Fence contractors in Hunterdon County
Deer pressure makes fencing a Hunterdon necessity, not a decoration.
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Find a fence contractor →Before you hire
- Confirm the HIC registration is active, not just issued. Fence outfits show up in directories with a real license number that has since gone inactive, so check it yourself at the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs before signing anything.
- Get the exact fence line staked and get a signed diagram before digging, Hunterdon boundary disputes and easement/setback issues (especially near farmland, wooded lots, and older unsurveyed properties) are the single most common source of fence disputes and post-installation fights over who pays to move it.
- Ask specifically how deer fencing is engineered, not just installed, cheap 6-7ft deer fence with inadequate post spacing or ground tension fails within a season in Hunterdon's deer pressure; ask for post depth, gauge, and whether they warranty against deer breach specifically.
- Call before you dig, NJ One Call (811) is required by law, and rural Hunterdon properties often have septic fields, well lines, and invisible dog fence wiring that a fence crew can hit if utility marking is skipped.
- Get the total in writing including post-hole rock removal, Hunterdon's ridge and traprock geology means post holes frequently hit rock, and contractors who don't disclose their rock-drilling/extra-labor rate upfront often add significant change orders mid-job.
Fencing installation in NJ falls under the state's Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration, administered by the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs. Registration numbers follow the format 13VH#######. Check any contractor's status at the official portal: https://newjersey.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=Y (select Business Search, then Home Improvement Contractor). An active HIC registration confirms the business is legally allowed to perform home improvement contracting in NJ and carries required liability insurance, it is not a trade-specific fencing license, since NJ does not license fencing as its own specialty trade.
Do it in your browser: check any license · check your quote · the storm-chaser test
The local picture
Real fencing capacity exists inside the county, with at least one address-verifiable contractor in several towns. Deer and horse fencing is the genuine local niche, given the county's rural and equestrian character.
Questions neighbors actually ask
Do I need a permit to put up a fence in Hunterdon County?
Almost always yes, but it's issued by your specific town, not the county, Flemington, Clinton, Readington, Lebanon Township, etc. each run their own zoning/building department with their own height limits (commonly 4 feet in front yards, 6 feet in side/rear yards) and setback rules from property lines and roads. A legitimate fence contractor should either pull the permit for you or tell you exactly what to bring to your municipal building, if they wave off permits entirely, that's a red flag.
Is deer fencing actually worth it, or does it just get pushed over?
Properly installed deer fencing works, the failures homeowners see almost always trace back to under-height fencing (under 7-8 feet, which deer can clear), thin gauge wire that stretches and sags, or posts set too shallow/too far apart to hold tension. Ask any installer for post spacing and fence height specifically before comparing price; a $2,000 quote with 10-foot post spacing at 6 feet tall is not the same product as an $8,000 quote with 8-foot posts at 7.5 feet.
How do I check if a fence company's license is actually valid before I hire them?
Go to New Jersey's official license verification portal at newjersey.mylicense.com/verification, search Business Search for Home Improvement Contractor, and enter the company name or license number (format 13VH#######). It takes under a minute and it's the only way to know a license someone rattles off over the phone isn't expired, suspended, or borrowed from a relative's old business.
Looking up a company yourself?
The Hunterdon Scoop business directory has every Hunterdon County business we know of, browsable by town. Browse Home Services & Trades →
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