GeorgiaFence Rules

Bartow County

Fence Rules in Unincorporated Bartow County, 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 Unincorporated Bartow County, fence height limits are: front yards, No county height limit, in any yard. The county zoning ordinance sets no fence height at all; Subdivision covenants, HOA rules and stream buffers can still restrict what the county does not; side and rear yards, No county limit here either.

Not required at any height. The county's own permit handout lists building a fence as work that needs no building permit, with one caveat: no fencing in public rights-of-way; Zoning review still applies, and a fence near a stream or creek needs zoning and/or site engineering review first; Cities inside the county differ sharply.

On corner lots in Unincorporated Bartow County: The county's only corner-visibility rule is a landscape standard for business, industrial and apartment property. Inside a triangle drawn 20 ft back along both property lines from a street or alley corner, no sight-obscuring wall, fence or planting may stand over 30 inches above grade.

Pool fences in Unincorporated Bartow County: 48 in minimum. Any pool must be enclosed by a fence meeting the state building code; Pool location: side or back yard, or the front yard on a residential lot of 5 acres or larger if it sits at least 100 ft from the front property line; Pool and equipment setback: 10 ft from the side and back property lines.

Fence setbacks in Unincorporated Bartow County: No fence-specific setback anywhere in the code; No fencing in a public right-of-way, and a fence near a stream or creek needs zoning and/or site engineering review first; Zoning Sec. 5.4.1 keeps a required setback clear of structures, and a fence is not among the things it allows there.

Prohibited fence materials in Unincorporated Bartow County: None for homes. Chain link is banned only along road frontage in the general industrial district. Zoning Sec. 7.12.

Fence Regulations

Unincorporated Bartow County

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Not required at any height. The county's own permit handout lists building a fence as work that needs no building permit, with one caveat: no fencing in public rights-of-way. Zoning review still applies, and a fence near a stream or creek needs zoning and/or site engineering review first. Cities inside the county differ sharply. Emerson, for instance, charges a $100 fence permit. Community Development: 770-387-5067. Building Inspections: 770-387-5005 ext. 1
Height - Front Yard
No county height limit, in any yard. The county zoning ordinance sets no fence height at all. Subdivision covenants, HOA rules and stream buffers can still restrict what the county does not.
Height - Side/Rear
No county limit here either.
Height Notes
No county height limit for a home fence, and no method in the code for measuring one. Cities inside Bartow County are not covered by this page and are often stricter. Community Development: 770-387-5067
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
The county's only corner-visibility rule is a landscape standard for business, industrial and apartment property. Inside a triangle drawn 20 ft back along both property lines from a street or alley corner, no sight-obscuring wall, fence or planting may stand over 30 inches above grade. That rule is Bartow County Development Regulations Sec. 5.63. Whether the county applies it to a single-family lot is worth a call to Community Development, 770-387-5067. The separate 3 ft to 15 ft vision rule in the same subsection covers signs, not fences.
Materials Allowed
No material rule for most home fences. The Allatoona Overlay District is the exception, Zoning Sec. 7.21. On a non-conforming A-1 lot fronting Glade Road, Red Top Mountain Road, New Hope Church Road or Kings Camp Road, placing or replacing a manufactured home requires a masonry or ornamental steel fence with post lighting. A 20 ft landscaped buffer that stays opaque year-round satisfies that requirement instead. A lot rezoned to R-1 is exempt if the home is built to the R-1 architectural standards in Zoning Sec. 7.4.9. Where the overlay conflicts with the underlying zoning, the overlay prevails.
Materials Prohibited
None for homes. Chain link is banned only along road frontage in the general industrial district. Zoning Sec. 7.12.
Historic Districts
N/A
Setbacks
No fence-specific setback anywhere in the code. No fencing in a public right-of-way, and a fence near a stream or creek needs zoning and/or site engineering review first. Zoning Sec. 5.4.1 keeps a required setback clear of structures, and a fence is not among the things it allows there. Driveways, walkways, patios and detention ponds are allowed. The required setbacks themselves are 25 ft front, 10 ft side and 25 ft rear in R-1 and R-4, and 40 ft front, 10 ft side and 25 ft rear in A-1, RE-1 and RE-2. Zoning Table 8.1.1. Confirm your line before you build. Community Development: 770-387-5067
Design Requirements
No finished-side rule and no general design standard for a home fence. The specs in the code are each tied to a specific situation. Allatoona Overlay: masonry or ornamental steel with post lighting, for a manufactured home. County-required buffer fence: 8 ft, wooden, stone or masonry, and opaque. Manufactured house park in R-6: opaque wood, at least 6 ft, along the property line except at road frontage. Commercial and industrial outdoor storage: solid screening.
Floodplain Rules
A fence near a stream or creek needs zoning and/or site engineering review before it is built, even though the fence itself needs no building permit. Community Development: 770-387-5067
Source
Bartow County Code, Appendix A Zoning
Notes
The county sets no fence height limit and no fence-specific setback, but its zoning ordinance does keep required setbacks clear of structures and does set a fence material rule in the Allatoona Overlay District. Community Development: 770-387-5067, 135 W. Cherokee Ave., Suite 124, Cartersville

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 Bartow County

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

All Bartow County fence rules →

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