A building permit is only required for fences over six feet tall in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. Those need engineer-sealed plans. Fences six feet or under need no permit, though you may buy one; cost is $0.15/sq ft with a $100 minimum.
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Inspections Department (which serves the unincorporated county under the joint UDO) issues fence permits. Only fences taller than six feet legally require one; for those you must submit a Residential/Zoning Application plus scaled building plans showing the fence elevation and footing design, designed and stamped by an engineer. Fences six feet or under can be built without a permit, but you may purchase one if you wish. Permit fees are based on the fence's square footage.
Constructing an over-six-foot fence without a permit is a code violation subject to Inspections enforcement, including stop-work orders and mandatory after-the-fact permitting.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Home backyard composting is allowed in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. There is no ordinance requiring or banning it, but a compost pile must not become a nuis...
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Neither Winston-Salem nor Forsyth County has a specific ordinance banning or mandating artificial turf for home lawns. Its use is governed by general zoning,...
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Since 2024 Winston-Salem lets residents replace lawns with registered Natural Landscape Areas of native plants. Turf grass must stay under eight inches, area...
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Collecting rainwater is legal in North Carolina, and no county or city may prohibit cisterns or rain barrels used for irrigation. Forsyth County sets no ban....
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North Carolina has no statewide homeowner watering ban, and there is no permanent year-round schedule in Winston-Salem/Forsyth. Mandatory odd/even watering d...
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Winston-Salem defines 'rank noxious vegetation' over eight inches as a nuisance, including non-native grasses, invasive plants, poisonous plants, and untende...
See how Forsyth County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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