GeorgiaFence Rules

Gwinnett County

Fence Rules in Duluth, 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 Duluth, the maximum fence height is typically 8 ft in side and rear yards and 4 ft in front yards.

Required for any fence over 3 ft tall; Not required for a fence 3 ft or under, or a freestanding wall 4 ft or under. Both sit on the city's building permit exemption list at City Code Sec. 5-29; Planning and Development · 770-476-1790.

On corner lots in Duluth: With a house on the lot, the street side counts as a side yard, so the 8 ft side and rear limit applies there, not the 4 ft front yard limit (UDC Sec. 203.04); No numeric sight triangle for home fences; A fence may never block sight distance. One that does must be pushed back toward the house until it doesn't.

Pool fences in Duluth: 48 in minimum barrier all the way around any outdoor pool, hot tub or spa holding over 24 in of water, measured on the outside (City Code Sec. 5-234); Gates and doors: self-closing and self-latching. Latch under 54 in above the gate bottom: release on the pool side; Exempt: a spa or hot tub with an ASTM F1346 safety cover.

Fence setbacks in Duluth: Not stated for home fences. The code says setbacks do not block a wall or fence, except in a residential district (UDC Sec. 203.05), so confirm with the city before building to your property line; Industrial front yard fences must sit 5 ft off the property lines with a 5 ft planted strip outside the fence.

Prohibited fence materials in Duluth: No solid panel or privacy fence in the required front yard; No electric fencing, except invisible pet fencing; Business and industrial districts: no solid metal sheathing, electric fencing, or barbed wire and similar materials (UDC Sec. 306.08).

Fence Regulations

Duluth

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required for any fence over 3 ft tall. Not required for a fence 3 ft or under, or a freestanding wall 4 ft or under. Both sit on the city's building permit exemption list at City Code Sec. 5-29. Planning and Development · 770-476-1790
Height - Front Yard
4 ft max. Up to 5 ft for a decorative fence, with an administrative exception from the planning director. That exception takes an application with a photo or drawing of the fence and a property survey. If the director does not approve it, the Zoning Appeals Board decides (UDC Table 12-A and Sec. 1203.04).
Height - Side/Rear
8 ft max.
Height Notes
Duluth adopted its own development code in September 2025 (amended July 2026); Gwinnett County's rules do not apply in the city. Downtown is different: new homes and townhomes in the Central Business District or the Downtown Overlay District are governed by UDC Sec. 204.16, not by the fence section. In the Central Business District all fencing must be decorative in design, fencing in a front yard stops at 4 ft, and a fencing plan for a residential development must be approved by Planning and Development before development permits are issued. Business and industrial property follows a separate rule: 8 ft max, side and back yards only, with front yard fences allowed only in the two industrial districts under strict design conditions. The code doesn't say how fence height is measured.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
With a house on the lot, the street side counts as a side yard, so the 8 ft side and rear limit applies there, not the 4 ft front yard limit (UDC Sec. 203.04). No numeric sight triangle for home fences. A fence may never block sight distance. One that does must be pushed back toward the house until it doesn't.
Materials Allowed
Required front yard: natural wood, simulated wood, brick columns or decorative iron only, with at least 2 in between pickets. Business and industrial fencing may be natural wood, simulated wood, brick, stone, iron, aluminum or vinyl coated chain link.
Materials Prohibited
No solid panel or privacy fence in the required front yard. No electric fencing, except invisible pet fencing. Business and industrial districts: no solid metal sheathing, electric fencing, or barbed wire and similar materials (UDC Sec. 306.08).
Historic Districts
No historic district fence review and no certificate of appropriateness anywhere in the city. The HRD Historic Residential District sets zoning only; UDC Sec. 204.09 adds no fence rule.
Setbacks
Not stated for home fences. The code says setbacks do not block a wall or fence, except in a residential district (UDC Sec. 203.05), so confirm with the city before building to your property line. Industrial front yard fences must sit 5 ft off the property lines with a 5 ft planted strip outside the fence.
Design Requirements
Required front yard fences must be decorative: natural wood, simulated wood, brick columns or decorative iron, pickets at least 2 in apart, no solid panels. All fences must be kept sound and in good repair: no loose, missing or rotting material, paint without peeling, chipping or fading, and no visible mold, mildew or algae. No finished-side rule.
Gates
No general rule for fence gates. Pool and spa gates must be self-closing and self-latching (City Code Sec. 5-234).
Floodplain Rules
Regulatory floodway: no fence. Fill, new construction and other development are prohibited there, and only bridges, culverts, roadways and utilities may be permitted (UDC Sec. 836.05). Rest of a flood hazard area or the future-conditions floodplain: a fence is allowed only if it will not raise flood levels, reduce flood storage or change how the water flows (UDC Sec. 836.03). Land under a conservation or natural resource easement: no fence that would impede the free flow of flood waters (UDC Sec. 505.03).
Color Restrictions
Required front yard fences must be a natural wood color, a neutral color (white, beige, ivory, cream, off-white or black), dark green wrought iron, or the same color as the front of your house.
Source
Duluth UDC Sec. 304.02 (adopted 9-8-2025, amended 7-13-2026)
Notes
Governed by the Duluth Unified Development Code Sec. 304.02. Planning and Development: 770-476-1790

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 Gwinnett County

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

All Gwinnett County fence rules →

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