Up to 1.25 m on the line — set nationally in Art. 48 BauG, not canton by canton as in Switzerland.

Updated July 2026

🧱 Can I put a fence right on the property boundary?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes, but only up to 1.25 m high. Under Art. 48 para. 3 Building Act (BauG, LR 701.0), fences (Einfriedungen) may be built on the property boundary up to a height of 1.25 m. To go higher you need the written consent of the neighbour — without it, the fence must keep a setback equal to the excess height (20 cm higher means 20 cm further back). The myth: "Fence heights are a cantonal and municipal matter, as in Switzerland." Wrong — Liechtenstein has a national figure in the Building Act; municipalities may only deviate from it. And "Einfriedung" expressly includes, under Art. 1 lit. d BauG, hedges and walls of every kind — so a hedge height falls under the same 1.25 m rule.

📋 The rules

1.25 m on the boundary (Art. 48 para. 3 BauG): fences up to 1.25 m may go directly on the line. Higher only with the written consent of the neighbour; without it a minimum setback equal to the excess applies. Municipalities may deviate in their building ordinances.
What counts as a fence (Art. 1 lit. d BauG): hedges and walls of every kind and other artificial demarcations. Retaining walls do not count as a fence — they have their own, but equally 1.25 m, rule (Art. 48 para. 4).
Notification for higher fences (Art. 73 lit. b BauG): fences and retaining walls are notifiable if they stand along traffic areas or adjoin a private property and are higher than 1.25 m. So an 1.80 m privacy screen toward the neighbour needs a building notification.
Along public roads (Art. 52 para. 3 BauG): with a pavement, 1.25 m on the line; without a pavement, a minimum distance of 0.25 m. The municipality may have fences along roads set back for traffic safety (BauV Art. 31).
Disputes go first to the municipality (Art. 48 para. 6 BauG): breaches of minimum setbacks and maximum heights of fences and plantings are handled by municipal mediation. The civil route to the Landgericht remains reserved.

🔓 Exceptions

Written consent of the neighbour: with it, the fence may stand higher than 1.25 m on the line (Art. 48 para. 3). Without it, the fence is not banned but must step back from the line by the excess.
Deviating municipal ordinance: the 1.25 m is the national default, not set in stone. Individual municipalities can set stricter or more generous heights in their building ordinance — which is why a look at the municipal regulation pays off.
The living hedge — two rulebooks at once: as a fence, the 1.25 m rule of the BauG applies; as a plant, additionally the planting distances of property law (Art. 85 SR, among them 50 cm for shrubs). Both claims run side by side and with their own deadlines.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

A too-high fence without consent is no trifle: through municipal mediation (Art. 48 para. 6 BauG) and then the Landgericht, the neighbour can enforce a setback or reduction. If the fence was notifiable (along a road or over 1.25 m toward the neighbour) and you skipped the notification, the building authority orders the restoration of the lawful state (Art. 94) — unlawful building is a contravention (Art. 99). Along roads, the municipality can have the fence set back for traffic safety (BauV Art. 31). Not obvious: if your fence blocks a sightline and an accident happens, it can make you liable; and an overhanging hedge additionally triggers the cutting right (Kapprecht) of the neighbour.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

How high may my fence be on the boundary?

Up to 1.25 m you may build directly on the property boundary (Art. 48 para. 3 BauG). Higher works only with the written consent of the neighbour, otherwise the fence must step back from the line by the excess.

Does the 1.25 m limit also apply to a hedge?

Yes, because under Art. 1 lit. d BauG a hedge is a fence and falls under the same height rule. In addition the planting distances of property law apply, for example 50 cm for shrubs under Art. 85 SR.

Do I have to notify the building authority about a fence?

It becomes notifiable if it stands along a traffic area or adjoins a private property and is higher than 1.25 m (Art. 73 lit. b BauG). A low garden fence in the interior is by contrast usually procedure-free.

The neighbour built a 2 m fence without my consent — what can I do?

You can first turn to municipal mediation, which is competent for such height and distance breaches (Art. 48 para. 6). If that leads nowhere, the civil route to the Landgericht is open to you.

Do the Swiss fence rules apply here?

No, in Switzerland fence height is set cantonally and municipally and varies widely. Liechtenstein has a national figure of 1.25 m in Art. 48 BauG, from which only the municipalities may deviate.

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