Brunswick County, NC Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- RR/R-7500 front yard max
- 6 feet (8 feet with adjustment)
- R-6000/MR-3200 front yard max
- 4 feet
- Industrial districts max
- 8 feet, both yards
- Over 50 ft from ROW
- Treated as "other yard" standard
- Site triangle
- No fence permitted, § 6.10.3.A
- Coverage
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Brunswick County, North Carolina caps fence and wall height by zoning district and yard. In the RR and R-7500 residential districts the limit is 6 feet in the front yard and all other yards, rising to 8 feet with an administrative adjustment; fences also cannot block the required site triangle at corners.
The maximum height of a fence or wall shall be as shown in the table below, unless a higher fence or wall is required by other provisions of this Ordinance. FRONT YARD / ALL OTHER YARDS / WITH ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENT. Residential Districts: RR, R-7500: 6 / 6 / 8. R-6000, SBR-6000, MR-3200: 4 / 6 / 8. Commercial Districts: N-C: 4 / 8 / 10. C-LD, C-I: 6 / 8 / 10. Industrial Districts: All Industrial Districts: 8 / 8 / 10+. Conservation Protection (CP) District: 8 / 8 / 10. Note: Fences and walls over 50 feet from the right-of-way are subject to the "All Other Yards" standards.
Full Breakdown
1 sets a table of maximum fence and wall heights by district and yard type, higher than what's required elsewhere in the Ordinance. In the RR and R-7500 residential districts the limit is 6 feet in both the front yard and all other yards, increasing to 8 feet with an administrative adjustment; in R-6000, SBR-6000 and MR-3200 the front-yard limit drops to 4 feet while other yards stay at 6 feet, also up to 8 feet with an adjustment. Commercial N-C district fences are capped at 4 feet in front yards and 8 feet elsewhere; C-LD and C-I allow 6 feet in front yards and 8 feet elsewhere.
Industrial districts allow 8 feet in both front and other yards, and the Conservation Protection district allows 8 feet in front and other yards. A note to the table clarifies that fences and walls more than 50 feet from the right-of-way are measured against the "All Other Yards" standard rather than the front-yard limit. A lets the Planning Director approve an increase up to the administrative-adjustment maximum for fences in required yards fronting a public street. A adds that no fence or wall may impede visual locating of 911 emergency street addresses. These standards apply only in the unincorporated county and not inside Leland, Southport, Oak Island or Brunswick County's other incorporated towns.
Violations & Fines
A fence or wall that exceeds the district's height table, or that is placed inside the required clear site triangle at a corner, is a UDO violation. The Zoning Administrator can issue a correction order, followed by a $100 civil penalty for each day the violation continues uncorrected under Section 9.11.9.C, or pursue a misdemeanor charge under Section 9.11.9.D with a fine up to $500.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my fence be in Brunswick County?
Can I get a taller fence approved?
Can I put a fence at my corner lot's street intersection?
Do these height limits apply in Oak Island or Southport?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brunswick County
How Brunswick County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Brunswick County to another location·View the North Carolina fence regulations overview
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