Palm Beach County, FL Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- No-inspection residential fence permit
- $75
- Inspected residential fence permit
- $125
- Commercial fence permit
- $100 per 500 linear feet
- Built-before-permitted penalty
- 4x standard fee
- Applies to
- unincorporated Palm Beach County only
Summary
Palm Beach County requires a construction permit for every residential fence built in unincorporated areas, with fee tiers of $75 without inspection or $125 with inspection under Code § 7-42.
L.Fences, barriers, railings, & site walls: .....1.Residential fence (no inspection) .....75.002.Residential fence w/inspection required .....125.003.Pool barrier (with plan review and inspection) .....a.On deck, new .....100.00b.In yard, new .....150.00c.Existing wall or fence as "barrier" .....75.004.Commercial fences, with inspection, per 500 L.F. or portion .....100.005.Railings on balconies .....75.00 (With inspection, or prepay per II.E.2.b, if master plan)
6.Site walls, per 500L.F. or increment .....150.00M.Fire protection systems .....75.00N.Gas or fuel tank and lines: .....1.Below 501 gal, per new tank, and/or lines only and/or remove .....100.002.Larger capacities, per tank .....150.003.Replacements (or prepay per II.E.2.b) .....100.00O.Hood, Commercial (excludes suppression system), each .....100.00P.Mobile homes: .....1.Tie-down, steps & landing .....200.002.Repair or trade permits, each .....50.003.Additions per FBC: .....On valuation, not fixedQ.Roofing: .....1.New roofs: .....On valuation, not fixed2.1 & 2 family residential: ..... Pre-approved flat roofs (less than 4 squares and under prepay per II.E.2.b) .....150.00
3.Penetrations, vents, skylights: .....a.With individual plan review .....100.00b.Under approved master plan or product approval .....75.00 (or prepay per II.E.2.b)
4.Repairs (or prepay per II.E.2.b) .....75.00 (Under 2 squares and less than $2,500.00 value)
Full Breakdown
Under the county's Construction Permit Fee Schedule (Code § 7-42, Exhibit A), unincorporated Palm Beach County treats residential fences as permitted construction: $75 covers a fence that needs no inspection, $125 covers one that does, and pool-barrier fences and walls carry their own $75-$150 tiers. Commercial fencing runs $100 per 500 linear feet. Building first and permitting later costs four times the standard fee under the county's retroactive permitting provision (Sec. 7-48). This governs unincorporated county land only. Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, and Jupiter each administer their own separate fence permitting.
Violations & Fines
Starting fence construction before the permit is issued triggers a retroactive permitting fee of four times the standard cost, billed by the building division per Sec. 7-48 and Exhibit A.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in unincorporated Palm Beach County?
What happens if I build my fence before getting a permit?
Does this fee schedule apply in Boca Raton or West Palm Beach?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Beach County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Palm Beach County to another location·View the Florida fence regulations overview
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