How tall may my hedge be?
There is no federal maximum height for a hedge — the law mainly governs the planting distance to the boundary, not the height. Under article 3.133 of the Civil Code (since 1 September 2021), absent an agreement or local custom: trees at least 2 metres tall are planted at least 2 metres from the boundary, and lower trees, shrubs and hedges at at least 0.5 metre (measured from the middle of the foot). On height: the Civil Code sets no general maximum. Your neighbour also cannot object to planting that is no higher than the fence between your plots. A real height limit therefore usually comes from the municipal rules — worth checking. Note: don't confuse this 'tall-stem = at least 2 m high' with the felling rules, where tall-stem means '1 m trunk circumference'. If a hedge has stood too close for more than 30 years, it is protected by prescription.
📋 The rules
- No federal maximum height for a hedge; the Civil Code governs the planting distance, not the height
- Civil Code art. 3.133: trees ≥ 2 m tall at ≥ 2 m from the boundary; shrubs/hedges at ≥ 0.5 m
- Distance measured from the middle of the foot of the plant to the boundary
- Your neighbour cannot object to planting no higher than the fence between the plots
- A municipal regulation or local custom can impose a maximum height or a different distance
- In agricultural land: forest planting within 6 m of the boundary is forbidden without consent
🔓 Exceptions
- A written agreement with the neighbour, or a recognised local custom, overrides the default distances
- Planting that has stood in the same spot for more than 30 years is protected by prescription
- Plantings from after 1 September 2021 fall under the Civil Code; older ones under the Field Code (same distances)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
This too is neighbour law before the justice of the peace, not a fines matter. If a hedge or tree is too close to the boundary, your neighbour can ask for it to be pruned or removed — but the judge weighs all the circumstances and can reject the claim as an abuse of right. After 30 years they can no longer demand anything. If a municipal regulation sets a maximum height and you exceed it, a GAS fine is possible.
📎 Official sources
- ejustice · Act of 4 February 2020 (Book 3 Property, art. 3.133) →
- Ecopedia (Flemish authority) · planting distances Field Code and Civil Code →
- Departement Omgeving Flanders · planting distances →
❓ Frequently asked
How tall may my hedge be?
The Civil Code sets no maximum height. As long as you respect the planting distance (0.5 m for hedges and shrubs), a hedge may be tall. A real height limit is found only in a municipal regulation — check with your municipality.
How far from the boundary must my hedge be?
At least 0.5 metre for hedges, shrubs and low trees; at least 2 metres for trees that grow 2 metres or taller. Measured from the middle of the trunk or foot to the boundary.
My hedge has stood too close for years — must it go?
Not if it has been there for more than 30 years: then it is protected by prescription. If it's more recent, your neighbour can ask the justice of the peace for pruning or relocation, unless that would be an abuse of right.
Can my neighbour force me to lower my hedge?
Only if a municipal regulation sets a maximum height, or if the hedge is too close to the boundary and not yet prescribed. They cannot object to a hedge no higher than the divider between your plots.
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