or 2.0 m; not in front/flanking yard · sight triangle: On a corner lot in any zone, no structure, vegetation, or outdoor storage or display shall be erected, established, or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.61 metres (2.0 feet) within the corner lot sight triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Cumberland County municipality |
Municipality of Cumberland Land Use By-law
adopted 2018-04-04 |
permit required: no · sight triangle: On a corner lot, no fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree, or any other structure, vehicle, or vegetation shall be erected, placed, or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 metres above grade within the corner lot sight triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Digby District municipality |
Municipality of Digby Land Use By-law, By-law 2023-03 | permit required: yes · sight triangle: Fence height limited to .6 m (2 ft.) above grade within corner vision triangle (street lines 6.1 m/20 ft. from intersection). · prohibited materials: barbed wire or electrified prohibited unless commercial/agricultural/industrial; barbed wire prohibited abutting residential. | 2026-09-27 |
| Digby Town |
Town of Digby Land Use By-law
adopted 2012-05-07 |
max height rear side: 2.4 meters (8 ft.) in all Residential Zones and 3.6 meters (12 ft.) in all other Zones · max height front: 2.4 meters (8 ft.) in all Residential Zones and 3.6 meters (12 ft.) in all other Zones · permit required: yes | 2026-09-27 |
| East Hants District municipality |
Municipality of East Hants Land Use Bylaw
adopted 2023-07-27 |
max height rear side: 2 m · max height front: 1 m · permit required: no | 2026-09-27 |
| Guysborough District municipality |
Municipality of the District of Guysborough Land Use Bylaw | permit required: yes · pool enclosure: Outdoor pools must be completely enclosed by a fence; fences and gates minimum 1.5 m high and secured from unauthorized access. · sight triangle: No vegetation, building or structure including fences and signs may exceed 2 ft (0.6 m) above grade of abutting streets in a corner vision triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Halifax Regional municipality |
Halifax Regional Municipality Swimming Pool By-law S-700
adopted 2002-01-22 |
pool enclosure: Pools completely separated by fence, building, deck; minimum height five feet; no opening exceeding four inches; no member facilitate climbing; gates self closing, self latching. | 2026-09-27 |
| Inverness County municipality |
Municipality of the County of Inverness Land Use By-law (2025)
adopted 2025-05-22 |
sight triangle: No building, structure, fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree, or any other structure or vegetation shall be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 metres (1.96 feet) above grade within the corner vision triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Kentville Town |
Town of Kentville Swimming Pool By-law (CH75)
+1 more adopted 2007-12-12 |
max height rear side: 8 ft (2.43 m) in Residential Zone; 12 ft (3.66 m) otherwise · max height front: 4 ft (1.21 m) in first 20 ft of front yard where no required front yard (except Industrial Zone) · sight triangle: No fence... greater than 3 ft (0.91 m) above grade within a day lighting triangle | 2026-09-27 |
| Kings County municipality |
Municipality of the County of Kings Swimming Pool By-law (By-law 73)
adopted 1996-12-03 |
pool enclosure: Pools or yard/deck completely enclosed; enclosures minimum five (5) feet high; doors/gates self-latching, placed at top and interior side. | 2026-09-27 |
| Lockeport Town |
Town of Lockeport Land Use By-law | sight triangle: On a corner lot in the R-1 zone, a fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree or any other structure or vegetation shall not be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than two (2) feet above grade of the roads that abut the lot within the triangular area included within the road lines for a distance of ten (10) feet from their point of intersection. | 2026-09-27 |
| Lunenburg District municipality |
Municipality of the District of Lunenburg Land Use By-law (MODL By-Law 049)
adopted 2026-07-29 |
permit required: no · pool enclosure: Outdoor pools at/below grade must be completely enclosed by a fence; fences and gates min 1.5 m (5 ft) high and secured from unauthorized access. · sight triangle: No building, structure, fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree may exceed 0.6 m (2 ft) above grade within the corner vision triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Lunenburg Town |
Town of Lunenburg Land Use By-law, 2021
adopted 2021-07-27 |
max height rear side: 1.8 metres (5.9 feet) · sight triangle: Fences and signs not permitted to exceed 1.0 metres (3.2 feet) above abutting street grade in a corner vision triangle, except in the Heritage Conservation District; not apply above 2.4 metres (7.9 feet). · prohibited materials: Barbed wire or other sharp-edged materials prohibited, except atop fences/walls over 2 metres (6.6 feet) or agricultural/industrial fences. | 2026-09-27 |
| Mahone Bay Town |
Town of Mahone Bay Land Use Bylaw, 2024
adopted 2024-01-31 |
max height rear side: 2.0 metres · max height front: 2.0 metres · permit required: no | 2026-09-27 |
| Middleton Town |
Town of Middleton Land Use By-law | sight triangle: On a corner lot, a fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush, or tree or any other structure or vegetation shall not be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than .6 meters (2 ft.) above grade of the streets that abut the lot within the triangular area included within the street lines for a distance of 6.1 meters (20 ft.) from their point of intersection. · prohibited materials: electrified; barbed wire (except industrial use, not in yard abutting residential Zone) | 2026-09-27 |
| Mulgrave Town |
Town of Mulgrave Land-Use By-Law (By-Law #02)
adopted 2016-12-05 |
pool enclosure: Enclosed by a fence having a minimum height of 5 feet from established grade and located a minimum of 5 feet from water surface perimeter. | 2026-09-27 |
| New Glasgow Town |
Town of New Glasgow Swimming Pool Bylaw
+1 more adopted 1988-07-18 |
pool enclosure: Enclosure minimum five feet in height from grade; gates equipped with self-closing, self-latching devices placed at top and inside. · max height rear side: 1.8 m (6 feet) in a Residential Zone; 3.6 m (12 feet) otherwise · max height front: 1.2 m (4 feet) | 2026-09-27 |
| Oxford Town |
Town of Oxford Land Use Bylaw (Bylaw P-2)
adopted 2009-07-13 |
max height rear side: 1.8m · max height front: 1.4m · pool enclosure: Fence must completely enclose pool; at least one self-closing, self-latching gate; minimum 1.2m high; no opening greater than 10cm. | 2026-09-27 |
| Pictou County municipality |
Municipality of the County of Pictou Swimming Pool By-law
+1 more adopted 2008-06-09 |
permit required: no · sight triangle: Corner Vision Triangle: part of a corner lot adjacent to the intersection of exterior lot lines, measured 2.0 metres along each street line and joined by a straight line. · pool enclosure: Pool/yard completely enclosed; enclosure min 4 ½ feet high from grade; gates self-closing, self-latching at top and inside. | 2026-09-27 |
| Pictou Town |
Towns of Pictou, Stellarton, and Trenton (Common) Land Use By-law (2025) | max height rear side: 1.8 metres (6 feet) in a Residential Zone; 3.6 metres (12 feet) otherwise · max height front: 1.2 metres (4 feet) within 1.8 metres (6 feet) of a Lot line abutting a Street · permit required: no | 2026-09-27 |
| Port Hawkesbury Town |
Town of Port Hawkesbury Swimming Pool By-law
+1 more |
sight triangle: On a corner lot, any structure or vegetation shall not exceed a height of 0.60 m [2.0 ft.] above grade within the triangular area created by joining the distance of 6.10 m [20.0 ft.] measured from the intersection along the two street lines. · pool enclosure: Enclosure not less than five feet high; gates self-closing, self-latching devices at top and inside. | 2026-09-27 |
| Queens Regional municipality |
Region of Queens Municipality Land Use Bylaw (2022)
adopted 2022-05-24 |
pool enclosure: Outdoor pools at or below grade completely enclosed by fence; fences and gates minimum 1.5 m high and secured from unauthorized access. · sight triangle: No building, structure, fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree, or any other structure or vegetation shall be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 metres above grade within the corner vision triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Richmond County municipality |
Municipality of the County of Richmond Land Use By-law (Plan Richmond, Jan 29 2024)
adopted 2024-01-29 |
sight triangle: On a corner lot, no building, structure, fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree, or any other structure or vegetation shall be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 metres (1.96 feet) above grade within the corner vision triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| St. Mary's District municipality |
Municipality of the District of St. Mary's Land Use By-Law
adopted 2022-10-18 |
permit required: no · pool enclosure: All outdoor swimming pools, or the yard in which a pool is located, shall be completely enclosed; access controlled by a fence at least 1.5 metres in height or a combination of fencing, buildings, or deck; gates and doors self closing, self-latching lockable devices placed not less than 1.5 metres in height. | 2026-09-27 |
| Stellarton Town |
Towns of Pictou, Stellarton, and Trenton (Common) Land Use By-law
adopted 2024-10-15 |
max height rear side: 1.8 m · max height front: 1.2 m · permit required: no | 2026-09-27 |
| Stewiacke Town |
Town of Stewiacke Consolidated Land Use By-law | max height rear side: 2.1 m in residential zones, or 3.6 m in all other zones · max height front: 2.1 m in residential zones, or 3.6 m in all other zones · sight triangle: On a corner lot, no fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree or any other structure, vehicle or vegetation shall be erected, placed; or in the case of plants, permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 m above grade within a corner lot sight triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| Trenton Town |
Town of Trenton Swimming Pools By-law (No. 39) | pool enclosure: All pools/yard completely enclosed; enclosure minimum of five(5) feet in height from grade; gates self-closing, self-latching at top/inside. | 2026-09-27 |
| Truro Town |
Town of Truro Community Plan Land Use By-law (Part 7)
adopted 2023-11-06 |
max height rear side: 2.5 m (8.2 ft) · max height front: 1.0 m (3.3 ft) · permit required: yes | 2026-09-27 |
| Victoria County municipality |
Municipality of the County of Victoria Land Use By-law
adopted 2025-05-26 |
permit required: yes · sight triangle: No building, structure, fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush or tree, or any other structure or vegetation shall be erected or permitted to grow to a height greater than 0.6 metres (1.96 feet) above grade within the corner vision triangle. | 2026-09-27 |
| West Hants Regional municipality |
Town of Windsor Bylaw #14 - Swimming Pool Fences Bylaw
+2 more |
prohibited materials: barbed wire fence or any fence composed partly of barbed wire and partly of other material · permit required: yes · pool enclosure: Pool Enclosure at least 1.22 m (4 feet) high; gates equipped with Self-Closing Device and Self-Latching Device. | 2026-09-27 |
| Westville Town |
Towns of New Glasgow, Pictou, Stellarton, Trenton and Westville (Common) Land Use By-law
adopted 2016-02-22 |
max height rear side: 1.8 m (6 feet) in Residential Zone; 3.6 m (12 feet) otherwise · max height front: 1.2 m (4 feet) · pool enclosure: enclosure barrier minimum 1.5 m (5 ft); self-closing and self-latching gate minimum 1.5 m (5 ft) in height | 2026-09-27 |
| Wolfville Town |
Town of Wolfville Land Use Bylaw
adopted 2026-05-13 |
— | 2026-09-27 |
| Yarmouth District municipality |
Municipality of the District of Yarmouth Land Use By-Law
adopted 2025-01-22 |
permit required: yes · sight triangle: No fence, sign, hedge, shrub, bush, tree or other structure/vegetation >0.6 m above grade within triangular area 6.0 m from street line intersection on a corner lot. | 2026-09-27 |
| Yarmouth Town |
Town of Yarmouth Land Use By-law
adopted 2016-06-09 |
max height rear side: 3m (9.8 ft.) · max height front: 3m (9.8 ft.) · permit required: no | 2026-09-27 |
Nothing on file for fences & pool enclosures
Absence here is explicit, not a gap: each municipality below was checked, and its status says why there is no document.
Other bylaws on file, none on this topic (7) — Annapolis, Argyle, Berwick, Chester, Clare, Shelburne, Shelburne.