GeorgiaFence Rules

Gwinnett County

Fence Rules in Suwanee, 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 Suwanee, fence height limits are: Any yard that runs along a public street: 4 ft max, decorative fences or walls only; Residential lots over 2 acres: 6 ft max; Side and back yards away from a street: 8 ft max, the citywide cap; Along a street: 4 ft max, or 6 ft on one street side of a corner lot.

Required. A fence is a structure under the zoning ordinance, and Sec. 1801 lets no structure be built without a building permit or a development permit; Planning Services, Inspections & Zoning, 770-904-3372, or City Hall, 770-945-8996.

On corner lots in Suwanee: One of the two street-side yards may have a fence up to 6 ft, the other stays at 4 ft. Residentially zoned lots only; Vision clearance, Sec. 605: nothing between 3 ft and 15 ft tall within 20 ft of where two public roads, or a road and a railroad, meet.

Pool fences in Suwanee: 4 ft minimum and 8 ft maximum fence or wall all the way around the pool, with self-closing, self-latching gates. Sec. 500 to 504; No opening may pass a 6 in ball; Suwanee has also adopted the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, which is tighter: no opening may pass a 4 in ball.

Fence setbacks in Suwanee: No fence or wall over 4 ft within 15 ft of the back of the street curb, or the edge of pavement where there is no curb; No fence or wall over 4 ft within 20 ft of where two or more public roads meet; Otherwise the zoning setbacks do not prohibit a fence.

Prohibited fence materials in Suwanee: No woven wire or metal fabric in any yard along a public street. That covers chain link, hog wire, barbed wire and razor wire.

Fence Regulations

Suwanee

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required. A fence is a structure under the zoning ordinance, and Sec. 1801 lets no structure be built without a building permit or a development permit. Planning Services, Inspections & Zoning, 770-904-3372, or City Hall, 770-945-8996
Height - Front Yard
Any yard that runs along a public street: 4 ft max, decorative fences or walls only. Residential lots over 2 acres: 6 ft max.
Height - Side/Rear
Side and back yards away from a street: 8 ft max, the citywide cap. Along a street: 4 ft max, or 6 ft on one street side of a corner lot.
Height Notes
Suwanee writes its lower limit for any yard along a public street rather than the front yard, so on a corner lot it catches both street sides. If the back of your lot runs along a second street and carries a 10 ft no-access easement along that frontage: up to 6 ft on that side. The ordinance doesn't say how fence height is measured.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
One of the two street-side yards may have a fence up to 6 ft, the other stays at 4 ft. Residentially zoned lots only. Vision clearance, Sec. 605: nothing between 3 ft and 15 ft tall within 20 ft of where two public roads, or a road and a railroad, meet.
Materials Allowed
Yards along a public street: decorative only. Fences in brick columns, wood, simulated wood, wrought iron, anodized aluminum or PVC, with at least 2 in between pickets; walls in brick, stone or stucco.
Materials Prohibited
No woven wire or metal fabric in any yard along a public street. That covers chain link, hog wire, barbed wire and razor wire.
Historic Districts
No certificate of appropriateness and no historic preservation commission. The Old Town Overlay District, Sec. 512, covers the historic downtown. It applies to new non-residential and mixed-use development and to new subdivisions over five lots, where fences and walls in the strip between the sidewalk and the front of the building are capped at 40 in.
Setbacks
No fence or wall over 4 ft within 15 ft of the back of the street curb, or the edge of pavement where there is no curb. No fence or wall over 4 ft within 20 ft of where two or more public roads meet. Otherwise the zoning setbacks do not prohibit a fence.
Design Requirements
Street-side fences and walls must be decorative, with pickets at least 2 in apart. Where the ordinance requires a fence, it must be finished before the certificate of occupancy is issued. No finished-side rule.
Gates
No height, swing or setback rule for fence gates. Pool gates must be self-closing and self-latching, Sec. 500 to 504.
Floodplain Rules
Allowed in the floodplain only if the fence is open enough to let water and debris flow through freely, Sec. 1101.
Source
Suwanee Zoning Ordinance Sec. 610 (last amended 7-28-2026)
Notes
Governed by the Suwanee Zoning Ordinance Sec. 610. Planning Services, Inspections & Zoning: 770-904-3372. City Hall, 330 Town Center Avenue: 770-945-8996

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 Suwanee with nearby jurisdictions:

All Gwinnett County fence rules →

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