Davidson County, NC Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback fence height cap
- 5 feet
- Side/rear setback fence height cap
- 6 feet
- Corner visibility triangle band
- 3 to 10 feet high
- Visibility triangle distance
- 35 feet from intersection
- Governing sections
- Zoning Ordinance § IV.5(C), § IV.7
Summary
In unincorporated Davidson County, fences and walls in the required front setback cannot exceed five feet, and fences in the side or rear setback cannot exceed six feet, with a separate corner-lot visibility triangle capping obstructions between three and ten feet high near street intersections.
(C) Fences and Walls
Fences and walls within the required front setback are permitted as long as they do not exceed five (5) feet in height. Fences and walls are permitted in the required side and rear setback as long as they do not exceed six (6) feet in height. In each instance, the requirements of Section 4.07 shall govern where visibility at intersections is involved. ... On a corner lot in any residential zoning district, nothing shall be erected, placed, planted or allowed to grow in such a manner as to materially impede visibility between a height of three (3) and ten (10) feet above the center-line grade of the intersecting streets in the area bounded by the street lines of such corner lots and a line joining points along said street lines, thirty-five (35) feet from the point of the intersection of the street lines.
Full Breakdown
5(C) of the Zoning Ordinance, Fences and Walls, sets the county's height limits directly: fences and walls within the required front setback are permitted as long as they do not exceed five feet in height, and fences and walls are permitted in the required side and rear setback as long as they do not exceed six feet in height. 7, Visibility at Intersections in Residential Districts, for corner lots: nothing may be erected, placed, planted or allowed to grow so as to materially impede visibility between a height of three and ten feet above the center-line grade of the intersecting streets, inside the triangle formed by the street lines and a line connecting points 35 feet from the intersection along each street line.
That triangle rule applies specifically to corner lots in residential zoning districts, layered on top of, not instead of, the five- and six-foot fence caps. Because fences and walls are treated as accessory improvements under Article IV rather than as principal structures, they sit inside the required setback areas but must still respect both the height caps and the intersection-visibility triangle wherever the two overlap on a corner lot.
Violations & Fines
A fence built taller than five feet in a front setback, six feet in a side or rear setback, or one that blocks the corner-lot visibility triangle, is a zoning violation under Article VIII, drawing a notice of violation from the Zoning Administrator. Civil penalties under Section VIII.5 run $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second, $100 for a third and $200 for each one after that, with each day the fence stays in place counted separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a fence be in my front yard in unincorporated Davidson County?
What about a fence along the side or back of my lot?
Are there extra rules for a fence on a corner lot?
Who enforces Davidson County's fence height rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davidson County
How Davidson County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Davidson County to another location·View the North Carolina fence regulations overview
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