Tuscaloosa, AL Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

The City of Tuscaloosa regulates fence and wall height in its adopted Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 25, Article VI, Division 5), effective January 1, 2025. Section 25-149 measures height above the grade on the abutting land. In Residential districts on lots whose use is not a multifamily dwelling, a fence or wall may not exceed four feet when placed within the minimum front setback and eight feet when placed elsewhere on the lot. On Residential lots with multifamily dwellings, the limits are six feet within the minimum front setback and eight feet elsewhere. In Business districts the maximum is eight feet, and in Industrial districts ten feet. On corner lots in Residential districts, a fence or wall no more than six feet in height may be placed within the minimum setback of one of the front yards. A retaining wall may exceed these maximums if the Director of Planning determines it does not unreasonably impede visibility of street traffic and of vehicles exiting driveways. Note that the exact 'minimum front setback' depends on the lot's zoning district (for example 35 feet in SFR-E and SFR-1, 30 feet in SFR-2), so where the 4-foot cap applies is district-specific.