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Fence Companies for Installation and Repair in Manchester, NH
Manchester routes fences through its Building Regulations permit process, charges on the estimated cost of the work, and holds front-yard fences to 4 feet, so a 6-foot privacy fence that wraps toward the street usually needs a second look. Call (978) 800-2452 or use the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Manchester permit and zoning notes on this page
- Wood, vinyl, chain link and aluminum
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Fences in Manchester
What should the new fence do for you?
Wood Fences
Privacy, picket, stockade and split-rail fences in cedar or pressure-treated lumber, new or replaced.
Vinyl Fences
Low-upkeep PVC privacy, semi-privacy and picket fences, with matching gates.
Chain Link & Aluminum
Galvanized or coated chain link and ornamental aluminum, including pool enclosures built to code.
Fence Repair
Leaning or rotted posts, sagging gates, storm-damaged sections and broken pickets or panels.
City lot or corner lot?
(978) 800-2452Tell us the street, how tall you want the fence and whether it runs into the front yard, and we'll connect you with a company used to Manchester's permit counter.
Permits
Fence permits in Manchester
Fences are on the city's list. Manchester's Development Guide, a document dated August 2013, says the Building Regulations Division's permit process covers "the erection of accessory structures such as swimming pools, sheds, fences, garages, decks, pavement, signs, and antennas" (Development Guide, 2013). The city's own building code, adopted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen on July 6, 2021, goes a step further than the state code by deleting exemptions 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 from Section R105.2, the list of work that normally skips a permit; the city text gives only the numbers (Manchester Building Code). Taken together, apply for a fence permit unless the division tells you otherwise. No online portal turned up; the division is at One City Hall Plaza.
Fees. Every permit carries a $25 non-refundable application fee. New structures and alterations are charged at the estimated cost times .010, so 1% of the job, with a $30 minimum where inspections are required, and work started without a permit picks up a 100% surcharge (Building Code fees).
- Permit
- Fences listed in the Building Regulations permit process (2013 guide)
- Fee
- 1% of estimated cost plus a $25 application fee; $30 minimum with inspections
- Started without a permit
- 100% surcharge
- Front yard
- 4 ft allowed (2025 zoning board cases)
- Corner lot side yard
- 6 ft allowed (2025 zoning board case)
- Frost depth
- 4 ft for footings
- Office
- Building Regulations Division, One City Hall Plaza
State rules in brief. Cities set their own permits and fees under RSA 155-A:2, and the state's 2024 codes become mandatory for permit requests on January 1, 2027 after a concurrence period ending December 31, 2026. With no state license for fence companies, the Attorney General's advice is to check references and insurance, put the job in a written contract, and be wary of a down payment over half the price (NH AG). Defect claims on residential construction follow the notice steps in RSA 359-G; whether a fence-only job is covered isn't stated. See our New Hampshire fence rules page.
Before the auger. New Hampshire's one-call law applies to post holes. Call 811 or 888-DIG-SAFE at least 72 hours ahead, weekends and legal holidays excluded, but not more than 30 days out; mark the area in white paint, stakes or other white markings; and dig within the ticket's 30 days. Dig Safe says property owners must notify as well as contractors, and a homeowner working at home is excused only from the RSA 374:55 civil penalty, not from calling (Dig Safe; RSA 374). The notice rule in RSA 374:51 covers digging within 100 feet of an underground facility.
Last verified November 2026. Fees, restrictions and deadlines on this page are due for re-checking by January 2027. New England Fence Pros is a referral service: we don't build fences or pull permits, and the company you hire handles any paperwork.
Height and placement
Height limits, setbacks and corner lots in Manchester
What the zoning board's cases show. Manchester regulates fences and walls under zoning Section 8.27(B), but the ordinance file could not be read, so the clearest public record is the Zoning Board of Adjustment's agenda for June 12, 2025. Two owners, one in R-2 and one in R-1A, asked to run 6-foot fences into the front yard "where 4' is allowed." A third, on a corner lot in R-1B, asked for an 8-foot fence in the side yard "where 6' is allowed" (ZBA agenda, June 12, 2025). Those limits come from specific lots and districts, so check yours before assuming the same numbers.
Small rear yards. Another case on the same agenda shows how tight city lots can be: an accessory structure was "occupying 25.9% of the rear yard area where 25% is allowed" in R-1B. A fence itself isn't counted that way in the case, but on a small yard, sheds and fences compete for the same space. The city has been replacing its zoning ordinance through its Land Use Code project, so confirm the current fence section with the city (Land Use Code).
Frost. The city's code amends the state frost depth to 4 feet for footings (Building Code). It doesn't mention fence posts, so ask how deep your installer plans to set them. Where a lot line is uncertain, a survey or the city can confirm it.
Pool fences. Manchester lists swimming pools among the accessory structures that need a permit and adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with no local amendments; it posts no pool fence rules of its own. CPSC guidance, which is advice rather than law, calls for a barrier at least 48 inches tall with self-closing, self-latching gates that open away from the water (CPSC Pub. 362).
Manchester's homes
Pre-war mill-city housing on compact lots
Manchester's housing is old by New Hampshire standards. The master plan adopted December 10, 2009 found 43.7% of units built before 1950 and 63.4% before 1970, using 2007 data (Master Plan), and the city counted 115,644 residents in 2020 (NHES community profile). Multi-unit buildings are common, and many lots are small, with houses and driveways close to the line.
Old fences, new lines. On an older lot, a replacement fence tends to follow a line drawn long ago; if a neighbor's building or drive sits close, a survey can confirm where the line is. Because the front-yard and corner limits come up at the zoning board, settle the height and the run before ordering panels.
Historic districts and wetlands. The city has a Heritage Commission, but we could not confirm any local historic district with design review for fences (Heritage Commission). Wetlands carry a zoning setback under Section 6.09(A): a 2025 case sought relief for a shed 22 feet 10 inches from a wetland "where 25' is required" in R-1A (ZBA agenda). The city has no posted rule on fences near wetlands, so ask before posts go in near wet ground.
FAQ
Manchester fence questions
Does Manchester require a permit for a fence?
The city's Development Guide, dated August 2013, lists fences among the accessory structures that go through the Building Regulations Division's permit process, and the city's building code deletes several of the state code's permit exemptions. Plan on applying, and confirm with the division at One City Hall Plaza.
What does a fence permit cost in Manchester?
Manchester's building code charges a $25 non-refundable application fee on every permit, plus 1% of the estimated cost for new structures and alterations, with a $30 minimum where inspections are needed. Starting before the permit is issued adds a 100% surcharge.
How tall can a front-yard fence be in Manchester?
Zoning board cases from June 12, 2025 describe 4 feet as the allowed height in a front yard, with owners asking for relief to build 6-foot fences there. Another case sought an 8-foot fence in a corner lot's side yard where 6 feet is allowed.
How deep should fence posts go in Manchester?
The city does not set a post depth for fences. Its building code sets a 4-foot frost depth for footings, so ask your installer how deep the posts will go and how they will be set against frost heave.
What does it cost me to use New England Fence Pros?
Nothing. Asking is free for homeowners; the contractor prices the job, and the price and contract are between you and them.
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