GeorgiaFence Rules

Greene County

Fence Rules in Unincorporated Greene 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 Greene County, fence height limits are: Solid or open fence in front of the house: 4 ft max, or taller with a spaced-picket design the Zoning Administrator approves. Within 50 ft of a street corner or driveway: 2.5 ft (see corner lots); side and rear yards, 8 ft max. Corner and driveway sight rules still apply (see corner lots).

Not required for a fence 7 ft or under; unconfirmed for a fence over 7 ft (the code allows up to 8 ft), so ask Building & Zoning; Fence with electrical equipment: needs an electrical permit; Gate across a driveway to a home: plans need county approval first; a motorized gate also needs a security gate permit (see gates); Building & Zoning · 706-453-3333.

On corner lots in Unincorporated Greene County: In every district, nothing between 2.5 ft and 10 ft high within 50 ft of where two street or railroad right-of-way lines meet, or of a curb cut or driveway; No fence may block drivers' view so as to be a safety hazard, or the lines of sight police and fire crews need; Greene County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.4.2.

Pool fences in Unincorporated Greene County: County rule: building permit required; pool, deck and equipment at least 20 ft from a neighboring home lot (10 ft in some lake and planned districts); 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.

Fence setbacks in Unincorporated Greene County: None, but the footings must sit entirely on your property; Exception: a fence in a buffer strip the county requires between different land uses must sit at least 2 ft from the property line, measured from the footing, with plants in between; Building near a property line: have a surveyor mark the line first.

Prohibited fence materials in Unincorporated Greene County: Vinyl, except replacing an existing vinyl fence with the same; Barbed, razor and concertina wire, except for utilities, government facilities, and farm uses in the A1 and A2 agricultural districts and on Homestead Farm lots in planned developments.

Fence Regulations

Unincorporated Greene County

Permit Requirements
Not required for a fence 7 ft or under; unconfirmed for a fence over 7 ft (the code allows up to 8 ft), so ask Building & Zoning. Fence with electrical equipment: needs an electrical permit. Gate across a driveway to a home: plans need county approval first; a motorized gate also needs a security gate permit (see gates). Building & Zoning · 706-453-3333 1034 Silver Dr, Suite 103, Greensboro, GA 30642
Height - Front Yard
Solid or open fence in front of the house: 4 ft max, or taller with a spaced-picket design the Zoning Administrator approves. Within 50 ft of a street corner or driveway: 2.5 ft (see corner lots).
Height - Side/Rear
8 ft max. Corner and driveway sight rules still apply (see corner lots).
Height Notes
Measured from finished grade to the top of the fence between posts. Columns and ornaments may go up to 3 ft higher, and gates up to 3 ft taller than the fence. Spaced-picket front fence: gaps at least 2 in wide, and pickets at least twice as wide as the gaps (at least as wide as the gaps for horizontal boards). Districts that allow horses and livestock: a wire or chain link front fence may be up to 5 ft. Fences on non-residential property: 8 ft max in any yard.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
In every district, nothing between 2.5 ft and 10 ft high within 50 ft of where two street or railroad right-of-way lines meet, or of a curb cut or driveway. No fence may block drivers' view so as to be a safety hazard, or the lines of sight police and fire crews need. Greene County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.4.2
Materials Allowed
Wood, masonry, stacked stone, stucco, ornamental metal, or another durable material the Zoning Administrator approves. Chain link or woven wire: side and back yards only, not running parallel to a street, and vinyl-coated. Districts that allow horses and livestock: a wire or chain link front fence may be up to 5 ft.
Materials Prohibited
Vinyl, except replacing an existing vinyl fence with the same. Barbed, razor and concertina wire, except for utilities, government facilities, and farm uses in the A1 and A2 agricultural districts and on Homestead Farm lots in planned developments.
Historic Districts
The county code creates no local historic district and requires no historic review for fences.
Setbacks
None, but the footings must sit entirely on your property. Exception: a fence in a buffer strip the county requires between different land uses must sit at least 2 ft from the property line, measured from the footing, with plants in between. Building near a property line: have a surveyor mark the line first. Fences may sit inside the setbacks required for buildings.
Design Requirements
Finished side faces the street and the neighbors. Keep the fence in good repair with no advertising on it, and maintain the ground between the fence and the property line.
Gates
Gates follow the fence rules and may be up to 3 ft taller than the fence. Vehicle gate across a driveway to a home, gated facility or community: at least 14 ft wide (20 ft for two-way traffic) with 14 ft of clear height, and at least 30 ft back from the edge of the road pavement. Before changing or blocking a private street or a driveway to a home: submit plans with drawings for approval. A county building inspector inspects the work. Motorized (electrically operated) gate: get a security gate permit first, and fit a receiver that lets the sheriff, fire department and other emergency crews open it. If it stops working, repair it right away and keep it locked open until fixed. Public streets cannot be gated.
Floodplain Rules
A fence must not block or slow the flow of water. In a mapped flood hazard area, a development permit is required before any development starts. Floodway (the stream channel and nearby land that must stay open to carry floodwater): no new construction or other development unless a registered professional engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels or widen the floodway. In a mapped flood hazard area along a stream where no floodway is mapped and no other flood data are available: no encroachment, including structures or fill, within the stream's width or 20 ft of the top of the bank, whichever is greater, unless a registered professional engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels more than 1 ft. In a mapped flood hazard area with flood elevations but no mapped floodway: no encroachment, including fill or new structures, unless a registered professional engineer certifies that, with all other existing and expected development, it will not raise the base flood more than 1 ft anywhere in the county. The flood rules never name fences. Ask Building & Zoning whether a fence counts. Fences are exempt from the county's soil erosion rules as a minor land-disturbing activity. Greene County Code Secs. 16-21, 16-61, 16-63
Color Restrictions
Black, white or earth tones only. Primary and neon colors are banned.
Source
Greene County Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.9
Notes
Governed by the county zoning ordinance, whose fence section was rewritten in 2023. On Lake Oconee lots, buffers along Georgia Power land follow Georgia Power rules and community covenants, which are not county law. In the county's mapped Lake Oconee water supply watershed, the county code also keeps a 150 ft buffer from the lake and lets Georgia Power's lake management plan set what may go in it. Building & Zoning · 706-453-3333 · 1034 Silver Dr, Suite 103, Greensboro, GA 30642

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 Greene County

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

All Greene County fence rules →

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