GeorgiaFence Rules

Fulton County

Fence Rules in South Fulton, Georgia

Last verified: August 29, 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 South Fulton, fence height limits are: front yards, 4 ft max from grade in a residential district; Side and back yards: 8 ft max from grade in residential districts; If the back of your lot also runs along a street: 4 ft max there.

Required: fences are on the city's list of residential permits, issued by the Department of Community Development and Regulatory Affairs; Apply through the SagesGov portal; Exempt: agricultural fences in the AG-1 district; A swimming pool needs its own separate Swimming Pool Permit; CDRA Development Services: 470-809-7200 Ext. 1.

On corner lots in South Fulton: Fences, walls and the plantings used with them must not block the sight distances in the city's Subdivision Regulations; A front-yard fence or hedge may not run along the sides or front edge of a front yard in a way that blocks the view for anyone entering or leaving a driveway or street.

Pool fences in South Fulton: 5 ft minimum: an effective fence or wall not less than 5 ft high, with self-closing, positive-latching gates on the outer side of the deck area; A separate Swimming Pool Permit from Community Development and Regulatory Affairs is required; This is stricter than Georgia's 48 in state minimum.

Fence setbacks in South Fulton: At least 3 ft from a public right-of-way, with a 3 ft landscape strip between the fence and the right-of-way.

Prohibited fence materials in South Fulton: Front yard: chain link, wire and similar. Decorative fences only; Along a street right-of-way: wire and plastic fencing, including chain link with inserts, except in AG-1, M-1 and M-2; Barbed wire and razor wire: never on a single-family lot, even in AG-1; Fabric: only as a windscreen around recreational courts.

Fence Regulations

South Fulton

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required: fences are on the city's list of residential permits, issued by the Department of Community Development and Regulatory Affairs. Apply through the SagesGov portal. Exempt: agricultural fences in the AG-1 district. A swimming pool needs its own separate Swimming Pool Permit. CDRA Development Services: 470-809-7200 Ext. 1
Height - Front Yard
4 ft max from grade in a residential district.
Height - Side/Rear
Side and back yards: 8 ft max from grade in residential districts. If the back of your lot also runs along a street: 4 ft max there.
Height Notes
Any yard that runs along a street counts as a front yard at 4 ft, except the side street on a corner lot. Zoning Sec. 904.25. In a platted subdivision inside the Cedar Grove Agricultural Overlay, the southwest corner of the city between the Chattahoochee River, Coweta County and Cascade-Palmetto Highway: walls are limited to 2 ft. A stand-alone house on its own lot is exempt. Sec. 508.06.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Fences, walls and the plantings used with them must not block the sight distances in the city's Subdivision Regulations. A front-yard fence or hedge may not run along the sides or front edge of a front yard in a way that blocks the view for anyone entering or leaving a driveway or street.
Materials Allowed
The base code sets no approved-materials list. It names what is banned instead. Commercial and industrial districts: barbed wire, razor wire and chain link are allowed. Chain link must be green or black vinyl coated and built with a top rail. Barbed or razor wire along a public right-of-way must run in straight strands, never coiled or concertina. AG-1 district: barbed wire for a working farm, never on a single-family dwelling lot. Chain link is allowed as a security fence around stormwater facilities. In a platted subdivision inside the Cedar Grove Agricultural Overlay, in the southwest corner of the city: fences must be wood, wire or a wood-look material, built as split rail, 3 or 4 horizontal rail, crossbuck or horse wire. No opaque fence along a road, and no chain link along a road except at recreational courts or fields. Sec. 508.06.
Materials Prohibited
Front yard: chain link, wire and similar. Decorative fences only. Along a street right-of-way: wire and plastic fencing, including chain link with inserts, except in AG-1, M-1 and M-2. Barbed wire and razor wire: never on a single-family lot, even in AG-1. Fabric: only as a windscreen around recreational courts.
Historic Districts
The city has a historic preservation ordinance with a Certificate of Appropriateness process, but it applies only to designated historic properties and districts, not citywide.
Setbacks
At least 3 ft from a public right-of-way, with a 3 ft landscape strip between the fence and the right-of-way.
Design Requirements
Finished side faces the neighboring property, on every property line. A front-yard fence must be decorative in character.
Gates
No part of a gate within 20 ft of a public right-of-way. A gate must never block the right-of-way or required sight distance, whether open, closed or in between.
Source
South Fulton Zoning Sec. 406.02
Notes
Governed by Zoning Sec. 406.02 and Property Maintenance Sec. 3-6004. CDRA Development Services: 470-809-7200 Ext. 1

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 South Fulton with nearby jurisdictions:

All Fulton County fence rules →

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