GeorgiaFence Rules

White County

Fence Rules in Unincorporated White 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 White County, fence height limits are: front yards, No county fence height limit. The land use code sets no fence height for any yard. At a street corner, see corner lots; side and rear yards, No county fence height limit.

Not required, per the county Building Department: its permits page says fences need no permit, and its online permit portal has no fence permit. The county building code does not name fences either way. In a mapped flood hazard area a development permit comes first; Building Department · 706-865-6496; 1241 Helen Hwy, Suite 200, Cleveland, GA 30528.

On corner lots in Unincorporated White County: On a corner lot in any district, measure 20 ft along each right-of-way line from the point where they meet (on a rounded corner, from where the curve's straight edges would meet). Inside the triangle between those points, no fence or shrub may be taller than 3 ft.

Pool fences in Unincorporated White 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 White County: None. The code lets a fence stand in any yard, up to the property line. No fence may stand in a public right-of-way; White County Land Use Regulations Secs. 514, 515.

Prohibited fence materials in Unincorporated White County: None for a home fence. The county bans no fence material on a home lot, barbed wire included.

Fence Regulations

Unincorporated White County

Apply for Permit
Permit Requirements
Not required, per the county Building Department: its permits page says fences need no permit, and its online permit portal has no fence permit. The county building code does not name fences either way. In a mapped flood hazard area a development permit comes first. Building Department · 706-865-6496 1241 Helen Hwy, Suite 200, Cleveland, GA 30528
Height - Front Yard
No county fence height limit. The land use code sets no fence height for any yard. At a street corner, see corner lots.
Height - Side/Rear
No county fence height limit.
Height Notes
The land use code's only general height cap is 50 ft, for any building or structure. It sets no separate fence height.
Pool Fences
View Pool Fence Safety Requirements
Corner Lots
On a corner lot in any district, measure 20 ft along each right-of-way line from the point where they meet (on a rounded corner, from where the curve's straight edges would meet). Inside the triangle between those points, no fence or shrub may be taller than 3 ft. The same applies where a street meets a railroad right-of-way.
Materials Prohibited
None for a home fence. The county bans no fence material on a home lot, barbed wire included.
Historic Districts
None. The county has no historic district and no certificate of appropriateness review. The National Register listings in the Sautee and Nacoochee valleys carry no local fence review.
Setbacks
None. The code lets a fence stand in any yard, up to the property line. No fence may stand in a public right-of-way. White County Land Use Regulations Secs. 514, 515
Design Requirements
Opaque buffer fence, where one is required: solid in appearance, of wood, stone, brick, vinyl or stucco, at least 6 ft tall. Chain link, even with slats, does not count. Dumpsters at multi-family and seasonal-home developments and at commercial and industrial sites: screened by a solid, opaque fence or wall at least 1 ft taller than the container. Storage yards for listed commercial and industrial uses: fenced and screened. Family cemetery plots: fenced on all four sides, at least 4 ft high, in wood, vinyl, wrought iron or chain link. The fence may stand inside the 25 ft buffer around the graves. White County Land Use Regulations Art. XXII and Secs. 512.5, 1301, 1401, 1402, 1501; Sec. 521 added by Res. 2025-23 (November 24, 2025)
Gates
None. The county has no fence gate rule. Pool gates follow the state pool code.
Floodplain Rules
In a mapped flood hazard area a county development permit comes before any development, which the code defines as any man-made change to the land including buildings or other structures; the flood article never names fences. In the floodway nothing may go in unless an engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels or widen the floodway. Along a stream in a mapped flood hazard area where no floodway is mapped and no other flood data are available, nothing may go within 25 ft of the top of the bank, or the stream's width or its stream buffer if greater, unless an engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels. White County Code Secs. 30-122, 30-124, 30-126
Color Restrictions
None. The county sets no fence color rule.
Source
White County Land Use Regulations Sec. 513
Notes
Governed by the county Land Use Regulations (Appendix C of the county code), which set no fence height limit. A 3 ft limit applies inside the corner sight triangle, and a fence may not stand in the public right-of-way. Fence work that causes only minor soil erosion is exempt from the county erosion rules. Helen and Cleveland follow their own codes. Pool barriers follow Georgia's state pool code. Building Department · 706-865-6496 · Planning · 706-865-6768 · Mauney Building, 1241 Helen Hwy, Suite 200, Cleveland, GA 30528

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 White County

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

All White County fence rules →

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