Miami-Dade County, FL Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Required for all walls and fences
- RU/EU-M fence or wall cap
- 6 feet maximum
- RU/EU-M hedge cap
- 7 feet (10 feet near BU/IU)
- Intersection sight triangle
- 2.5 feet maximum height
- Scope
- Unincorporated Miami-Dade (UMSA) only
Summary
In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, all walls and fences need a permit, and RU/EU-M residential yards cap fences and walls at 6 feet, with hedges capped at 7 feet.
Permits shall be required for all walls and fences, and except as may be approved as a result of public hearings, walls, fences, which obscure or obstruct vision, and hedges shall be restricted to the height, location and type as indicated hereinafter...(h)(1) In the RU and EU-M Districts, the height of any fence or wall shall not exceed 6 feet.(2) In the RU and EU-M Districts, the height of any hedge shall not exceed 7 feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
Under Section 33-11 of Chapter 33 zoning, unincorporated Miami-Dade County (UMSA) requires a permit before erecting any wall or fence. In RU and EU-M residential districts, fences and walls cannot exceed 6 feet, and hedges are capped at 7 feet, rising to 10 feet where the hedge faces a BU (business) or IU (industrial) district within a block radius. Chain-link fencing is barred ahead of the front building line except in AU, EU-1, EU-2, IU and GU agricultural-trended districts. At street intersections, fences, walls and hedges within the safe-sight-distance triangle are limited to 2.5 feet so drivers can see cross traffic. This chapter governs only unincorporated Miami-Dade, the 34 municipalities inside the county, including Miami and Miami Beach, set their own fence codes.
Violations & Fines
Building a fence or wall without the required permit, or exceeding the 6-foot fence/wall or 7-foot hedge caps in RU/EU-M districts, is a zoning violation. The county's Building and Neighborhood Compliance and code enforcement staff can issue a correction notice, stop-work order, or Chapter 8CC civil penalty for noncompliant or unpermitted fencing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in unincorporated Miami-Dade County?
How tall can my backyard fence be in a Miami-Dade RU district?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami-Dade County
How Miami-Dade County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami-Dade County to another location·View the Florida fence regulations overview
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