GeorgiaFence Rules

Putnam County

Fence Rules in Eatonton, Georgia

Last verified: October 23, 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 Eatonton, fence height limits are: front yards, 4 ft max in a home's required front yard (the first 30 ft behind the front property line, 45 ft on a major road). If the back of your lot runs along a street, 4 ft there too. No fence may block drivers' view; see corner lots; Required side and back yards: 8 ft max.

Required: the zoning code requires a building permit for every structure, and it names fences as structures; In the historic district a certificate of appropriateness comes first; see historic districts; A fence built under the permit for a new building or addition needs no separate permit; Putnam County Planning & Development issues permits for the city.

On corner lots in Eatonton: In every district, nothing over 3 ft within 15 ft of where the right-of-way lines of two streets, or of a street and a railroad, meet when extended; No fence anywhere may block drivers' view or create a traffic hazard; Eatonton Code Sec. 75-458(8).

Pool fences in Eatonton: City rule: a backyard pool needs a building permit and written approval that it meets pool regulations, and it must meet the district's side and back setbacks; Barrier: 48 in tall minimum, measured from the outside. Gap under it: 2 in max over grass, 4 in over concrete; Gate: opens outward, self-closing and self-latching.

Fence setbacks in Eatonton: None from a property line. A fence may sit anywhere in a yard or along its edge; No fence in a public right-of-way, such as a street, or in a planned future street right-of-way.

Prohibited fence materials in Eatonton: None. The city code bans no material for a home fence.

Fence Regulations

Eatonton

Permit Requirements
Required: the zoning code requires a building permit for every structure, and it names fences as structures. In the historic district a certificate of appropriateness comes first; see historic districts. A fence built under the permit for a new building or addition needs no separate permit. Putnam County Planning & Development issues permits for the city. The city's fee schedule names masonry fences and walls but no other fence type, so ask the office how it handles wood, vinyl or chain link. Eatonton Code Secs. 75-4, 75-34, 75-41 Putnam County Planning & Development · 706-485-2776 117 Putnam Drive, Suite B, Eatonton, GA 31024
Height - Front Yard
4 ft max in a home's required front yard (the first 30 ft behind the front property line, 45 ft on a major road). If the back of your lot runs along a street, 4 ft there too. No fence may block drivers' view; see corner lots.
Height - Side/Rear
Required side and back yards: 8 ft max. If the back of your lot runs along a street, that side counts as a front yard: 4 ft max.
Height Notes
The 4 ft and 8 ft limits are written for fences in the required yards, the minimum setback strips each zoning district sets. A corner lot's street side counts as a side yard, not a front yard. The code does not say how height is measured for these limits.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
In every district, nothing over 3 ft within 15 ft of where the right-of-way lines of two streets, or of a street and a railroad, meet when extended. No fence anywhere may block drivers' view or create a traffic hazard. Eatonton Code Sec. 75-458(8)
Materials Prohibited
None. The city code bans no material for a home fence.
Historic Districts
Historic Preservation District (along N. Madison Ave., Church St., N. Lafayette St. and Wayne St.; see the zoning map): building, changing or removing a fence needs a certificate of appropriateness before any permit. The Historic Preservation Commission recommends and the City Council approves. If the commission does not act within 45 days, the application counts as approved. Ordinary repair that keeps the same design, material and look is exempt. The Eatonton Historic District on the National Register is a federal listing, not a local rule. Eatonton Code Secs. 42-32, 42-35, 42-37, 75-363, 75-364
Setbacks
None from a property line. A fence may sit anywhere in a yard or along its edge. No fence in a public right-of-way, such as a street, or in a planned future street right-of-way.
Design Requirements
None in the zoning code for a home fence. Business, other non-residential and apartment sites next to a residential district need a 6 ft screening fence or wall. The building inspector may waive it where building it would destroy plants that already screen, or where the land next door is undeveloped.
Gates
None for a home fence. Pool gates follow the state pool code.
Floodplain Rules
In a mapped flood hazard area (the city's flood hazard overlay), a development permit is required before any construction or alteration begins. Floodway (the stream channel and nearby land that must stay open to carry floodwater): no new construction or other development unless a registered professional engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels or widen the floodway. In a mapped flood hazard area along a stream where no floodway is mapped and no other flood data are available: no encroachment, such as a structure or fill, within the stream's width or 20 ft of the top of the bank, whichever is greater, unless an engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels more than 1 ft. Ask Putnam County Planning & Development whether a fence counts as development or an encroachment. Eatonton Code Secs. 38-67, 38-68, 75-353
Color Restrictions
None outside the historic district. There, a change to a fence's look may need a certificate of appropriateness; see historic districts.
Source
Eatonton Code Sec. 75-455(d)
Notes
Governed by the city's own zoning code, not Putnam County's. Putnam County Planning & Development runs zoning and permits for the city under a county-city agreement. Putnam County Planning & Development · 706-485-2776 · 117 Putnam Drive, Suite B, Eatonton, GA 31024

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 Putnam County

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

All Putnam County fence rules →

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