GeorgiaFence Rules

Fayette County

Fence Rules in Unincorporated Fayette 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 Fayette County, fence height limits are: front yards, 4 ft max if solid; Above 4 ft: at least 50 percent see-through, evenly spaced; side and rear yards, No county limit in an interior side or back yard; Corner lots: your second street side counts as a front yard, 4 ft max if solid unless that street is an arterial or collector.

Required only for a wall or fence in a front yard: a zoning compliance certificate before you build, with a scaled drawing; No building permit for a home fence 8 ft or under, a commercial fence 6 ft or under, or a masonry or concrete yard wall 4 ft or under (Secs. 102-487, 102-193); Planning & Zoning: 770-305-5421. Building Safety: 770-305-5403.

On corner lots in Unincorporated Fayette County: The yard along your second street counts as a front yard: 4 ft max if solid, and anything taller must be at least 50 percent see-through; That cap and the see-through rule lift if the second street is an arterial or collector on the county road plan; Neither lifts on the street your front door faces.

Pool fences in Unincorporated Fayette County: Not set by county zoning. Pool barriers follow the adopted state construction codes: 48 in minimum; Building Safety: 770-305-5403.

Fence setbacks in Unincorporated Fayette County: Never in a public right-of-way, and at least 3 ft from any fire hydrant; A gated driveway must keep a clear opening 14 ft wide and 14 ft tall for emergency vehicles; Otherwise fences don't count as setback violations: they may go to the property line.

Prohibited fence materials in Unincorporated Fayette County: Barbed wire and electric fences, except on horse properties and for farming in the agricultural district.

Fence Regulations

Unincorporated Fayette County

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Required only for a wall or fence in a front yard: a zoning compliance certificate before you build, with a scaled drawing. No building permit for a home fence 8 ft or under, a commercial fence 6 ft or under, or a masonry or concrete yard wall 4 ft or under (Secs. 102-487, 102-193). Planning & Zoning: 770-305-5421. Building Safety: 770-305-5403
Height - Front Yard
4 ft max if solid. Above 4 ft: at least 50 percent see-through, evenly spaced.
Height - Side/Rear
No county limit in an interior side or back yard. Corner lots: your second street side counts as a front yard, 4 ft max if solid unless that street is an arterial or collector.
Height Notes
Posts, columns, light fixtures and ornamental statues are not counted in the 4 ft measurement. Where the ground slopes, the fence must step down section by section. Horse-keeping properties may use chain link or other wire, including barbed and electric fence, up to 5 ft in a front yard; farming in the agricultural district is likewise exempt. If the back of your lot runs along a second street, the front-yard rules apply only between the access street and the front of the house. Walls and fences legally standing on October 1, 2008 may remain.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
The yard along your second street counts as a front yard: 4 ft max if solid, and anything taller must be at least 50 percent see-through. That cap and the see-through rule lift if the second street is an arterial or collector on the county road plan. Neither lifts on the street your front door faces.
Materials Allowed
4 ft and under: brick or brick veneer, stucco, synthetic stucco, rock, stone, cast stone, wood, wrought iron, or chain link. Over 4 ft: the same list, except chain link is not allowed above 4 ft.
Materials Prohibited
Barbed wire and electric fences, except on horse properties and for farming in the agricultural district.
Historic Districts
The historic overlay rules apply to development frontage, not to a regular home yard: within the 50 ft front landscape area, a wall or fence is required along at least 40 percent of the frontage (a wall at least 3 ft with a stacked-stone look, or a fence at least 4 ft looking like wrought iron, picket, split rail or horse rail, with columns of metal, vinyl, pre-cast concrete or masonry). Those are minimums for a required streetscape, not a cap on a home fence.
Setbacks
Never in a public right-of-way, and at least 3 ft from any fire hydrant. A gated driveway must keep a clear opening 14 ft wide and 14 ft tall for emergency vehicles. Otherwise fences don't count as setback violations: they may go to the property line.
Design Requirements
Front-yard walls and fences over 4 ft: at least 50 percent see-through, evenly spaced along the whole fence. The zoning compliance certificate application needs a scaled drawing showing location, height, elevations, posts and columns, ornaments and lights, spacing, grade changes and materials. No finished-side rule.
Gates
Driveway entrance structures are exempt from the 4 ft cap and the see-through rule within 35 ft of the driveway.
Floodplain Rules
Stormwater facility walls and fences are exempt from the county's fence rules.
Source
Fayette County Code Sec. 110-81
Notes
Governed by county code Sec. 110-81. Planning & Zoning: 770-305-5421. Building Safety: 770-305-5403

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 Fayette County

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

All Fayette County fence rules →

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