GeorgiaFence Rules

Fulton County

Fence Rules in Atlanta - Baltimore Block, 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 Atlanta - Baltimore Block, fence height limits are: front yards, Not set by the chapter. Atlanta's citywide limits govern, keyed to the lot's zoning; R-1 through R-5: 4 ft max in the front yard. R-G: 4 ft. All other districts: 9 ft; side and rear yards, Not set by the chapter; R-1 through R-5: 6 ft max in side and rear yards. R-G: 8 ft.

Yes. A fence permit is required in Atlanta - Baltimore Block. Certificate of appropriateness: required from the Atlanta Urban Design Commission before you erect any new structure, or change the exterior appearance of any structure, in the Baltimore Block Landmark District. A fence and a wall are both structures under Atlanta's code.

On corner lots in Atlanta - Baltimore Block: No corner lot rule in the Baltimore Block chapter, so Atlanta's citywide rules apply; Within 20 ft of a street intersection: no fence or wall over 2.5 ft in any dwelling district, measured from the grade at the intersecting street right-of-way lines.

Pool fences in Atlanta - Baltimore Block: No pool fence rule in the Baltimore Block chapter, and none in Atlanta's citywide fence and wall rule either; A fence around a pool is treated like any other fence here: it needs a certificate of appropriateness, and the citywide height limits above apply to it.

Fence setbacks in Atlanta - Baltimore Block: No fence setback is set by the Baltimore Block chapter; Minimum yard requirement: this is about the house, not the fence. The existing building setback line must be maintained.

Prohibited fence materials in Atlanta - Baltimore Block: The Baltimore Block chapter prohibits no fence material by name; Atlanta's citywide ban still applies: in no district may any part of any fence contain barbed wire or razor wire along the public right-of-way, or along any private drive that serves people on foot.

Fence Regulations

Atlanta - Baltimore Block

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Certificate of appropriateness: required from the Atlanta Urban Design Commission before you erect any new structure, or change the exterior appearance of any structure, in the Baltimore Block Landmark District. A fence and a wall are both structures under Atlanta's code. New walls and renovated walls: design review and a certificate of appropriateness from the commission are required. Certificate types: ordinary repair and maintenance is a Type I certificate, which the commission's director may approve. Alterations go to the commission itself, as a Type II certificate for a minor alteration or a Type III certificate for a major one. The code does not say which type covers a fence or a garden wall, so ask the commission before you apply. Repair work under $2,500: no certificate of appropriateness, building permit or permit fee is required, provided the work is otherwise lawful. Permit exemptions: the city's ordinary permit valuation threshold and permit scope exemptions do not apply to work in a landmark district when the work affects the exterior of the structure or site. Apply online through the city permitting portal, under Historic Preservation Review. Whatever the height, a certificate of appropriateness from the Urban Design Commission is required first.
Height - Front Yard
Not set by the chapter. Atlanta's citywide limits govern, keyed to the lot's zoning. R-1 through R-5: 4 ft max in the front yard. R-G: 4 ft. All other districts: 9 ft.
Height - Side/Rear
Not set by the chapter. R-1 through R-5: 6 ft max in side and rear yards. R-G: 8 ft. All other districts: 9 ft. Walled rear gardens are a characteristic of Baltimore Block, and the chapter encourages retaining and reconstructing the garden walls. A new or renovated garden wall needs design review and a certificate of appropriateness.
Height Notes
The Baltimore Block chapter sets no fence or wall height of its own. How fence height is measured: the vertical distance from the finished ground level, or from the top of a retaining wall, to the highest point of the fence. Where a retaining wall rises above the grade of the ground it holds back, that extra height is counted inside the allowed height of a fence placed on that wall. The chapter's Maximum Height rule is about the houses, not fences: the existing building height must be maintained. Atlanta's code calls a barrier that is at least half closed a wall, and one that is at least half open a fence. The chapter's garden wall rule is written for walls. Both are structures under Atlanta's code, so either one needs a certificate of appropriateness in a landmark district. The 4 ft and 6 ft figures apply where no retaining wall is built. Greater height: the board of zoning adjustment may grant a special exception, on findings about security, privacy, topography or the character of the neighborhood.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
No corner lot rule in the Baltimore Block chapter, so Atlanta's citywide rules apply. Within 20 ft of a street intersection: no fence or wall over 2.5 ft in any dwelling district, measured from the grade at the intersecting street right-of-way lines. Visibility triangle at a street intersection: nothing may be erected, placed, planted or allowed to grow so as to materially impede visibility between 2.5 ft and 8 ft above the grade of the adjoining sidewalk or right-of-way. The triangle runs 20 ft along each intersecting edge of the right-of-way, closed by a line joining the ends of those two lines. Where a driveway meets a street: the same visibility triangle applies, measured 20 ft along each intersecting edge of the roadway and driveway. The yard along the second street is a half-depth front yard, so the 4 ft front yard limit applies there, not the 6 ft side limit.
Materials Allowed
The Baltimore Block chapter names no approved fence material. It does treat walled rear gardens as a characteristic of the block and encourages retaining and reconstructing the garden walls. Atlanta's citywide fence and wall rule sets no approved material list either. Its only material rule is the barbed and razor wire ban. Materials are judged under the compatibility rule by the Urban Design Commission.
Materials Prohibited
The Baltimore Block chapter prohibits no fence material by name. Atlanta's citywide ban still applies: in no district may any part of any fence contain barbed wire or razor wire along the public right-of-way, or along any private drive that serves people on foot.
Historic Districts
You are in the Baltimore Block Landmark District. These rules apply on top of Atlanta's citywide code. Any proposed development in the district requires a certificate of appropriateness from the Atlanta Urban Design Commission. The district covers the residential row houses on the north side of Baltimore Place. Its boundary is a map filed with the ordinance as Exhibit A, which the online code does not reproduce.
Setbacks
No fence setback is set by the Baltimore Block chapter. Minimum yard requirement: this is about the house, not the fence. The existing building setback line must be maintained. Accessory uses and structures: all are subject to Urban Design Commission approval and must be located to the rear of the principal structure. The chapter does not say whether a fence counts as an accessory structure; the Urban Design Commission decides that on the application. Off-street parking: permitted only in rear yards, and subject to design review and approval by the Urban Design Commission.
Design Requirements
Certificate of appropriateness: required for any proposed development in the district. Compatibility rule: alterations to existing structures and new construction must be compatible with the design, scale and general character of the existing buildings in the district. New garden walls, and renovation of existing garden walls: design review and a certificate of appropriateness from the Urban Design Commission. Secretary of the Interior's General and Specific Standards for Historic Preservation Projects: part of these regulations. Commission guidelines: the Urban Design Commission adopts and maintains guidelines that extend the intent of these regulations and further define elements of architectural style.
Gates
No gate rule in the Baltimore Block chapter, and none in Atlanta's citywide fence and wall rule. Changing the exterior appearance of any structure in the district requires a certificate of appropriateness, so a new or altered gate goes through the same review as the fence or wall it sits in.
Floodplain Rules
No floodplain rule in the Baltimore Block chapter. Atlanta's citywide rule: construction of any structure within a floodplain, including a special flood hazard area, requires review and approval of a permit by the commissioner. Atlanta's code counts fences among structures. The FEMA flood maps the city adopts are general reference only. A flood study or a field run survey may be required to fix the floodplain line on a specific parcel.
Color Restrictions
No color rule for a fence or a garden wall in the Baltimore Block chapter. The chapter's color rules are written for the houses: painting the brick is prohibited, and trim paint color must be approved by the Urban Design Commission.
Source
Atlanta Code Ch. 16-20F (Secs. 16-20F.003, 16-20F.004, 16-20F.005, 16-20F.006); Secs. 16-20.007, 16-20.008; Sec. 16-28.008(5), (9); Sec. 16-29.001(22), (25); Sec. 8-2078; Sec. 74-204; Bldg. Code Amend. 103.4(f)
Notes
Baltimore Block is the run of residential row houses on the north side of Baltimore Place, governed by its own landmark district chapter in Atlanta's zoning code. Any proposed development there needs a certificate of appropriateness from the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, and new or renovated garden walls get design review on top of that. The chapter sets no fence rule at all, so fence height, materials and corner lot visibility all come from Atlanta's citywide code, and which height line applies depends on the zoning district on the parcel.

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 Atlanta - Baltimore Block with nearby jurisdictions:

All Fulton County fence rules →

Ready to build your fence in Atlanta - Baltimore Block?

FenceWorks of Georgia is Atlanta's premier fence company: residential and commercial installation, repair, and removal. Free quotes, no obligation.

Get My Free QuoteCall 770-452-9900

4.9★ on Google · Google Guaranteed · Financing available