Find general information about fences including:
- permits and other requirements you may need to build a fence
- sharing fencing costs
- reporting a fencing issue.
If you are planning to build a fence, you may need a building permit. To find out if you need a permit, see:
Corner properties have additional requirements for front and side fences. If you plan to build a corner fence, you may also need to:
If a building permit is not required, there may be other requirements outside of the Building Regulations 2018 that you need to be aware of. This may include:
- planning permits
- covenants or restrictions on the property title such as a Section 173 Agreement
- fence height or style requirements set out in the Frankston Planning Scheme.
It is your responsibility to check any requirements you may need to meet when building a fence. This may include getting consent or endorsement from a Design Review Panel or Committee such as those in the Sandhurst, Sandara, Pindara or other Estates.
Visit our planning permits page for more information.
Property owners are responsible for building and maintaining fences on their property. If you share a fence with a neighbour, you should chat to them to discuss sharing fencing costs.
If you are a property owner and need to find out who owns the property you share a fence with, you can request ownership details for fencing purposes through Council.
If you would like to apply to share fencing costs with Council, read our Shared Cost Fencing Facts Sheet(PDF, 383KB) and visit our Shared Cost Fencing Program page.
If you are having issues with a neighbour or an owner of an adjoining property, you will need to contact one of the following organisations:
Disputes between property owners are handled as a civil matter under the Fencing Act. Council is unable to assist in these situations. If your issue relates to a dangerous or illegal fence, visit our report a building issue page to find out how to lodge a complaint.