GeorgiaFence Rules

Franklin County

Fence Rules in Unincorporated Franklin County, Georgia

Last verified: October 23, 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 Franklin County, fence height limits are: front yards, Same 8 ft cap as side and back yards, or 10 ft in commercial and industrial districts. Where a driveway meets a street, or two streets meet, no fence may block the view in the sight triangle; see corner lots.

Not required for most fences, per the county Building Department, but a fence or wall that needs an engineered foundation needs a permit from the building official, and in a flood hazard area a flood area permit comes first.

On corner lots in Unincorporated Franklin County: Fences may not block the view in the sight triangles where streets meet each other or meet driveways. The code gives no triangle size, so ask Planning and Zoning.

Pool fences in Unincorporated Franklin County: Barrier: 48 in tall minimum, measured from the outside. Gap under it: 2 in max over grass, 4 in over concrete; Gate: opens outward, self-closing and self-latching; Openings: 4 in max, or 1 3/4 in for chain link, lattice and any fence whose rails sit under 45 in apart, which puts its rails on the pool side.

Fence setbacks in Unincorporated Franklin County: None from a property line. Building setbacks do not apply to fences; Not in a public right-of-way; Not over a utility easement without the utility's permission and the zoning administrator's approval; Broad and Hudson Rivers (mapped stretches): no construction within 100 ft of either bank except listed uses.

Prohibited fence materials in Unincorporated Franklin County: Plywood, particle board, paper, plastic, plastic tarp, tires and pallets; Razor wire: only with zoning administrator approval for a documented security need, and only in light and heavy industrial districts or for a public use.

Fence Regulations

Unincorporated Franklin County

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Not required for most fences, per the county Building Department, but a fence or wall that needs an engineered foundation needs a permit from the building official, and in a flood hazard area a flood area permit comes first. The Building Department's FAQ says a fence needs no permit but must stand on your own land, not a neighbor's or in a county or state right-of-way. Planning and Zoning Director · 706-384-2483 Building Inspector · 706-498-0020 141 Athens Street, Carnesville, GA 30521
Height - Front Yard
Same 8 ft cap as side and back yards, or 10 ft in commercial and industrial districts. Where a driveway meets a street, or two streets meet, no fence may block the view in the sight triangle; see corner lots.
Height - Side/Rear
8 ft max, or 10 ft in commercial and industrial districts.
Height Notes
Measured from the average ground level at the base to the highest point. Retaining walls and safety barriers don't count. The zoning administrator can approve a taller fence for a tennis court or other recreation area, a subdivision entrance, a utility, a public use, or required screening or safety.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
Fences may not block the view in the sight triangles where streets meet each other or meet driveways. The code gives no triangle size, so ask Planning and Zoning.
Materials Allowed
Brick, stone, rock, wood and decorative concrete block. Vinyl and metal (wrought iron, aluminum, chain link, wire): only if the zoning administrator approves. Barbed wire: fences of 3 or more strands in agricultural districts; top strands over chain link in commercial and industrial districts. A wall of unfinished concrete block must be faced with brick, stone, stucco or another approved finish.
Materials Prohibited
Plywood, particle board, paper, plastic, plastic tarp, tires and pallets. Razor wire: only with zoning administrator approval for a documented security need, and only in light and heavy industrial districts or for a public use.
Historic Districts
None. The county code creates no local historic district.
Setbacks
None from a property line. Building setbacks do not apply to fences. Not in a public right-of-way. Not over a utility easement without the utility's permission and the zoning administrator's approval. Broad and Hudson Rivers (mapped stretches): no construction within 100 ft of either bank except listed uses. The listed uses include farming, and a home with its usual additions on a tract of 2 acres or more; ask Planning and Zoning whether a fence qualifies. Wetlands on the county's wetland map: only listed uses that need no structures are allowed, so ask Planning and Zoning before fencing one. UDC Secs. 4-206 to 4-208, 4-506
Design Requirements
When the code requires a screening fence, its finished side faces the outer property line. Chain link for an institutional, commercial or industrial property, in a front yard or a side yard seen from the street: vinyl coated. Chain link with woven-in vinyl or metal slats does not count as screening and may not be used without the zoning administrator's specific approval. Keep fences repaired, and replace one that is badly damaged or destroyed.
Gates
A driveway gate must be at least 25 ft back from a public street or road right-of-way.
Floodplain Rules
In a flood hazard area (on FEMA's flood map, or land known to have flooded), no development starts until the zoning administrator approves a flood area permit. Development means any man-made change to land; the flood rules never name fences. Floodway (the stream channel and the land beside it that must stay open to carry floodwater): nothing may go in unless a registered engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels or widen the floodway. Flood area with a mapped flood height but no floodway: nothing, including fill or new structures, unless a registered engineer certifies that, with other existing and expected development, it will not raise the flood more than 1 ft. Along a stream in a flood hazard area where no floodway is mapped and no other flood data are available: nothing, including structures or fill, within the stream's width or 20 ft of the top of the bank, whichever is greater, unless a registered engineer certifies it will raise flood levels no more than 1 ft. UDC Secs. 11-107, 11-201, 11-307 to 11-309
Color Restrictions
None. The county sets no fence color rule.
Source
Franklin County Unified Development Code Sec. 3-129
Notes
Governed by the county's Unified Development Code, which covers only the unincorporated county: an 8 ft cap (10 ft in commercial and industrial districts), no setback from property lines, and nothing in the right-of-way. River corridor, wetland and flood rules can also reach a fence. Temporary construction fencing is exempt. Inside a city, ask that city. Planning and Zoning · 706-384-2483 · 141 Athens Street, Carnesville, GA 30521

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 Franklin County

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

All Franklin County fence rules →

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