GeorgiaFence Rules

Dawson County

Fence Rules in Unincorporated Dawson County, Georgia

Last verified: October 22, 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 Dawson County, fence height limits are: front yards, No county fence height limit, except 36 in max at the corner where two streets meet (see corner lots); side and rear yards, No county fence height limit, except 36 in max at the corner where two streets meet (see corner lots).

Required only for a fence over 7 ft. A fence 7 ft or under needs no county building permit; over 7 ft the permit fee is $100. In a flood zone, ask Community Development first whether a flood development permit applies; Apply through the county's Citizen Self Service Portal; Community Development · 706-344-3604; 25 Justice Way, Dawsonville, GA 30534.

On corner lots in Unincorporated Dawson County: Where two streets, or a street and a highway, meet, keep a clear vision area at the corner: no fence, wall, sign or planting over 36 in tall. The code gives no size for that area. Along a street, a fence may not impair the view of approaching traffic where safety requires it; Dawson County Code Sec. 42-64.

Pool fences in Unincorporated Dawson County: County rule: a private pool, hot tub or spa more than 24 in deep must be fully enclosed by a fence or barrier at least 48 in tall, measured on the side away from the pool. Gates and doors in it must self-close and self-latch; a latch under 54 in above the bottom of the gate has its release on the pool side.

Fence setbacks in Unincorporated Dawson County: None from a property line. A fence may stand in any yard; Road right-of-way: no fence may be placed in or stick out onto a county road right-of-way, and county crews can remove one that does; Right-of-way questions: Public Works · 706-265-2774.

Prohibited fence materials in Unincorporated Dawson County: None for a home fence outside the Georgia 400 overlay corridor; Georgia 400 overlay corridor: chain link must be vinyl coated black or green; whether this reaches a single home lot is not settled, so ask Community Development.

Fence Regulations

Unincorporated Dawson County

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required only for a fence over 7 ft. A fence 7 ft or under needs no county building permit; over 7 ft the permit fee is $100. In a flood zone, ask Community Development first whether a flood development permit applies. Apply through the county's Citizen Self Service Portal. Community Development · 706-344-3604 25 Justice Way, Dawsonville, GA 30534
Height - Front Yard
No county fence height limit, except 36 in max at the corner where two streets meet (see corner lots).
Height - Side/Rear
No county fence height limit, except 36 in max at the corner where two streets meet (see corner lots).
Height Notes
A fence over 7 ft needs a building permit, but 7 ft is not a height limit. Inside the Georgia 400 overlay corridor, design guidelines say wood fences should not normally exceed 6 ft; whether those guidelines reach a single home lot is not settled, so ask Community Development.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Where two streets, or a street and a highway, meet, keep a clear vision area at the corner: no fence, wall, sign or planting over 36 in tall. The code gives no size for that area. Along a street, a fence may not impair the view of approaching traffic where safety requires it. Dawson County Code Sec. 42-64
Materials Prohibited
None for a home fence outside the Georgia 400 overlay corridor. Georgia 400 overlay corridor: chain link must be vinyl coated black or green; whether this reaches a single home lot is not settled, so ask Community Development.
Historic Districts
If your property, or a district it sits in, is designated historic by county ordinance, building, changing or removing a fence needs a certificate of appropriateness from the Board of Commissioners first. Painting a fence is exempt. No building permit can issue without the certificate. Ask Community Development whether your address is designated.
Setbacks
None from a property line. A fence may stand in any yard. Road right-of-way: no fence may be placed in or stick out onto a county road right-of-way, and county crews can remove one that does. Right-of-way questions: Public Works · 706-265-2774 Recorded easements: several residential zoning districts bar any structure within a recorded easement (access, utility, stormwater or similar); ask Community Development whether that covers a fence. Dawson County Code Secs. 121-399, 121-61, 42-122
Design Requirements
None for a home fence outside the Georgia 400 overlay corridor. Georgia 400 overlay corridor: design guidelines require fences that suit the main building's architecture, ideally in similar materials, wood fences painted or stained, and chain link vinyl coated black or green. They ask that wood fences not normally exceed 6 ft and that a fence 50 ft or longer and 4 ft or taller be broken up with jogs, height or material changes, or landscaping. Whether these reach a single home lot is not settled; ask Community Development. Dawson County Code Sec. 117-260
Gates
None for a home fence. Pool gates must be self-closing and self-latching; see pool fences.
Floodplain Rules
Development permit: the county flood code requires one before any development, which it defines as any man-made change to the land, including buildings or other structures. It never names fences, so ask Community Development whether a fence needs one. Floodway (the stream channel and the land beside it kept open for floodwater): nothing may go in unless an engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels or widen the floodway. Flood zone along a stream with no mapped floodway: nothing may go in unless an engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels more than 1 ft. Where the county has no flood data, that rule covers the strip within 20 ft of the top of the stream bank, or the stream's width if wider. Dawson County Code Secs. 113-29, 113-78, 113-79, 113-83, 113-130
Color Restrictions
None for a home fence outside the Georgia 400 overlay corridor. Georgia 400 overlay corridor: chain link vinyl coated black or green, wood painted or stained; whether this reaches a single home lot is not settled.
Source
Dawson County Code Secs. 105-8, 121-164
Notes
Governed by the county Land Use Resolution (Chapter 121 of the county code), which sets no fence height limit except a 36 in cap at street corners. The county code adds a pool barrier rule and a ban on fences in the road right-of-way, and a fence over 7 ft needs a building permit. A city address follows that city's own code. Community Development · 706-344-3604 · 25 Justice Way, Dawsonville, GA 30534

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 Dawson County

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

All Dawson County fence rules →

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