Knoxville, TN Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front/corner limit
- 42 inches
- Side/rear yards
- No height limit
- Setback
- None required, except visibility triangle
- Applies to
- Fences and walls citywide
Summary
Knoxville caps fences and walls at 42 inches within five feet of the front building line to the front lot line and in corner side yards, but sets no height limit on fences elsewhere on the lot.
From five feet behind the front building line forward to the front lot line and in the corner side yard, privacy fences and walls are limited to 42 inches. ... Open fences do not have a limit. There is no limit on the height of privacy fences, walls, or open fences in other yards. Fences may be constructed at the boundaries of a lot without setback with the exception of the required visibility triangle.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Appendix B's site development standards cap fence and wall height at 42 inches in the zone running from five feet behind the front building line out to the front lot line, and in the corner side yard: the areas that face the street. Beyond that zone, in interior side and rear yards, there's no maximum fence height at all, for privacy fences, walls, or open fences alike. Fences can generally be built right on the property line without a setback, with one exception: the required visibility triangle at corner lots, which must stay clear for sightlines.
Violations & Fines
Zoning Code violations are enforced by the Director of Plans Review and Building Inspections; each offense is fined, and each additional day out of compliance counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a fence be in a Knoxville front yard?
Are backyard fences height-limited in Knoxville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knoxville
How Knoxville compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Knoxville to another location·View the Tennessee fence regulations overview
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