GeorgiaFence Rules

Fulton County

Fence Rules in Atlanta - NC-13 Inman Park, Georgia

Last verified: September 4, 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 - NC-13 Inman Park, fence height limits are: front yards, No fences between the building and the sidewalk; No walls there either, except retaining walls and walls up to 6 ft that screen loading areas and dumpsters; Away from the sidewalk: 6 ft max; In the BeltLine Overlay part: 6 ft only away from a street and the BeltLine trail.

Required for any fence; Before the building permit: a special administrative permit from the Office of Zoning and Development. In the BeltLine Overlay part that permit also takes written notice to the Neighborhood Planning Unit and a 21 day comment period; Also required: a Type II certificate of appropriateness from the Urban Design Commission.

On corner lots in Atlanta - NC-13 Inman Park: Atlanta's standard sight-visibility rules apply.

Pool fences in Atlanta - NC-13 Inman Park: No district rule of its own. Atlanta's general requirements apply.

Fence setbacks in Atlanta - NC-13 Inman Park: None. A fence may be built to the property line, and the required screening fence goes on the district boundary; Where this district adjoins a lot in an R-1 through R-G or PD-H district with no street in between: a planted transitional yard is required, 6 ft wide, or 20 ft in the BeltLine Overlay part.

Prohibited fence materials in Atlanta - NC-13 Inman Park: No barbed wire, razor wire, chain link or similar may be visible from any public plaza, outdoor dining area or public right-of-way; In the BeltLine Overlay part that ban also reaches anything visible from the BeltLine trail.

Fence Regulations

Atlanta - NC-13 Inman Park

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required for any fence. Before the building permit: a special administrative permit from the Office of Zoning and Development. In the BeltLine Overlay part that permit also takes written notice to the Neighborhood Planning Unit and a 21 day comment period. Also required: a Type II certificate of appropriateness from the Urban Design Commission.
Height - Front Yard
No fences between the building and the sidewalk. No walls there either, except retaining walls and walls up to 6 ft that screen loading areas and dumpsters.
Height - Side/Rear
Away from the sidewalk: 6 ft max. In the BeltLine Overlay part: 6 ft only away from a street and the BeltLine trail.
Height Notes
Height is measured from the finished ground level, or from the top of a retaining wall. Any part of a retaining wall that stands above the ground it holds back counts toward the fence height. A fence and a retaining wall next to a sidewalk may not add up to more than 5 ft 6 in. Where the strip between the building and the street (the supplemental zone) is provided, outdoor dining may be separated from the sidewalk only by planters, shrubs or fencing up to 36 in, and terraces need permanent safety fencing up to 42 in. In the BeltLine Overlay part of the district that strip takes 42 in max for fencing, and only for sidewalk-level homes and outdoor dining. Any other business use at sidewalk level may not fence it at all.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Atlanta's standard sight-visibility rules apply.
Materials Allowed
For the required screening: wood fencing, or permanent solid walls of stone or masonry.
Materials Prohibited
No barbed wire, razor wire, chain link or similar may be visible from any public plaza, outdoor dining area or public right-of-way. In the BeltLine Overlay part that ban also reaches anything visible from the BeltLine trail.
Historic Districts
The whole district sits inside the Inman Park Historic District, Subarea 1. A fence or wall needs a Type II certificate of appropriateness from the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, on top of the building permit. Where the historic district rules differ from the zoning underneath them, the historic district rules apply. The NC-13 district plan does not override them for exterior work on a building.
Setbacks
None. A fence may be built to the property line, and the required screening fence goes on the district boundary. Where this district adjoins a lot in an R-1 through R-G or PD-H district with no street in between: a planted transitional yard is required, 6 ft wide, or 20 ft in the BeltLine Overlay part.
Design Requirements
6 ft wooden fencing required where the district adjoins an R-1 to R-5 lot with no street in between. 6 ft permanent solid walls (stone, masonry or wood) where it adjoins an R-G lot. Dumpster screening: solid fence 12 in taller than the dumpster.
Gates
Not addressed in the district rules.
Floodplain Rules
Atlanta's standard floodplain rules apply.
Source
Atlanta Code Sec. 16-28.008; Sec. 16-32.004, .009, .010, .015; Sec. 16-32M.002; Sec. 16-36.001, .003, .004, .009, .013, .014; Sec. 16-20L.002, .005; Sec. 16-29.001(25)
Notes
Governed by the NC-13 Inman Park district rules, Atlanta Code Chapter 32M, together with the general Neighborhood Commercial rules of Chapter 32, which set the fence heights. Part of the district also sits in the BeltLine Overlay District, Chapter 36. Where the BeltLine rules differ from the zoning underneath them, the BeltLine rules apply, and a property with any part of it inside the overlay is subject to the whole chapter. The whole district sits inside the Inman Park Historic District, Subarea 1. Office of Buildings, Express Permits: 404-546-6907

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 - NC-13 Inman Park with nearby jurisdictions:

All Fulton County fence rules →

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