Fit warning signs. A visible warning tells anyone approaching your boundary that spikes are in place before they touch anything — it’s the layer of the deterrent that works at a distance, and it costs a few pounds a sign. This guide covers what the law actually asks, where the signs go, how many you need and what they should say.
As everywhere on this site: this page is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and between councils — for anything unusual, a quick word with your local council settles it.
Do I legally need a warning sign with anti-climb spikes?
No statute says you must display a warning sign with anti-climb spikes — there is no sign law to break. But under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1984, a clear warning of a danger is one of the things a court weighs when it asks whether an occupier acted reasonably towards people other than visitors — and a visible sign is the clearest warning a boundary can carry. We recommend one with every install, without exception.
The same logic applies with lawful visitors: the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 treats a warning as a relevant factor where it’s enough to let a visitor keep themselves reasonably safe. Whether any warning is enough always depends on the circumstances — placement, visibility, who might approach — so treat the sign as one part of a carefully planned install rather than a box ticked. That’s why our position never changes: spikes and signs go up together.
Where must warning signs go?
Signs are commonly recommended at every point a person could approach the spikes: each side of the protected run, at gates, and before any corner — visible before anyone can touch what they warn about. The test is simple: could someone reach the spikes without having had a fair chance to read a sign? If yes, add one there.
In practice that means a sign on both faces of a boundary wall or fence (your side and the approach side), one at each gate or access point, and one either side of a corner run so it reads from both directions. Mount them at eye level where they stay legible — a warning nobody can see does no warning at all, in law or in life.
How many signs do I need?
There’s no statutory number — the rule of thumb commonly used is one sign per approach, then one every few metres along a longer run, so a sign is always in view wherever someone might attempt a climb. A single short garden wall might need two; a long commercial perimeter might need one every fence panel or two.
Counting approaches is the reliable method: front face, rear face, each gate, each corner. When in doubt, add the extra sign — they’re inexpensive, and the whole point of the deterrent is being seen. For a public-facing boundary, more visible warnings simply mean more of the deterrent doing its job before anyone commits.
What should the sign say?
A good spike warning sign states the hazard plainly — “Warning: anti-climb spikes in use” — in large, legible lettering that reads at a glance from normal approach distance. Weatherproof metal keeps it legible for years; a faded or rusted-out warning gradually stops being a warning at all.
Ours are printed metal for exactly that reason. Pairing a spike sign with a CCTV sign strengthens the message where cameras are present — two honest statements that this boundary is defended. Keep the wording factual, not threatening: the sign’s job is to inform the person reading it — plainly, at a glance, before they’re anywhere near the spikes.
Do warning signs actually deter?
Yes — the sign works before anyone touches the wall. Security thinking treats deterrence as layers: the sign warns, the spikes make the climb unattractive, and together they move the opportunist on to an easier target. Most intrusions are opportunistic, and the sign is the layer that works at a distance, before any contact.
Think of what each layer does: the spikes only matter to someone already climbing; the sign reaches everyone who looks at the boundary. That’s why signs-plus-spikes beats either alone — the sign declares the defence honestly, and the spikes make good on it. It’s the setup we’d fit on our own walls, and the one we recommend to every customer.
If you are weighing spikes against razor wire or rotating toppers, our anti-climb spikes vs razor wire vs rotating toppers comparison sets out what each option does — and the rules that apply to each.
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Plan it carefully, then choose the right product
The setup this whole guide describes is two parts: a visible warning sign on every approach, and spikes the sign can point to. Start with a run of anti climb spikes in 2mm galvanised steel — flat-rate UK delivery £19 (£22 to the Republic of Ireland), 15-day returns. Our metal warning signs and CCTV signs are restocking — check the shop for availability, and put one on every approach the day they arrive.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and local rules differ across the UK and beyond, and every property is different — when in doubt, check with your local council.