How tall can my fence be in Durham, NC?

Up to 8' in the rear yard, 4' in front of the building line.

How much does a Durham, NC fence permit cost?

We have Durham, NC's fence ordinance on file but not a permit fee, so we do not publish an amount for it. Ask the building department what a fence permit costs before you apply.

What does a fence plot plan need to show?

Your property outline, location of the proposed fence, total linear feet, height, material, distance from any street/sidewalk, and (in most cities) the location of your house. Fence Plotter generates this automatically from a satellite image and your fence drawing.

Can I draw my plot plan myself?

Yes — most building departments accept owner-drawn plot plans as long as they're clear, dimensioned, and to scale. Fence Plotter produces a permit-ready plot plan + elevation sketch in two minutes.

Durham, NC fence permit site plan

Plan your fence on a satellite map of your Durham, NC property and get a permit-ready PDF in 2 minutes. Free, no sign-up.

If Durham's form asks for a site plan and this page says plot plan, they are the same drawing for a fence application: a to-scale overhead view of your lot with the property lines, the existing structures and the proposed fence dimensioned on it. A surveyed site plan is the one genuinely different document, and only a licensed surveyor can seal one. What a fence permit site plan has to show.

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What you'll get for Durham, NC

✓ Satellite site plan — top-down map of your property with the fence drawn on it, every side dimensioned.
✓ Fence elevation — side view showing height, panel count, and gates.
✓ Real lot lines — pulled from county GIS so your fence sits on the actual property boundary.
○ Filled Durham, NC permit form — pending. Until then you get the universal plot plan + a checklist of what to handwrite on the city's form.
✓ Durham, NC ordinance check — height limits, setbacks, and neighbor-consent rules specific to Durham, NC.

Durham, NC fence rules

Max height (rear yard): 8'
Max height (front of building line): 4'

Outside the Rural Tier a fence on a street frontage is capped at 4'; on a corner lot the side-street frontage may reach 6' starting at the front building line.
Anything between the house and the street and within 50' of the street is judged by the street-frontage cap rather than the 8' one, unless it sits behind the rear building line.
The finished side has to face off site. Where support posts show on one side only, that is the unfinished side.
Razor wire, concertina wire and barbed wire are prohibited in all residential districts and on sites adjacent to residential uses, outside the Rural Tier.
Posts, columns and any lighting or ornament on top of them are exempt from the height limit, provided no material spans between them above the cap.
Electric fences are battery-powered at 12 volts DC at most, and need a minor special use permit anywhere they sit on a street frontage.

Do you need a permit? 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. (source)

Source: https://udo.durhamnc.gov/udo/9_09_Fences%20and%20Walls.htm

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FAQ

Do I need a permit to build a fence in Durham, NC?: 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.
How tall can my fence be in Durham, NC?: Up to 8' in the rear yard, 4' in front of the building line.
How much does a Durham, NC fence permit cost?: We have Durham, NC's fence ordinance on file but not a permit fee, so we do not publish an amount for it. Ask the building department what a fence permit costs before you apply.
What does a fence plot plan need to show?: Your property outline, location of the proposed fence, total linear feet, height, material, distance from any street/sidewalk, and (in most cities) the location of your house. Fence Plotter generates this automatically from a satellite image and your fence drawing.
Can I draw my plot plan myself?: Yes — most building departments accept owner-drawn plot plans as long as they're clear, dimensioned, and to scale. Fence Plotter produces a permit-ready plot plan + elevation sketch in two minutes.

Not sure what Durham means by “site plan”? See the nine things a plan reviewer checks — the same list whatever city you are applying in.

Do I need a survey?·Free template — which kind?·Do I need a permit?·Why permits get rejected

Fence Plotter is informational only. Always confirm specific requirements with the Durham, NC building department before submitting.

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Plan a fence in Durham →

Durham, NC fence permit site plan

What you'll get for Durham, NC

Durham, NC fence rules

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