Mount Pleasant, SC Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit-exempt height
- 7 feet or less
- Always needs permit
- Brick, stone, or concrete fences
- Always needs permit
- Corner lots along a street right-of-way
- Standing rule
- Finished side must face outward, § 156.448(A)
- Corner lots
- Must preserve intersection sight distance, § 156.448(B)
- General penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days, § 10.99
Summary
The Town of Mount Pleasant does not set a blanket maximum fence height; instead, Mount Pleasant Code of Ordinances § 156.1171(C) exempts fences seven feet tall or less from needing a zoning permit, unless the fence is built of brick, stone, or concrete or sits on a corner lot along a street right-of-way, where a permit is always required.
§ 156.1171 APPLICABILITY. ... (C) This part does not apply to the construction of fences seven feet in height or less, unless they are: (1) Constructed of brick, stone, or concrete; or (2) Located on a corner lot along one or more lot lines adjacent to a street right-of-way.
Full Breakdown
1171(C): construction of a fence seven feet in height or less does not require a zoning permit from the PLAN Department unless the fence is constructed of brick, stone, or concrete, or is located on a corner lot along one or more lot lines adjacent to a street right-of-way, in which case a permit is required regardless of height. 048(A)(12) barring landscaping, signs, or other objects from blocking needed sight distance at an intersection. A zoning permit application for a taller or corner-lot fence is filed with the PLAN Department and reviewed by the Zoning Administrator under Part 7 of the Zoning Code, and generally requires a site plan showing the fence's location relative to setbacks and easements.
1171(C) functions as the town's practical height ceiling below which no plan review occurs; fences above seven feet, or any height on the listed corner-lot and masonry cases, must clear PLAN Department review before installation.
Violations & Fines
A fence built without a required permit, over seven feet, of masonry construction, or on a flagged corner lot, is a zoning code violation. Absent a more specific penalty printed in the Zoning Code, it is punishable under the town's general penalty, Mount Pleasant Code of Ordinances § 10.99: a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment of up to 30 days, with each day the unpermitted fence remains a separate offense, and the condition may also be treated as an abatable public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can I build a fence in Mount Pleasant without a permit?
Why would a short fence still need a permit?
Are there separate front, side, and rear yard fence height limits in Mount Pleasant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
How Mount Pleasant compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Mount Pleasant to another location·View the South Carolina fence regulations overview
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Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Charleston County handle height limits.