Fence Regulations in Franklin, TN (2026)
8 verified fence regulations for Franklin, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Franklin fences are regulated by Chapter 13 (Fences, Walls, and Screening) of the City of Franklin Zoning Ordinance, administered by the Department of Planning and Sustainability. Per Section 13.1.2, the maximum fence height in a residential front yard is 3 feet (4.5 feet for board horse fencing) and the maximum in side and rear yards is 7 feet for residential uses and the OR district (8 feet for nonresidential and mixed-use districts). On a residential corner lot the side-street frontage is allowed up to 7 feet. Fences in front yards must be a maximum of 75 percent opaque.
Fence Height Limits in Franklin
Some RestrictionsPermit Requirements
Fences in the City of Franklin are reviewed by the Department of Planning and Sustainability for compliance with Chapter 13 of the Zoning Ordinance, and building permits for fences and walls are issued by Building and Neighborhood Services (615-794-7012) at 109 3rd Avenue South. Plan review checks height (Sec. 13.1.2), opacity (Sec. 13.1.4), location and sight-distance triangles, and ensures the fence does not encroach into easements. Retaining walls and fences taller than the standard residential limits require additional engineering review under the City's adopted building code.
Fence Permit Requirements in Franklin
Some RestrictionsNeighbor Fence Rules
Neither the City of Franklin Municipal Code nor the Franklin Zoning Ordinance contains a 'good-side-out' requirement, a partition-fence statute, or a mandatory cost-sharing rule. Boundary fence disputes between neighbors are private civil matters under Tennessee common law. The City regulates fence location only with respect to property lines, easements, sight-distance triangles, and the right-of-way - it does not survey property lines or adjudicate neighbor cost-sharing claims.
Neighbor Rules for Fences in Franklin
Few RestrictionsRetaining Walls
Retaining walls in Franklin are regulated under Section 13.2 of the Zoning Ordinance and under the City-adopted International Building Code and International Residential Code. For residential uses, the front-yard retaining wall height is capped at 2 feet and side/rear-yard walls are capped at 6 feet, with a limit of three retaining walls per lot. For multifamily, nonresidential, and mixed uses, a single wall is capped at 10 feet and a pair of walls at 8 feet each (16 feet total grade change). Walls must be set back from lot lines at least 5 feet or the height of the wall (whichever is greater), and walls over 4 feet generally require a permit and engineered design under the IRC/IBC.
Retaining Wall Rules in Franklin
Some RestrictionsPool Barriers
Residential pool barriers in Franklin must comply with the City-adopted International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) - the 2018 edition for plans submitted before January 1, 2026, and the 2024 edition (adopted by Ordinance 2025-37) for plans submitted on or after that date. Under ISPSC Section 305, the barrier must be at least 48 inches above grade on the side facing away from the pool, openings may not allow a 4-inch-diameter sphere to pass, gates must be self-closing, self-latching, and open outward away from the pool, and the latch must be at least 54 inches above the bottom of the gate (or located on the pool side with restricted nearby openings).
Pool Barrier (Fence) Requirements in Franklin
Heavy RestrictionsFence Requirements
Fences in the City of Franklin are governed by Chapter 13 of the Zoning Ordinance, which sets height limits in Section 13.1.2, opacity rules in 13.1.4, material standards in 13.1.6, and prohibitions on locating fences in easements, rights-of-way, or sight-distance triangles. The Department of Planning and Sustainability reviews fence applications and Building and Neighborhood Services (615-794-7012) issues permits. Inside historic overlay districts, fences additionally require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Zoning Commission.
General Fence Requirements in Franklin
Some RestrictionsMaterial Restrictions
Franklin restricts fence materials by zoning district under Section 13.1.6 of the Zoning Ordinance. Chain link fencing and chain link gates are prohibited everywhere except the LI (Light Industrial) and HI (Heavy Industrial) districts, and only when vinyl-coated dark green or black; in the LI district chain link is additionally prohibited in front yards. Wire fences and above-ground electrified fences are permitted only in the AG (Agricultural) district for the control of livestock. Nonresidential fences must include masonry columns every 50 feet on-center or less.
Fence Material Restrictions in Franklin
Heavy RestrictionsApproved Materials
Per Section 13.1.6 of the Franklin Zoning Ordinance, residential fences must be built from a combination of treated wood posts, pickets, rot-resistant wood (such as cypress or redwood), or metal, with posts or columns of wood, brick, natural stone, cultured stone, or other masonry. Vinyl/PVC is not listed among the approved residential materials. Chain link is prohibited outside the LI and HI districts (with vinyl-coating requirements where allowed) and barbed wire or electrified wire is allowed only in the AG district for livestock.
Fence Materials in Franklin
Some RestrictionsLooking for Williamson County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Franklin city rules.
Fence Regulations in Williamson County →