Do you need a permit to build a fence?
Only your city can answer that, and the cities disagree with each other more than almost anyone expects. So rather than a national average, here is what 67 of them say — each in its own words, each linked to its own document.
The short answer
There is no national rule and no state rule worth relying on. Fences are permitted at the municipal level, so the requirement can change at a street that divides two cities. Among the 67 cities on this page, the thresholds on file run from every fence, at any height through over three feet, over six feet and over seven feet to no permit for an ordinary residential fence at all.
61 of the 67 state a rule we could read. The other 6 publish fence regulations but state no permit requirement for an ordinary fence — and that is written here as what it is, rather than filled in with a guess on the city's behalf.
Every answer below was transcribed from each city's own municipal code, or from the fence rules its zoning office publishes where that code is not readable as text, or from the permit guidance that city's building department publishes, and every one carries the link it came from. If an answer here matters to a decision you are about to make, click the source and read the sentence yourself.
What each city says
67 cities across 13 states. 57 of them also have county lot lines on this site, so the plot plan the application asks for can be drawn on your real parcel boundary rather than traced by eye.
Arizona
Yes, over 6'. The city's Work Exempt from Building Permits handout, which reprints Article 7-1 of the Apache Junction Division of Building Safety and Inspection Administrative Code at 7-1-6(B)(1)(c), says permits are not required for fences or block walls not over six feet high, measured three feet out from the exterior side. Anything taller than that needs one. A fence that is exempt still gets zoning review if it stands in a federally patented easement, alongside a public right-of-way, or across a natural drainage way.
Usually no, and the threshold here is lower than most of the Valley. Avondale's Amendments to the 2024 International Codes, dated December 1 2025, rewrite item 2 of both IBC 105.2 and IRC R105.2 so that a fence not over 6 feet is exempt from a building permit and anything above 6 feet needs one. The building code's exemption never covers a swimming pool barrier.
Yes, over 3'. Buckeye's Residential Fence and Block Privacy Wall Checklist requires a building permit for the construction of fences and non-retaining walls over 3 feet, including adding height, adding gates or repairing an existing wall. All retaining walls require a permit. Fences not over 7 feet are exempt from engineering analysis, which is not the same as being exempt from the permit.
Yes, over 7'. Chandler's Homeowner Building Permit Manual puts "Fences not over 7 feet high" on its Work Exempt from Permit list, so an ordinary residential fence needs no building permit. Over seven feet the manual requires prior Planning approval and a valid permit. Two other cases need one whatever the height: a wall retaining earth more than four feet from the bottom of its footing, and a fence placed on top of a retaining wall. Every fence also needs zoning clearance from Planning staff regardless of height.
Yes, over 3'. The Technical Codes of the Town of Gilbert amend the work-exempt-from-permit lists of both the building code at Section 105.2 and the residential code at Section R105.2 to read fences not over three feet high, so a fence taller than 3' needs a building permit and one at or under 3' does not. A permitted structure must also conform to the Land Development Code.
Usually no. Ordinance O25-51, the city's building code adoption effective January 9 2026, amends item 2 of IBC Section 105.2, Work Exempt from Permit, to read: fences, other than swimming pool barriers and perimeter subdivision fences, not over 7 feet (2134 mm) high. So a fence over 7 feet needs a building permit and one at or under 7 feet does not, while a pool barrier or a perimeter subdivision fence needs one at any height. The same ordinance leaves the residential code's own 7-foot exemption unamended.
Yes, over 6'. Goodyear's Homeowner Info page answers "What do I need a permit for?" for fences and walls by saying a permit is required for fences and walls that exceed 6 feet in height, and that a permit is required for all retaining walls regardless of height. The same page adds that reviewing your HOA's CC&Rs before any modification is the property owner's responsibility rather than the city's.
Usually no. Mesa's Residential Construction FAQ says fence height, location and material requirements do apply, but that fences under 6 feet tall do not require a construction permit. Contact Arizona 811 before you dig.
Yes, over 3'. Peoria's Development and Engineering Department handout 503, Residential Fence or Block Wall, says a fence less than 3 feet at its tallest point does not require a building permit, and that over 3 feet in height a building permit and site plan are required and reviewed by Engineering. Walls over 7 feet in height need a permit through the Building department with structural calculations in the submittal, and retaining or sound walls go through Engineering with calculations whatever their height. The 7' in the ordinance bullet above is the zoning threshold; this handout is the building permit rule.
Yes, over 3'. Phoenix's Required Permits for Fences and Retaining Walls guideline prints the building code exemption at Administrative Provisions 105.2.2 as fences not over three feet in height, measured from final grade to the uppermost part of the fence, which puts every fence above 3' inside the permit and leaves one at or under it outside. Above three feet and up to seven, the review is for compliance with the zoning ordinance and with the city code requirements for site drainage. Fences on hillsides or in preservation locations are addressed site specifically and may not follow the guideline.
Yes. The Town's "When is a Permit Required?" page lists fences and walls among the work permits are required for, and states no height exemption for them, noting only that the list is not all inclusive. The Town's companion Fencing Requirements page sets out what to bring: a completed Construction Permit application, a site plan showing boundary lines with all existing structures and fencing and the proposed new fencing, and a detail of the design and materials using either one of the Town's approved standard fence details or engineered drawings.
Yes, over 3'. The city's Walls and Fences page requires a permit for constructing any fence taller than 3 feet, for adding height to an existing fence over 3 feet, and for replacing an existing fence. In most residential zoning districts you do not need a permit up to 3', but you must obtain courtesy site plan approval so the wall is checked against the zoning and stormwater ordinance.
Usually no. Land Development Ordinance 107-2.5(B) sets no threshold of its own: it says a fence or wall may not be built without first securing a building permit as required by Chapter 105 of the LDO, and 105-19 adopts the 2024 International Building and Residential Codes together with the city's Local Amendments dated January 1, 2026. Those amendments strike the model exemption at seven feet out of IBC 105.2 and IRC R105.2 and write six feet in its place, so a building permit is needed above 6 feet and not at or under it. A swimming pool barrier is the one fence the building code never exempts.
Yes, over 6'. Tempe's Building Code Directive #2, Fences and Free Standing Walls, from the Building Safety Division, states that no permit or inspection is required for fences and freestanding walls six feet or less in height, and that a masonry wall built of ten-inch fence block may reach 6 feet 5 inches before permits are required. The ordinance bullet above states seven feet and defers to the Building Code, so the building permit threshold in Tempe is six feet. Above it a fence is a Group U occupancy and engineering drawings and calculations go in with the application.
Colorado
Usually no. The city's Fences page says a fence is allowed almost anywhere on private property without a permit as long as the Unified Development Code standards are met, and that any fence exceeding seven feet in height is treated as an accessory structure and needs a building permit. The permit for a fence that tall is issued by the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department rather than by the city, so that is where an application goes.
Florida
Yes, for every fence. Clearwater's Do I Need a Permit checklist names fences directly in its list of work that requires one, alongside pools and pool cages, tree removal, signs, docks and sheds. Nothing in that list turns on how tall the fence is or what it costs. A homeowner doing the work themselves files the printable Fence and Wall Permit Application on paper at Planning and Development, because the city's online permitting system is open to licensed contractors only.
Yes. Section 105-26.5 makes it unlawful to erect, install, construct, alter or relocate a fence in the city without first having applied for and been issued a permit, and quadruples the permit fees when the fence went up first. No permit is required to repair or replace fifty linear feet of a fence that was previously permitted.
Jacksonville's own documents disagree, and the city states no rule for an ordinary fence. Zoning Code Section 656.402 sets the heights and attaches a procedure only to a fence in a second required front yard, which needs site plan or sketch plan approval. The Building Inspection Division's FAQ says that when a building permit fee is paid for a new building or addition, separate permits and fees shall not be required for fences and walls, which implies a separate fence permit exists without ever stating the case in which one applies. Confirm with the Building Inspection Division before you build.
Yes, for every fence. Largo's Ask a Planner page answers the question directly: the City requires a building permit to install, repair or replace all fences. No height and no cost puts a fence outside it. Because the review verifies the allowed locations, the visibility requirements and the allowable heights, the same page says a valid survey or site plan is required with the application.
Yes. Oldsmar issues fences on its own Application for Non-Masonry Fence Permit, which names Land Development Code 5.1.7 as the rule it applies. The owner's affidavit on that form certifies that no work or installation has commenced before the permit is issued, so the application comes first. A survey showing the area to be fenced, with the survey pins exposed, goes in with it. The same form states the construction permit fee twice: a base fee of $30.00 plus ten cents for each linear foot, so what you pay depends on how long the fence is. It also states that the permit is valid for 180 days and that the fee is not refundable.
Yes, in the cases the city lists. Orlando's Apply for a Fence Permit page requires a permit when the fence will be taller than six feet, on a commercial property or a residential property with three or more dwelling units, built of concrete, masonry or block or carrying any reinforcement, used as a required pool or spa barrier, along a property with an alley at the rear, on a corner lot, on or near a public easement shown on a property survey, fitted with vehicular or powered gates, part of a demolition permit, or in a floodplain or floodway. Anything outside that list needs none, and the same page warns that every fence must follow City Code even where no permit is required.
Usually no. Under Section 18-1530.10(A)(2), no permit is required for a fence or wall at a single-family detached or duplex home that meets the height limits in Table 18-1530-1. A swimming pool enclosure always needs one, and so does a fence on any other type of property.
Yes, for any fence. The city's Permits page lists Fences under Required Permits, among the work that requires a permit, and names no height below which one is skipped. The Building Department's Fence/Wall Permit Completeness Form adds that all fences are subject to final inspection, and that a masonry wall or a wall with columns is a city-county permit which begins with a city review and is then submitted to Pinellas County for consistency with the Florida Building Code.
Yes, unless you are replacing like for like. Section 70-775(a) of the city code is headed Permit required and says no fences shall be constructed until a permit has been issued, and that the permit is subject to easements of record. A survey may be required. Where an existing fence is being replaced with a like fence, meaning the same materials, color, height and opacity, in the same location, the code says the requirement for a permit may be waived.
Usually no. The city's Fence, Wall and Hedge handout for one- and two-unit residential properties answers it in a line of its own: permits are not required for fences and hedges that meet all zoning district requirements in Land Development Regulations 16.40.040 and do not have a footer. Walls and columns do require a building permit, and a property in a local historic district needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before anything goes up.
Usually no. Tampa Code 5-105.2, Work Exempt from Permit, lists fences not over seven (7) feet high among the building work that needs no permit, so a fence above 7 feet needs one and a shorter fence does not. The zoning code caps a residential fence at 6 feet in the side and rear yards regardless, so a fence that already complies with the height rules is normally exempt from the building permit as well.
Yes. The city's Building Development Department publishes the fence permit's own document requirements: you create a project in the GoPost portal, at which point the permit application becomes available, and the document the applicant supplies is a property survey with the fence marked and highlighted showing where it will sit. A Notice of Commencement is required when the job value is over $5,000, and a homeowner acting as their own contractor must have the Owner-Builder Disclosure and Required Inspections form notarized in person at the City Hall Building Development Department.
Georgia
Yes, for every fence. The city's Fence Permits page states that a fence permit is required to install a new fence or gate and to replace an existing one, and that fence permits apply to residential and commercial properties alike. It names two cases that need none: temporary security fencing during construction, and a pool enclosure included in an approved Pool Permit application. Applications are submitted through the city's online permitting portal.
Massachusetts
Usually not, and the rule is the Commonwealth's rather than the city's. Massachusetts runs a statewide building code, and 780 CMR 51.00 R105.2 exempts “Fences not over seven feet (2,134 mm) high” from a building permit. Quincy's own zoning caps a residential fence below that, so an ordinary back-yard fence here needs no building permit - and Quincy's Inspectional Services department lists nineteen online permit applications, none of which is a fence permit. Zoning still binds either way: the heights above are enforced whether or not anything is filed, and a fence over the state threshold goes through the general Building Permit Application in the city's ViewPoint Cloud system.
Michigan
Yes, and it is a zoning compliance permit rather than a building permit. The city's Zoning Compliance Permits page lists Fence (7 feet or less) among the projects that do not require a building permit but do require a zoning compliance permit, and every one of them must now be submitted online through the STREAM system rather than on paper. That page states no rule for anything taller than 7 feet, so confirm a taller fence with Planning Services first.
Yes, for any fence. The Building Department requires a fence permit whenever a new fence is installed or an existing one is replaced, issued before the fence goes in, and names no height below which one is skipped. Permits are usually issued within a day or two, once the department has confirmed the fence's location and height against the zoning ordinance.
Detroit does not state one citywide. The enacted screening and fencing text amendment sets the fence standards at Section 50-14-381 and states no filing requirement, and no Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department page states one either. A property in a local historic district is a separate question the Historic District Commission answers. That is the city being silent rather than the city saying none is needed, so confirm with BSEED before you build.
Yes. Installing a fence or gate on any lot requires a Ferndale Fence Permit. The zoning code's one stated exception is decorative fencing up to 36 inches, which is allowed in any yard without a Fence Permit.
Yes, for every fence. Code No. 11-03, the city's fence ordinance, requires at Section 5 that a written permit be obtained from the City on a written application before any fence or wall is erected on any property other than the City's own, and it names no height that goes without one. Section 1(h) exempts routine maintenance, repair and painting of an existing fence, while applying the permit requirement to any change in a fence's height, location or appearance and to any other alteration of it.
Yes. Nobody may erect, re-erect, alter or relocate a fence until a permit has been obtained from the Department of Public Services, unless the Department reviews the work and verifies that no permit or fee is required.
Yes, for any fence or wall. Section 12-3 of the city code requires a written permit from the building official, on written application, before any fence or wall is erected, placed or installed on land the city does not own, and sets no height below which one is skipped. Section 12-4(d) then lets a fence along the rear lot line reach 6 feet only where the written approval of the adjoining owners accompanies that application.
Yes, for any fence. Section 8-276 of the city code requires a permit from the building inspector, obtained on written application, before any fence is erected, placed or installed, and sets no height below which one is skipped. Section 8-284 then lets a rear or side yard fence reach 6 feet only where the written consent of the adjacent owners accompanies that permit application.
Yes. Section 90-402 of the city code says the erection, construction or substantial rebuilding of any fence or screen shall require a building permit, and the definition in 90-401 states plainly that a fence requires one. Substantial rebuilding means reconstructing 50 percent or more of the structure, changing its height, or changing its material within a twelve-month period; painting, cleaning and replacing like materials count as general maintenance and do not. Under 90-403 the application goes to the city building inspector.
Harper Woods does not state one. Section 4.13 of the city's 2025 Zoning Ordinance is the whole of its fence rule and states no permit or application requirement, and the city publishes no fence permit form, fee schedule or handout anywhere on its site. That is the city being silent rather than the city saying none is needed, so confirm with the Building Department before you build.
Harper Woods, MI municipal code (1)·Harper Woods, MI municipal code (2)
Yes, for any fence. Chapter 323, the City of Royal Oak Fence Ordinance, makes it unlawful under Section 323-6A to construct or install any fence upon any property within the city without first obtaining a fence permit, and it names no height that is let through without one. Section 323-6B files the application with the Building Department before the fence goes in and asks it to state the owner, the property address, the proposed location against every lot line and neighbouring structure, the type of fence including posts, and its proposed height. Section 323-6C then issues the permit once the fence conforms to the applicable code and the applicant tenders the fee the City Commission sets by resolution.
Yes, for any fence. Section 8-251 of the city code requires an application for a fence permit to be submitted and approved before any fence is erected or installed, on a form the City supplies, and sets no height below which one is skipped.
North Carolina
Usually no. Durham's Fences and Walls page says no permit is required to build fences or walls within Durham City or County limits, unless the property is located in a designated flood plain. A retaining wall does require a permit, and so does a fence or wall used as a pool barrier on a parcel with a single-family dwelling.
Greensboro does not state one. Unified Development Ordinance Section 30-9-4 is where the city sets its fence rules -- applicability, setbacks, materials, height -- and it states no permit or application requirement. The city's own Residential Construction page lists the work that needs a building permit and does not name fences. That is the city being silent rather than the city saying none is needed, so confirm with Engineering and Inspections before you build.
Greensboro, NC municipal code (1)·Greensboro, NC municipal code (2)
Yes. Raleigh's Residential and Commercial Fences page states that a zoning permit is required when a fence is installed on any property. The same permit is needed to replace 50 percent or more of an existing fence, and to replace less than that where the material, the height or the location is changing.
Ohio
Newark does not say. Its Division of Zoning offers an Accessory Structure Permit covering fences among three online submittal types and prices an Accessory Structure at $30 per project on its Site Improvements, Fence and Sign Application. A permit that exists and is priced is not the same as the city stating that every fence needs one, and the Zoning Code sets the fence heights without stating a filing rule. Confirm with Engineering and Zoning before you build.
Pennsylvania
Yes, over 6', and sometimes lower. The Department of Licenses and Inspections says you need permits for certain kinds of fencing, and that you probably need one where the fence will be taller than 6 feet, made of heavy material like masonry or concrete, or located directly along a street front. Its own table for a wood, metal or vinyl fence asks for nothing at the side or rear at or under 6 feet, a zoning permit in a front yard between 4 and 6 feet, and both a zoning and a building permit above 6 feet in any yard; a front-yard fence at or under 4 feet needs a zoning permit only where it is more than 50% opaque. A masonry fence is stricter at every height. A building permit is always required where the property is on the Philadelphia Historic Registry or in the 100-year floodplain.
Tennessee
Yes. Murfreesboro requires a permit to construct, alter, enlarge, move or demolish a fence, whether you do the work yourself or hire a contractor. Normal maintenance repairs need none, and a homeowner may pull the permit themselves for their own primary residence.
Texas
No building permit is required for a fence 7' or under that meets the setback requirements. A fence over 7' needs a variance from the Board of Adjustment as well as a permit. Abilene's rear-yard cap is 7', so most residential fences here need no permit at all.
No. Cedar Park's Do I Need a Permit page lists Fencing among the projects that do not require a permit, and adds in the same line that the City ordinance must still be followed, naming Sec. 14.07.007 Fencing Regulations. That page states its lists are not comprehensive, so confirm anything unusual with Building Permits and Inspections before you build.
Yes. Section 8.07.020 requires a fence permit to erect any fence inside the city limits, with stated exceptions for agricultural uses, for pet, livestock or garden fencing inside an existing perimeter fence, and for alterations under a third of the fence's facing.
Yes. Section 31-853 requires a building permit to erect a new fence or to move, repair or replace an existing one, obtained from the building inspections division before installation. Section 31-854 exempts a like-for-like repair of up to 25 feet in any twelve-month period.
No, not for a residential fence. Round Rock's Building Inspection division lists residential fences under Projects That Do Not Require A Permit But Must Be Built To Code, and says in its own words that residential fences do not require a building permit, while advising you to check your plans with Code Enforcement for compliance with the height and material requirements. Being exempt from the permit is not being exempt from the code, so the heights and materials above apply whether or not you pull one.
Virginia
Yes for most fences. Chesapeake requires a permit to install or replace more than 8 linear feet of fencing, and always for a fence serving as a pool or spa barrier. Applications go through the city's eBUILD system, and the city asks for a copy of a physical survey or site plan drawn to scale with the proposed fence location clearly marked, the buffer yard marked where one applies, and an estimate of the fence cost.
Washington
Usually no. Auburn City Code 18.31.020(B)(3) requires a building permit only for a fence exceeding 84 inches in height. An ordinary residential fence sits under that: the same section caps a fence at 42 inches in the front setback and 72 inches at the side, rear and street side. A fence built on or elevated by a retaining wall is measured from the base of the wall, and the code says a permit may be required for one of those.
Usually no. Bellevue's Fences page says you do not need a permit unless your fence exceeds 8 feet in height, the fence will be located within a critical area or critical area buffer, or the fence is to be constructed out of concrete blocks or similar material. A wall is a different structure from a fence, and a permit is required for a wall taller than 48 inches.
Usually no. Bothell's Permit Exemptions handout lists fences not over six feet high among the work exempt from a permit under BMC 20.02.095.B. The handout is explicit that an exemption is not authorization to do the work in violation of the code, so the setback, sight distance and fire hydrant rules above still apply.
Usually no. Burien's permit fact sheet lists fences 6 feet or less in height among the work exempt from a permit under BMC 15.05.245. The exemption does not apply when the work is in a special flood hazard area or anywhere else in the city requiring critical area review by the zoning code.
Usually no. Federal Way's residential permit exemptions, taken from IRC Section R105.2, list fences not over 6 feet high as work exempt from a building permit. The exemption does not reach any work in a critical area, including wetlands, streams, landslide hazard and their buffers.
Usually no. The city's own Decks and Fences page, published by Community Planning and Development, says residential fences do not require a building permit unless the fence sits in a critical area or stands more than 6 feet in height. That page is explicit that work needing no permit must still meet the city's land use regulations, so the front-setback standard in the bullets above applies whether a permit is pulled or not.
Usually no. Kent's Do I Need A Permit page lists fences 7 feet high or less under Projects That Don't Need Permits, so a fence above 7 feet needs a building permit and one at or under that height does not. That page also warns that even where no permit is required the work must still follow the applicable codes, which here means the corner-lot sight triangle.
Usually no. Kirkland's Fence Requirements handout from the Planning Department opens with a special note that construction of any fence over 6 feet in height requires a building permit. A fence in the public right-of-way is separate: it needs a Right-of-way Permit and a City Hold Harmless Agreement whatever its height.
Usually no. The city's own building-permit page lists fences not over 6 feet high among the MICC 17.14.010 Section 105.2 exemptions. Those exemptions are withdrawn in an area of flood hazard or a city land use critical area, and the page is explicit that being exempt from a permit is not being exempt from the codes.
Usually no. The city's own Fences handout, DR002a, answers it in one line: fences are generally exempt from building permits if they are six feet or less in height, and fences that exceed six feet require a building permit before they are erected or modified. Six feet is also the residential height limit here, so a compliant back-yard fence normally needs no permit at all.
Only over 6'. RMC 4-4-040(C)(5)(a) requires a building permit, or a written exemption from the Building Official, for a fence taller than 6'. It states no requirement below that height and no explicit exemption either, so ask the Building Official if you are at or under 6'.
Sammamish states no baseline. Development Code 21.06.020 conditions a fence over 6' on a site plan and maintenance agreement recorded with King County and says such requests are considered when bundled with a Type I construction permit application; it says nothing about an ordinary fence at or under 6'. The Permit Center's fees, permits and applications page lists no fence permit. That is the city being silent rather than the city saying none is needed, so confirm with the Permit Center before you build.
Sammamish, WA municipal code (1)·Sammamish, WA municipal code (2)
Usually no. SDCI says you do not need a permit for a fence with a total height of 8 feet or less that does not have masonry or concrete elements over 6 feet. A taller fence needs a construction permit, and so does a fence in a flood-prone area; most fences need only a construction subject-to-field-inspection permit.
Usually no. Shoreline's Residential Fences handout says no permit is required unless the fence is over seven feet high or the fence is located in an environmentally critical area, such as near a steep slope, stream, or wetland.
Questions people actually ask
- Do I need a permit to build a fence?
- It depends entirely on the city, and the spread is wider than most people expect. Of the 67 cities whose permit rules we have read out of the city's own documents, some require a permit for every fence of any height, some only above three feet, some only above six or seven, and some require none at all for an ordinary residential fence. There is no national rule and no state rule you can rely on. Find your city below and read its own sentence.
- Where do these answers come from?
- Each one is transcribed from that city's own permit document — an ordinance, a zoning code section, or the permit guidance the building department publishes — and every city on this page links the document its answer came from. 61 of the 67 cities state a rule. The other 6 state none for an ordinary fence, and we say so rather than guessing on their behalf.
- What happens if I build a fence without a permit?
- That is a question for your building department rather than for us, and the answer varies by city the same way the requirement does. What we can say is that the cities on this page publish their rules, so the cheapest way to find out is to read your city's own document — linked beside its answer below — before you dig a post hole.
- My city is not listed. What now?
- We cover 67 cities across 13 states today, which is a small fraction of the roughly 19,500 incorporated places in the US. If yours is not here, search your city's name plus "fence permit" and look for a page on the city's own domain. The plot plan you will be asked for is the same one either way, and this tool draws it for any address.
- Does the permit question change what I have to submit?
- Rarely. Where a permit is required, the application almost always asks for a scaled, dimensioned plot plan showing the fence relative to your property lines — which is what this tool produces. Where no permit is required, the setback and height rules in your city's code still apply to the fence you build.
Permit or no permit, the drawing is the same. Here is what a fence permit site plan has to show, item by item.
Draw my site plan →Fence Plotter prepares the drawings your application asks for. It is not a law firm, it does not file anything and it does not approve anything — confirm the permit requirement, height, setback and material rules with your building department before you build.