Tuscaloosa, AL Fence Regulations: Fence Requirements (2026)

Beyond height, the Tuscaloosa Zoning Ordinance imposes several design, location, and upkeep requirements. Under Sec. 25-150(b), in Residential districts a fence located in the front setback on a lot other than a corner lot must have a minimum of 50 percent of the fence area open and unobstructed through the use of wrought iron, pickets, chain link, or other customary fencing materials. On a corner lot in a Residential district where the predominant development pattern is single-family dwellings, this open-front requirement does not apply along a frontage adjacent to a street classified as a collector or greater in the City's Major Street Plan. On sites with multifamily or student multifamily dwellings, where one side of a fence or wall has visible support framing or a less-finished surface, the finished side must face the exterior of the lot (Sec. 25-150(c)). Location standards in Sec. 25-148 require fences to stay out of the Sight Triangle and street right-of-way, keep 10 feet back from the abutting curb line, and avoid diverting drainage. Section 25-151 requires fences and walls to be maintained in good repair and in a safe and attractive condition, including replacing missing, decayed, or broken elements and repairing weathered or sagging sections and posts that lean more than 15 degrees from vertical. Certain fences are exempt from the division entirely (Sec. 25-146), including fences in the OS, IU, and IP districts, athletic-field and recreational fencing, public roadway fencing, temporary construction and tree-protection fencing, and erosion-control fencing.