Granville County, NC Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Granville County Code § 32-162(2) permits fences and walls as accessory structures on residential lots, subject to the standards in that subsection. Clause b sets the general rule: fences may not exceed eight feet in height unless another section of Chapter 32 specifically requires or authorizes a taller fence, such as the ten-foot industrial or commercial fencing standard under § 32-163(3) for hazardous uses. The eight-foot cap sits within the same accessory-use standards that govern accessory buildings generally (§ 32-162(1)), which cap detached structures like garages and sheds at 35 feet and require a ten-foot setback from lot lines, so a fence taller than eight feet without another chapter's authorization is out of compliance even where an accessory building on the same lot could be built taller.

Development Services' code enforcement staff review fence height as part of routine zoning compliance and building permit review, and any fence exceeding the limit without a documented exception elsewhere in the Land Development Code is subject to correction. The standard applies across the AR-80, AR-40, R-25 and other residential districts alike, since Division 3's individual use standards apply to accessory uses in all districts under § 32-161.