Montgomery, AL Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- R-125/R-100/R-85 height cap
- 35 feet
- R-125/R-100/R-85 story cap
- 2 stories
- Exempt structures
- Steeples, silos, water tanks, flagpoles
- Variance route
- Board of adjustment, Article III
- Occupancy check
- Certificate of occupancy required, Art. II Sec. 4
Summary
Montgomery caps building height at 35 feet and two stories in its Very Low Density residential zones (R-125, R-100 and R-85), under the Article VII district table that Sec. 8 of the zoning ordinance points to. Church steeples, silos, water tanks, flagpoles, and similar structures are expressly exempted from the cap.
Sec. 8. - Height. In each district each structure hereafter erected or altered shall not exceed the heights specified in the district requirements, article VII. Height limitations shall not apply to church steeples, hospitals, sanitariums, barns, silos, farm structures, chimneys, flagpoles, public utility poles, radio and television towers and aerials, cooling towers, water tanks and industrial structures when required by manufacturing process. [Art. VII, Sec. 2 table:] Maximum building height: Feet 35 35 35. Stories 2 2 2. [R-125] [R-100] [R-85].
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 8 of Article I states that no structure built or altered in any district may exceed the height specified for that district in Article VII, and it carves out a fixed list of exemptions: church steeples, hospitals, sanitariums, barns, silos, farm structures, chimneys, flagpoles, public utility poles, radio and television towers and aerials, cooling towers, water tanks, and industrial structures required by a manufacturing process. The Article VII, Sec. 2 table then supplies the numbers for the Very Low Density residential districts: R-125, R-100 and R-85 lots are all capped at 35 feet and two stories.
Business, industrial, and other residential districts carry their own separate figures in the same Article VII schedule. The administrative official reviews height compliance as part of the building permit process, and under Article II, Sec. 4 no structure may be occupied until the administrative official issues a certificate of occupancy confirming it conforms to the ordinance, including its height limit; that certificate can be suspended or revoked if the structure is later found to violate the code. Anyone wanting to exceed the cap must seek a variance from the nine-member board of adjustment under Article III, showing the special hardship criteria the ordinance requires.
Violations & Fines
Building or altering a structure above the district height limit violates the zoning ordinance and is punishable under Article II, Sec. 5 as provided in City Code § 1-6, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. The administrative official can also withhold or revoke a certificate of occupancy under Article II, Sec. 4 for a structure that exceeds the applicable height cap, which in turn automatically suspends any business license issued in reliance on that certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be built in Montgomery's R-100 district?
Are any structures exempt from Montgomery's height limit?
What happens if a house is built taller than the zoning limit allows?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery
Compare Montgomery to another location·View the Alabama building setbacks & zoning overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.