Arlington, TX Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDC Sec. 5.3.4.A.1
- Reviewed with
- Each fence permit application
- Exempt overlays
- EDO, VG, DT-FBZD, CDO, PD districts
- Term "fence" covers
- Any enclosure, barrier, or boundary structure
- Max fine
- $2,000 per offense per day
Summary
Arlington reviews every fence permit application against UDC Sec. 5.3.4.A.1, Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Fencing, revised by Ordinance No. 26-019. The standards apply in all zoning districts except Planned Development districts with their own fence design rules, the Entertainment District and Village on the Green at Tierra Verde overlays, the Downtown Form-Based Zoning District, and Conservation District overlays that carry their own fence design standards.
1. Applicability
a. These standards are applicable in all zoning districts, except the following: Planned Development districts that have specific fence design standards, Entertainment District (EDO) overlay district, Village on the Green at Tierra Verde (VG) district, Downtown Form-Based zoning District (DT-FBZD) that have specific fence design standards, and Conservation District (CDO) overlay districts that have specific fence design standards.
c. Compliance with the requirements listed below shall be reviewed with each fence permit application.
d. For the purposes of this section, the term "fence" is used to mean "a structure serving as an enclosure, a barrier, or a boundary."
Full Breakdown
UDC Sec. c states plainly that "compliance with the requirements listed below shall be reviewed with each fence permit application," confirming a fence permit is required and that City staff check the application against the Sec. 4 standards before it is approved. b separately notes that Sec. 2, Residential Fencing Types, applies to both replacement and new residential fences. d defines the term the whole section regulates: 'For the purposes of this section, the term "fence" is used to mean a structure serving as an enclosure, a barrier, or a boundary,' a definition broad enough to reach retaining walls and screening walls built along a property line, not just traditional picket or privacy fencing.
Violations & Fines
Fences reviewed and permitted outside the Sec. 5.3.4 standards, or built without the required fence permit, are a Unified Development Code violation. Ordinance No. 26-019's general penalty clause makes any violation of its provisions a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 per offense, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Arlington?
Which properties are exempt from the standard citywide fence rules?
Does the fence rule cover retaining walls?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Arlington to another location·View the Texas fence regulations overview
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Fence Permit Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Tarrant County handle fence permit requirements.