Huntsville, AL Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

Article IX defines fence or fencing broadly under § 7-700 as any structure, including without limitation fences, barriers, or walls, constructed or erected of man-made or natural materials or a combination thereof, but five categories are carved out entirely by § 7-701: temporary construction fencing tied to an active building permit, agricultural or livestock fencing, fencing around public utility installations, public schools or public buildings, hedges and other plantings, and retaining walls.

The material rules in § 7-702 hit four points. Subsection (a) bans barbed wire, concertina or razor wire, or electric fencing on a residentially zoned lot or parcel of property outright. Subsection (b) requires man-made fence materials to be manufactured, designed, and intended for such purposes, bars scrap materials, doors, or other such salvaged materials, and demands a uniform and consistent style. Subsection (c) requires wood fencing to be decay-resistant or covered with paint, stain or other such substance which preserves the wood from deterioration, dilapidation or decay. Subsection (d) extends the same salvage ban and uniform-style rule to stone or rock fences and requires them to stay free of loose or missing material.

Maintenance duty falls on the owner or person in control under § 7-703, who must keep the fence vertical, self supporting, and secured against leaning or collapse. Enforcement runs through the community development division: § 7-704 lets the director or a code officer serve a notice of violation by hand, first-class mail or posting, and § 7-706 lets the recipient request an extension from the housing board of adjustments and appeals, though § 7-704(d) allows immediate correction orders with no extension where the violation threatens public health or safety.