Leon County, FL Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Clear sight-line band
- 3 to 10 feet above street grade
- Where it applies
- Corner sight triangle at street intersections
- Retaining walls
- Always allowed
- Trees
- Allowed if foliage trimmed within the band
- Lamp/street-sign posts
- Exempt from the rule
Summary
At intersecting streets in unincorporated Leon County, nothing between three and ten feet above street grade may block the sight line across the corner. Fences and walls inside that sight triangle must stay under three feet or be built with an open design, while retaining walls, trimmed trees, lamp posts, and street signs are all allowed.
In order to minimize accidents caused by obstruction to vision at street intersections, the following regulations shall apply:(1)Within the area formed by the rights-of-way lines of intersecting streets, a straight line connecting points on such rights-of-way lines at a distance of the required setback for the zoning district from their point of intersection, such connecting line extending beyond the points to the edge of pavement, there shall be a clear space with no obstruction to vision between the height of three feet and a height of ten feet above the average grade of each street as measured at the centerline thereof.(2)The requirements of this section shall not be deemed to prohibit any necessary retaining wall.(3)Trees shall be permitted in the clear space, provided that foliage is cut away within the prescribed heights.(4)Lamp posts and street name sign posts shall be permitted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
" It draws the sight triangle as a straight line connecting two points on the intersecting rights-of-way, each point set back from the corner by the zoning district's required setback distance, with the triangle extending out to the edge of pavement. Within that triangle, the code requires "a clear space with no obstruction to vision between the height of three feet and a height of ten feet above the average grade of each street as measured at the centerline thereof," meaning a solid fence or wall in that band, whatever its height, cannot block the driver's or pedestrian's sightline through that three-to-ten-foot zone.
The section carves out three specific exceptions: retaining walls are never prohibited by this rule regardless of height; trees are allowed in the clear space as long as their foliage is kept trimmed above and below the three-to-ten-foot band; and lamp posts and street name sign posts are permitted outright. The rule applies at every corner formed by intersecting street rights-of-way in the unincorporated county, not just at signalized or high-traffic intersections.
Violations & Fines
The section does not attach a dollar fine of its own; a fence, wall, or unmaintained hedge that blocks the three-to-ten-foot sight band at a corner is treated as a site design deficiency that must be corrected, whether caught during site plan review for new construction or through a complaint-driven code enforcement inspection of an existing corner lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the corner sight triangle measured on my lot?
Can I keep a tree at a corner lot where I also have a fence?
Does this section set a general height limit for backyard fences?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Leon County
How Leon County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Leon County to another location·View the Florida fence regulations overview
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