Highway boundaries

A highway boundary feature can be any feature that marks the boundary between land over which highway rights exist and land over which no highway rights exist.

Typical highway boundary features include:

• Fences
• Walls
• Hedging
• Trees
• Drainage ditches
• Faces of buildings or outbuildings

In the case of hedges and trees, the highway boundary is presumed to extend to the centre of the main trunks. In the case of drainage ditches, the highway boundary extends to the roadside edge of the ditch. The adjacent landowner is responsible for maintaining highway boundary features.

There are many factors that can affect where the highway boundary lies. Only the County Council's Highway Boundary Research Team has the research expertise and access to the full range of sources needed to define the highway boundary.

If you need to find out the legal position of the highway boundary on any public highway in Norfolk, contact the Highway Boundary Research Team at highway.boundaries@norfolk.gov.uk (opens new window) or call us on 0344 800 8020 and ask to speak to the Highway Boundary Research Team. Or you can visit contact us.

Our free mapping browser (opens new window) includes information on the roads, footways and cycleways maintained by the County Council.