6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Wake County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
The Wake County Unified Development Ordinance does not set a maximum height for standard residential fences in the unincorporated county. Under the locally adopted NC Residential Code permit-exemption provisions, no Building Permit is required for residential fences seven (7) feet or less in height.
Wake County itself does not require a separate zoning fence permit for residential fences in the unincorporated areas. Under the NC Residential Code as locally adopted, a Building Permit is not required for standard residential fences seven (7) feet in height or lower. Fences exceeding 7 ft, or any fence in a regulated floodplain, do require a Building Permit through Wake County Inspections.
The Wake County UDO permits boundary fences to be located in any required yard, and prohibits sight-obstructing or partially obstructing walls, fences, foliage, berming, parked vehicles, or signs between 24 inches and 8 feet above curb-line elevation at street and driveway intersections. NC common-law treats a boundary fence as the joint property of both abutting landowners.
Residential pool barriers in unincorporated Wake County are governed by the NC Residential Code Appendix V (formerly AG), which requires a barrier at least 48 inches above grade around any in-ground or above-ground pool holding more than 24 inches of water. Public and semi-public pools follow 15A NCAC 18A .2528 (NC Public Swimming Pool Rules).
15A NCAC 18A .2528 (Fences for public swimming pools)
The top of the barrier shall be at least 48 inches (1219 mm) above grade measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool. The maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of the barrier shall be two inches (51 mm) measured on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool. … Openings in the barrier shall not allow passage of a four-inch-di...
Neither the Wake County Unified Development Ordinance nor the NC Residential Code restricts standard fencing materials (wood, vinyl, aluminum, wrought iron, chain link, composite) in the unincorporated county. Barbed wire and electric fencing are permitted only in agricultural or non-residential settings under the UDO, and the UDO does not require a "finished side out" treatment.
Wake County UDO does not specify residential fence material requirements in unincorporated areas. Common materials (wood, vinyl, aluminum, chain-link) are all allowed. The UDO requires the 'finished side' of any fence to face the abutting street or neighbor. Barbed wire is restricted in residential zones.
3 cities in Wake County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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