Fence Regulations in Durham, NC (2026)
4 verified fence regulations for Durham, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Durham's Unified Development Ordinance caps street-facing fences and walls at 4 feet in most zoning tiers (8 feet in the Rural Tier), 6 feet on a corner lot's side-street frontage, and 8 feet elsewhere on the lot, with taller electric fencing requiring a special permit.
Durham Fence and Wall Height Limits
Some RestrictionsDurham UDO Sec. 9.9.1(A), (E)
9.9.1. Height The maximum height of a fence or wall shall be as shown in the table below, unless: A higher fence or wall is allowed by other provisions of this Ordinance; or The fence is associated with a recreational facility, such as a tennis court; or The fence is associated with an electrical substation... Fences or walls located between the structure and the public or private street, and l...
Fence Permit Requirements
Durham's UDO exempts fences from the standard site plan review and permitting process entirely, unless the fence needs a Certificate of Appropriateness or a special use permit: such as an electric fence within street frontage.
Durham Fence Permit Overview
Few RestrictionsDurham UDO Sec. 3.7.2
3.7.2. Applicability All proposed development or changes of use, except as indicated below, shall be subject to the site plan review process... The following are exempt from site plan review: ... Development that does not require review by any City or County department for conformance with the standards of this Ordinance; or does not require a permit such as but not limited to fences or flagpol...
Retaining Walls
Durham allows retaining walls inside required yards, but a wall supporting an 8-foot-or-greater grade change next to a project boundary buffer must also sit back 10 feet from that buffer; Design districts add a terracing rule for tall walls near the street.
Durham Retaining Wall Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsDurham UDO Sec. 9.9.4, Sec. 9.9.5
9.9.4. Retaining walls Retaining walls can be located within required yards. Retaining walls built to support a grade eight feet or more higher than the grade at the interior edge of the project boundary buffer shall also be set back 10 feet from the buffer. 9.9.5. Design district additional standards ... Retaining walls over four feet high shall be terraced when located along the street fronta...
Material Restrictions
Durham's UDO bans razor wire, concertina wire, barbed wire, and similar fencing in every residential district and on any site adjacent to residential use, plus the SRP-C, Design, and CI districts: with a narrow carve-out for barbed wire tied to a utility.
Durham Barbed and Razor Wire Fence Ban
Significant RestrictionsDurham UDO Sec. 9.9.2(B)
9.9.2. Fences B. Razor wire, concertina wire, barbed wire, and similar fencing materials shall be prohibited as follows: In all residential districts and in sites adjacent to residential uses, except in the Rural Tier; and In the SRP-C District (County Only), all Design districts and the CI District. Exception: Barbed wire is allowed where associated with a major or minor utility.
Looking for Durham County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Durham city rules.
Fence Regulations in Durham County →