Fence rules
Adding trellis is the most common way people try to gain privacy. Here is how the height rules, your neighbour and the fence itself all treat it.
Many people assume lattice on top sits outside the rules. Councils disagree. Bayside City Council's fences page says the regulations apply to privacy screens, trellis and trellis extensions on an existing fence. Glen Eira's fencing page says screens, gates and roller doors fall under the same fencing provisions. The safe reading: measure from natural ground on your side to the highest point of the trellis, and that is the height of your fence.
| Fence | Trellis on top | Total height | Usual position for a side or rear fence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5m paling | 300mm | 1.8m | Under 2m, generally no building permit |
| 1.65m paling | 300mm | 1.95m | Under 2m, generally no building permit |
| 1.8m paling | 300mm | 2.1m | Over 2m, building permit generally needed |
| 1.8m paling | 450mm | 2.25m | Over 2m, building permit and siting rules apply |
| 1.8m Colorbond | Manufacturer extension | Varies | Check total height and the maker's wind rating |
Heights within 3m of the street and within 9m of a corner are lower, usually 1.5m (1.2m for masonry) and 1m. Your council and zone can be stricter, so check before building.
Part 5 of the Building Regulations 2018 deals with siting, and its fence regulations come into play once a fence is over 2m. In summary, as councils and the building regulator explain them:
A registered building surveyor checks a taller fence against these rules when issuing a permit. If the design does not comply, for example tall trellis right next to a neighbour's bedroom window, the surveyor needs council's report and consent before a permit can issue, and council can say no. A narrow exception allows a boundary screen up to 2.5m where it is needed to stop overlooking and the part above 2m is 20 to 25 percent open.
For the wider permit picture, see do you need a permit for a fence in Victoria and fence rules by council.
Under the Fences Act 1968 (Vic), neighbours generally share equally the cost of a sufficient dividing fence, which in most Melbourne streets means a standard paling or Colorbond fence of about the height already common in the area. A trellis extension goes beyond that, so the usual position is:
Glen Eira applies the same thinking to fences it shares with parks: council's page says lattice and extra height are at the resident's cost. For the general rules, read who pays for a dividing fence and what to do if a neighbour won't pay.
Get a free online instant estimate for your boundary in about 2 minutes, then book a free on-site measure and written quote. We check heights, windows and neighbours on the day.
Get my instant estimate →Posts in a standard 1.8m paling fence are sized and set for that height. Adding 300mm to 450mm of trellis lifts the top of the fence and lengthens the lever on every post. Lattice is partly open, but once a climber covers it, it catches wind almost like solid palings.
If what you really want is privacy, there are often better options than adding to an old fence:
We build trellis and screening as part of a new fence, not as add-ons to an existing one. We work across Brighton, Brighton East, Hampton, Sandringham, Bentleigh, Bentleigh East, Caulfield, Cheltenham and Heatherton. Pete Kendall is a registered building practitioner (CDB-U 67771).
Yes. Trellis, lattice and privacy screens fixed to a fence are treated as part of it, so the height runs to the top of the trellis. Bayside council says the regulations apply to trellis and trellis extensions on an existing fence, and Glen Eira says screens fall under the same fencing provisions.
Only if the total stays at or under 2m, which allows about 200mm on a true 1.8m fence. A standard 300mm or 450mm lattice panel takes it over 2m, and a side or rear fence over 2m generally needs a building permit and must meet the siting rules for neighbours' windows and sunlight. Check with your council or a building surveyor.
Usually not. The Fences Act 1968 (Vic) shares the cost of a sufficient dividing fence, and a trellis extension generally goes beyond that. The owner who wants it normally pays, unless both neighbours agree to share it. Because the fence is jointly owned, get your neighbour's consent in writing before adding trellis.
When a fence that needs a building permit does not meet a siting rule in the Building Regulations 2018, such as height near a neighbour's window, the building surveyor must get council's report and consent before issuing the permit. Council can agree, set conditions or refuse.
The regulations protect it. A fence over 2m must leave a light court of at least 3 square metres outside a habitable room window of an existing house next door, must be set back opposite nearby north-facing windows, and must not reduce sunlight to the neighbour's main outdoor area below the required minimum between 9am and 3pm on 22 September.
Often, yes. A fence built at 2.0m stays at the permit-free limit for most side and rear boundaries, and its posts and footings are designed for that height. Trellis added to an older 1.8m fence adds load and wind catch to posts that were never sized for it.
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Get my instant estimate → Call 0433 938 540General information only, current at October 2026. Regulation numbers refer to the Building Regulations 2018 (Vic) as summarised in council fact sheets; your council, zone or an overlay can impose different limits, so check with your council or a registered building surveyor before you build. Sources: Building Regulations 2018 (Vic); Bayside City Council, Fences; Glen Eira City Council, Fencing regulations; Fences Act 1968 (Vic); Fencing in Victoria (Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria). Price ranges are from the published guides cited in our fence cost guide.