Johns Creek, GA Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Johns Creek's official Fence/Wall Permit Requirements checklist states the city's permit triggers plainly: 'New install or replacement of fence will not require a permit for single-family residential, unless the fence is adjoining a public right-of-way, in the 75-foot stream buffer, or river corridor.' A permit IS required for fences along a right-of-way to prevent encroachment and to allow a sight-distance review. Under Section 4.11, fences erected for agricultural purposes in the AG-1 District are exempt from permit requirements. When a permit is needed, it is filed through the Customer Self-Service (CSS) portal and must include a survey showing property boundaries, existing improvements, easements, stream buffers, undisturbed buffers, landscape strips, river corridor credits, specimen trees, and the proposed fence location and length, plus a fence/wall detail showing the design and height. The published administrative fee is $75 residential and $100 commercial, with a $50 charge added to most permits. Note that a city permit is separate from the Georgia building-permit requirement that governs retaining walls (see retaining walls). Even where no city fence permit is needed, owners must still comply with the height, setback, material, and finished-side standards of Section 4.11. HOA approval, where applicable, is also separate from the city process.