GeorgiaFence Rules

Fulton County

Fence Rules in Alpharetta, Georgia

Last verified: August 28, 2026

This page is maintained manually and may not reflect very recent ordinance changes. Always confirm current rules with your local permitting office.

For information only. Fence rules change frequently and this site may not reflect every requirement that applies to your property (HOA covenants, easements, variances, recent amendments). Always verify with your local permitting office before building. Full disclaimer

At a glance

In Alpharetta, the maximum fence height is typically 6 ft in side and rear yards and 6 ft in front yards.

Two code sections disagree, so call the city before you build; Sec. 4.4.5 calls for a Building Division permit for any fence over 10 ft, or in a front yard or a side yard bordering a public street. Every street frontage is a front yard; a corner lot has two; Sec. 2.3.6 says no construction permit is needed for a fence built to those standards.

On corner lots in Alpharetta: Nothing over 3 ft within 20 ft of an intersection of two or more streets; Nothing between 2.5 ft and 10 ft above street grade within 20 ft of where the street right-of-way lines meet (UDC Sec. 2.5.6.C); Citywide: no fence may block a neighbor's clear view entering or exiting a street (Code of Ordinances Sec. 40-1).

Pool fences in Alpharetta: 5 ft minimum, 6 ft maximum, or half again on a sloped lot for an even fence line; No 4 in ball may pass through the fence, no 2 in ball under it; Self-closing, self-latching gate. Fence must not block visibility at road intersections; House wall as part of the barrier: powered safety cover or alarms on the doors to the pool.

Fence setbacks in Alpharetta: No setback from a property line: a fence may be built right on the line; At least 5 ft from required landscape strips and buffers, unless approved otherwise at a public hearing; At least 10 ft from a public multi-use trail.

Prohibited fence materials in Alpharetta: Plywood and sheet goods; Privacy and chain link fences in a front yard (the Director may approve a front-yard privacy fence on a larger through street); Barbed wire, razor wire and electrified fencing: allowed by right only in the AG and RE districts; anywhere else they need administrative review and approval.

Fence Regulations

Alpharetta

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Two code sections disagree, so call the city before you build. Sec. 4.4.5 calls for a Building Division permit for any fence over 10 ft, or in a front yard or a side yard bordering a public street. Every street frontage is a front yard; a corner lot has two. Sec. 2.3.6 says no construction permit is needed for a fence built to those standards. A sign in a fence needs a sign permit. A pool needs its own permit approved by the Building Official. Community Development: 678-297-6070
Height - Front Yard
6 ft max. No privacy fence and no chain link in a front yard. Exception: the Director of Community Development may approve a front-yard privacy fence on a larger through street (collector or arterial).
Height - Side/Rear
6 ft max on residential property. 8 ft max on non-residential property. On a sloped lot, either limit may be exceeded by up to half to keep the fence line even.
Height Notes
The code states one residential number, 6 ft, with no front, side or rear distinction. Other rules can cut it down: nothing over 3 ft within 20 ft of a street intersection, or within 10 ft of a driveway edge on any lot; nothing between 2.5 ft and 10 ft tall within 20 ft of where two rights-of-way meet (UDC Sec. 2.5.6.C); and along a public multi-use trail, 5 ft max, see-through only, set back 10 ft. The code defines every street frontage as a front yard, so a corner lot has two. Sec. 2.3.6 sets no rule for how fence height is measured. The city's adopted pool procedures do, for pool fences: from the top of the fence straight down to the ground directly below, on the outside face (Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-29).
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Nothing over 3 ft within 20 ft of an intersection of two or more streets. Nothing between 2.5 ft and 10 ft above street grade within 20 ft of where the street right-of-way lines meet (UDC Sec. 2.5.6.C). Citywide: no fence may block a neighbor's clear view entering or exiting a street (Code of Ordinances Sec. 40-1).
Materials Allowed
Wood (naturally durable or pressure treated), metal, brick, block, vinyl, or stone.
Materials Prohibited
Plywood and sheet goods. Privacy and chain link fences in a front yard (the Director may approve a front-yard privacy fence on a larger through street). Barbed wire, razor wire and electrified fencing: allowed by right only in the AG and RE districts; anywhere else they need administrative review and approval.
Historic Districts
A Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission is required to build, alter, restore or remove a fence or wall on a designated historic property (UDC Sec. 2.9.7).
Setbacks
No setback from a property line: a fence may be built right on the line. At least 5 ft from required landscape strips and buffers, unless approved otherwise at a public hearing. At least 10 ft from a public multi-use trail.
Design Requirements
Finished side faces out, away from your own property. A privacy or chain link fence along a right-of-way is allowed only where the required landscape strip and plantings are in place. A fence is not a privacy fence if the gap between boards, slats, rails or balusters (none over 4 in wide) is at least as wide as the boards themselves (UDC Sec. 1.4).
Gates
Pool gates: at least one gated exit, 35 in wide minimum, opening outward, self-closing and self-latching. Latch: if it sits less than 54 in above the bottom of the gate, put it on the pool side at least 3 in below the top of the gate, with no opening in the gate or fence over 1/2 in within 18 in of the latch. Pool gate rules are set by the Alpharetta Swimming Pool Permitting Procedures, adopted at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-29. The code sets no gate rules for other residential fences.
Color Restrictions
No bright or primary colors, and nothing visually distracting.
Source
Alpharetta UDC Sec. 2.3.6 and Sec. 4.4.5
Notes
Fences are governed by UDC Sec. 2.3.6; the permit rule is in Sec. 4.4.5. Community Development: 678-297-6070

Rules can vary within a jurisdiction. Historic districts and zoning overlays often have stricter requirements. Look up your exact address to confirm which rules apply to your property.

Other jurisdictions in Fulton County

Fence rules change from one city and unincorporated area to the next. Compare Alpharetta with nearby jurisdictions:

All Fulton County fence rules →

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