GeorgiaFence Rules

Cherokee County

Fence Rules in Unincorporated Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, fence height limits are: No separate front-yard rule: one 8 ft cap applies in every yard; Along a public road right-of-way and within the required setback on a residential lot: 6 ft max; Most fences and free-standing walls: 8 ft max. Retaining walls are not counted.

Not required for a fence up to 7 ft tall; A fence over 7 ft (up to the 8 ft cap) needs a building permit; Development Service Center: 678-493-6101.

On corner lots in Unincorporated Cherokee County: Nothing between 3 ft and 15 ft tall within 25 ft of where street, road, highway or railroad right-of-way lines meet. Utility poles, light and street-sign posts, and tree trunks are excepted; A fence under 3 ft is unaffected.

Pool fences in Unincorporated Cherokee County: 5 ft minimum, continuous around the pool except for gate openings; Chain link, or a material and color that goes with the house; Latches out of a child's reach or at least 5 ft off the ground; Must be locked whenever no responsible person is at the pool.

Fence setbacks in Unincorporated Cherokee County: Never in a public right-of-way, or in a future street right-of-way shown on the county's roadway plan; The county recommends, but does not require, setting a fence at least 6 in off the property line.

Prohibited fence materials in Unincorporated Cherokee County: None for a standard lot. No barbed wire, woven wire, electric fence or front-yard chain link rule; Highway 20 East overlay (Art. 16): only treated lumber, fiber cement or steel in the landscape strip; Traditional Neighborhood Development (Art. 8): only wood board or chain link at a lot line.

Fence Regulations

Unincorporated Cherokee County

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Not required for a fence up to 7 ft tall. A fence over 7 ft (up to the 8 ft cap) needs a building permit. Development Service Center: 678-493-6101
Height - Front Yard
No separate front-yard rule: one 8 ft cap applies in every yard. Along a public road right-of-way and within the required setback on a residential lot: 6 ft max.
Height - Side/Rear
Most fences and free-standing walls: 8 ft max. Retaining walls are not counted. Along a public road right-of-way and within the required setback on a residential lot: 6 ft max.
Height Notes
The 8 ft cap applies in every yard, not just side and back. Retaining walls are excluded from the cap. The code doesn't say how fence height is measured.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Nothing between 3 ft and 15 ft tall within 25 ft of where street, road, highway or railroad right-of-way lines meet. Utility poles, light and street-sign posts, and tree trunks are excepted. A fence under 3 ft is unaffected.
Materials Allowed
Most lots: any material. The county code sets no general fence material rule. Traditional Neighborhood Development neighborhoods: wood board or chain link at a lot line (Art. 8 Sec. 8.10.5, 8.11.5). Highway 20 East overlay: treated lumber, fiber cement or steel for a fence in the required landscape strip along Highway 20 (Art. 16 Sec. 16.3.5).
Materials Prohibited
None for a standard lot. No barbed wire, woven wire, electric fence or front-yard chain link rule. Highway 20 East overlay (Art. 16): only treated lumber, fiber cement or steel in the landscape strip. Traditional Neighborhood Development (Art. 8): only wood board or chain link at a lot line.
Historic Districts
N/A
Setbacks
Never in a public right-of-way, or in a future street right-of-way shown on the county's roadway plan. The county recommends, but does not require, setting a fence at least 6 in off the property line.
Design Requirements
None for most homes. The county code sets no general fence design standard. Traditional Neighborhood Development neighborhoods: a fence at the front of the lot must be painted (Art. 8 Sec. 8.10.5, 8.11.5). Highway 92 Village overlay: development along Highway 92 must have a white three rail fence within 2 ft of the right-of-way. Homes are exempt from the overlay's architecture, building material and roof line rules, not from this one (Art. 16 Sec. 16.1.5). Highway 20 East overlay: a fence in the required landscape strip must be four board style and dark colored, with 6 in by 6 in posts 5 ft tall set 92 in on center and 1 in thick by 6 in wide rough cut boards spaced 14 in on center. This applies to residential subdivisions. A masonry clad wall up to 5 ft may be used instead (Art. 16 Sec. 16.3.5).
Gates
Not addressed in the county code.
Floodplain Rules
Standard Cherokee County floodplain regulations apply
Source
Cherokee County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 5.7
Notes
Governed by Zoning Ordinance Sec. 5.7. Development Service Center: 678-493-6101

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 Cherokee County

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

All Cherokee County fence rules →

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