In Aurora you can replace a fence without a permit if it stays within 2.0 metres in side and back yards. A deck under 2 feet above grade needs no permit either. Anything higher, or any pool, brings the Town in.
Lots in northeast Aurora, around Bayview Avenue and St. John's Sideroad, tend to be bigger than the town's older core, and that changes the repair arithmetic. A long back-yard fence run has many sections, and one failed section does not mean the whole line has to go. A deck that has weathered fifteen summers may have sound framing and tired boards. This guide covers the Town of Aurora's actual rules for both, and how to decide between patching and replacing.
Fence: what the Town allows and what it leaves to you
Aurora's Fence By-law 6429-22 sets the rules, and the Town's own fence page summarizes them plainly:
- No permit to build or replace a fence, unless you are installing a pool. A pool enclosure is a separate matter handled by the Building Division, not the fence by-law.
- Side and back yards: 2.0 metres maximum, and that includes trim, lattice caps and any other decorative material. A fence that was 1.9 m before you added a decorative cap can end up over the line.
- Front yard: 1.2 metres maximum.
- Materials: the Town lists wood, chain-link, shrubs and hedges as fence types.
- Property line: a fence can sit on the line. Splitting the cost with a neighbour is something the Town encourages but treats as a civil matter between owners.
If you want something outside those limits, a variance request goes through Bylaw Services (905-727-3123, BDepartment@aurora.ca). A pool enclosure variance goes to the Chief Building Official at building@aurora.ca instead.
Call for locates before the first post hole
Replacing a fence panel usually means working at existing posts. Replacing posts, adding a new run or digging a new hole means a locate. Ontario law requires a request to Ontario One Call before you dig, drill or drive stakes or fence post spikes, and it applies to homeowners as much as contractors. The service is free: call 1-800-400-2255 or file online, and allow about five working days, longer in spring. On a big lot, gas, hydro and communication lines may run to a detached garage or pool equipment, so the yard is not guaranteed to be empty just because it is open.
The Town's deck guide puts the same responsibility on the owner or contractor to locate underground lines in the construction zone.
Fence repair or replacement: how to decide
Wood fences fail from the ground up. Press a screwdriver into a post just above the soil line. If it sinks in, the post is rotting and the panels it holds will keep leaning, however many boards you swap. The practical rule:
- Patch when the damage is a few boards, one broken rail or a single leaning post, and the posts either side are solid.
- Replace a run when several adjacent posts are soft, or when the line has shifted from frost heave. Patching those only moves the failure down the fence.
- Check height before rebuilding. A new cap or lattice top counts toward the 2.0 m limit.
For a sense of scale, Toronto-area contractors commonly publish new wood fence prices of about $20 to $60 or more per linear foot, with repairs priced well below that. Those are general estimates from contractor price pages, not quotes. On a long run, the gap between replacing 20 feet and replacing 120 feet is where the repair decision becomes a real money decision, so ask for a price per section as well as a price for the whole line.
Deck: the 2-foot line and what it triggers
The Town's deck page is short on the key point: decks less than 2 feet above finished grade do not require a permit, but they must still comply with the Zoning By-law. Above that height, a building permit applies, and the application needs a site plan showing the deck and its setbacks to every property line, plus framing drawings. Aurora's deck construction guide (February 2023) also lists two mandatory inspections on a permitted deck: before the piers are backfilled and after completion.
Here is the gap you need to know about. Neither the Town's deck page nor its construction guide says anything about replacing worn boards on an existing deck. A like-for-like board swap does not alter the structure, and it is the kind of maintenance most owners treat as routine. Work on the structure is different: posts, piers, beams, the ledger, stairs and guards. If your deck is 2 feet or more above grade and you plan any of that, call the Building Division (building@aurora.ca) before you start and ask. Do not assume maintenance exempts it.
Guards and railings are the part to get right
The Ontario Building Code requires a guard where the drop from a walking surface is more than 600 mm (about 2 feet), and the Town's guide says exterior guards on a residential deck must be designed to prevent climbing. The code's opening limit is generally that a 100 mm (4 inch) sphere must not pass through. A wobbly railing on a raised back deck is the repair that matters most for safety, because it is the part someone leans on. Exact heights and the climbing rules have changed between code editions, so confirm the current requirements with the Town before rebuilding a guard.
Deck repair or replacement: how to decide
- Boards only: if probing the joists and ledger with a screwdriver finds solid wood, replacing deck boards is the cheap fix.
- Soft joists, rotted ledger or posts rotting at the base: this is a structural repair, and often the point where a rebuild is the better value.
- Ledger board: the board that attaches the deck to the house is the highest-stakes part. If you see rot, rust or movement there, stop using the deck until it has been looked at.
For scale, Toronto-area builders quote a new pressure-treated deck at roughly $30 to $50 per square foot installed, and cedar at about $45 to $65. These are general contractor-published estimates for the area, not quotes. They matter mainly as a ceiling: a repair that approaches half the price of a new deck on the same footprint deserves a second look.
Quick answers
Do I need a permit to replace a fence in Aurora?
No. The Town of Aurora says a permit is not required to build or replace a fence unless you are installing a pool. Height limits still apply: 2.0 metres in side and back yards, 1.2 metres in front.
How tall can my back yard fence be in Aurora?
The limit is 2.0 metres, and the Town counts trim, lattice caps and other decorative material in that height. Front yard fences are limited to 1.2 metres. Variances go through Bylaw Services.
Do I need a permit to repair my deck in Aurora?
Decks less than 2 feet above finished grade do not need a permit, but they must still meet zoning. For higher decks, the Town's pages do not address board replacement, so call the Building Division before touching posts, beams or guards.
Do I have to call before digging fence post holes in Ontario?
Yes. Ontario One Call requires a locate request before you dig, drill or drive stakes or fence post spikes, and it is free. Call 1-800-400-2255 or request online, and allow about five working days.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a deck?
Replacing worn boards on a sound frame usually costs far less than a rebuild. A full new pressure-treated deck in the Toronto area is commonly quoted at about $30 to $50 per square foot installed, so a rotted frame points to replacement.
Before you hire anyone
Ask for a written scope that names the boards, posts or sections being replaced, says who calls for locates, and says whether the quote includes removal of the old material. If a deck is 2 feet or more above grade and the work touches the structure, ask who is checking with the Town's Building Division. For help vetting who you hire, see our guide on how to verify a contractor in Ontario. If you want a fixed price for the job, you can ask for one here.
Related reading
- Small Electrical Fixes in a Northeast Aurora Home
- Deck Repair and Board Replacement Cost in Woodbridge
- Fence Repair and Replacement Cost in Woodbridge
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