GeorgiaFence Rules

Effingham County

Fence Rules in Rincon, Georgia

Last verified: September 5, 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 Rincon, the maximum fence height is typically 7 ft in side and rear yards and 4 ft in front yards.

Required for any fence. The city's own Planning and Development Department issues the permit, not Effingham County. Submit a copy of the contractor's business license, HOA approval if any, and a plat or site plan showing the fence layout from the property lines. Fee: $125 residential, $175 non-residential. Two inspections: footing and final.

On corner lots in Rincon: On a corner lot, no fence, wall or hedge over 3 ft may stand in the triangle between the two street lot lines and a line joining points 20 ft back from the corner along each. Between 3 ft and 15 ft above the street, nothing over 1 ft across may block the view there, apart from a post, column or tree.

Pool fences in Rincon: 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, self-latching and lockable; Openings: 4 in max, or 1 3/4 in for chain link, lattice and any fence whose rails sit under 45 in apart, which puts its rails on the pool side.

Fence setbacks in Rincon: None. The code sets no fence setback from a property line; a front-yard fence may stand inside a setback at 4 ft. A privacy fence in a required landscape buffer stays at least 2 ft inside the outer property line. A fence on an easement may have to be removed at the owner's cost.

Prohibited fence materials in Rincon: Barbed wire on any residential property. Exposed concrete block, tires, roofing tin, wooden pallets, junk or other discarded materials. Any material not on the allowed list unless the Building Inspector approves it. Along the Highway 21 corridor, street walls screening parking may not be chain link, wood or PVC.

Fence Regulations

Rincon

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required for any fence. The city's own Planning and Development Department issues the permit, not Effingham County. Submit a copy of the contractor's business license, HOA approval if any, and a plat or site plan showing the fence layout from the property lines. Fee: $125 residential, $175 non-residential. Two inspections: footing and final. A fence on an easement may have to be removed at the owner's cost. Planning and Development · 912-826-5996 · Mon-Fri 8:30 to 5 302 South Columbia Avenue, Rincon, GA 31326
Height - Front Yard
4 ft max in the front yard, whether or not the fence sits inside a setback, and the fence must be more than 75 percent open (spaced picket, split rail or iron style).
Height - Side/Rear
7 ft max in side and back yards. Taller only where you can show an extraordinary need to protect property, provide security, or fence in something that could attract and harm children.
Height Notes
Height is measured from finished grade at the base of the fence to its top, not counting posts or columns. The code does not define a front yard or a corner lot, so whether the second street side of a corner lot counts as a front yard (4 ft) or a side yard (7 ft) is unsettled; ask Planning and Development. Nothing over 3 ft inside the 20 ft sight triangle at a street corner.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
On a corner lot, no fence, wall or hedge over 3 ft may stand in the triangle between the two street lot lines and a line joining points 20 ft back from the corner along each. Between 3 ft and 15 ft above the street, nothing over 1 ft across may block the view there, apart from a post, column or tree. The city may add limits at a curved or unusual intersection. Rincon UDO Sec. 90-64
Materials Allowed
Only these: wrought iron and extruded aluminum; split-face concrete block; brick; stone, mortared or dry stacked; EIFS or stucco; composite; vinyl; decay-resistant wood, and wood other than cypress or cedar should be painted or stained; or another material the Building Inspector approves. Chain link is not on the list.
Materials Prohibited
Barbed wire on any residential property. Exposed concrete block, tires, roofing tin, wooden pallets, junk or other discarded materials. Any material not on the allowed list unless the Building Inspector approves it. Along the Highway 21 corridor, street walls screening parking may not be chain link, wood or PVC.
Historic Districts
None. The city has no historic district, preservation commission or certificate of appropriateness process.
Setbacks
None. The code sets no fence setback from a property line; a front-yard fence may stand inside a setback at 4 ft. A privacy fence in a required landscape buffer stays at least 2 ft inside the outer property line. A fence on an easement may have to be removed at the owner's cost.
Design Requirements
Finished side faces neighboring property and the street. A front-yard fence must be more than 75 percent open. The owner must keep the fence maintained and in good condition.
Gates
None beyond the pool gates, which must lock, self-close and self-latch.
Floodplain Rules
In a mapped flood hazard area a development permit from the City Manager or designee comes before any development, which the code defines as any man-made change to the land including buildings or other structures; the flood chapter never names fences. In the floodway nothing may go in unless an engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels or widen the floodway. Rincon UDO Secs. 90-333, 90-336
Color Restrictions
None. The city sets no fence color rule; wood other than cypress or cedar should be painted or stained against decay.
Source
Rincon UDO Sec. 90-32
Notes
Governed by the city's own Unified Development Ordinance, amended March 2026, published on the city website; the Chapter 90 text still shown on Municode was repealed in 2025. Effingham County's rules do not apply inside the city, and the city issues its own permits. The state pool code applies on top of the city pool rule. Planning and Development · 912-826-5996 · 302 South Columbia Avenue, Rincon, GA 31326

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 Effingham County

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

All Effingham County fence rules →

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