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Kissimmee, FL Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Permit
Required for any fence or wall
Side/rear yard height
6 ft (10 ft with approval)
Front yard height
3 ft (6 ft if open/decorative)
Chain link
Barred from front yards except schools
Barbed wire/electric
AC district agricultural use only
Sight triangle
Fences barred at intersections

Summary

Kissimmee requires a building permit to erect any fence or wall anywhere in the city, per Land Development Code § 14-6-5.A. Height caps follow: six feet in side and rear yards, three feet in front yards (six feet for a mostly-open decorative fence), and the director can approve taller fences case by case for unique topography or outdoor-storage screening.

A.Permit. A building permit is required to erect any fence or wall within the city limits.B.Side and rear yard fences and walls...2.Maximum height of six feet except that the director may approve a fence or wall up to ten feet in height if either dictated by unique topographic conditions or required to screen an outdoor storage area of unique characteristics.C.Front yard fences and walls.1.Maximum height of three feet unless it is a retaining wall or a decorative open fence (no more than 15 percent opaque) up to six feet in height;2.The director may approve a solid fence or wall up to six feet in height if dictated by unique topographic conditions, required to screen an outdoor storage area of unique characteristics, or required for buffering purposes as a condition of a development permit....D.Fence and wall materials...5.Barbed wire and electric fences are allowed for agricultural uses in the AC district, but not in the front or street side yards. They are prohibited in all other zoning districts.E.Traffic visibility at intersections. Fences shall not be allowed within the sight visibility triangle (see section 14-7-2).

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).

Full Breakdown

" The height limits that permit is measured against depend on where the fence sits. B caps fences at six feet, though the fence's finished side must face away from the neighboring property, and the director may approve up to ten feet if unique topography or an unusually large outdoor storage area calls for it. C: the base limit is three feet, rising to six feet only for a retaining wall or a "decorative open fence" that is no more than 15 percent opaque; a solid front-yard fence up to six feet needs the director's sign-off for topography, screening, or buffering tied to a development permit.

Properties inside the downtown form-based code area follow chapter 14-5 instead. D: aluminum, treated wood, vinyl, ornamental iron, chain link, concrete, brick and stone are allowed, but chain link is barred from front yards (except at public schools) and, where it is permitted, must be coated in green or black vinyl with no slats woven in for screening. Barbed wire and electric fencing are allowed only for agricultural use in the AC district, and never in a front or street-side yard; every other zoning district bans them outright. E bars any fence from blocking the sight visibility triangle at intersections described in section 14-7-2.

Violations & Fines

Fences erected without the required permit, or built above these height limits, are Land Development Code violations. Disputes over a director's ruling go to the board of adjustment under § 14-3-2.A, which "hears and decides appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the director in the enforcement of the Land Development Code," and uncorrected violations move to the code enforcement special magistrate under § 14-3-5.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to replace an existing fence in Kissimmee?
Yes. Section 14-6-5.A requires a building permit "to erect any fence or wall within the city limits," and that language covers replacements as well as new fences since a torn-out fence has to be re-erected. Skipping the permit exposes the fence to removal or a compliance order through the city's code enforcement process.
How tall can my backyard fence be in Kissimmee?
Six feet under § 14-6-5.B.2, measured for side and rear yards, with the fence's finished side required to face away from the neighboring lot. The director can approve up to ten feet only where unique topography or an unusually large outdoor storage area justifies the extra height.
Can I put up a chain link fence in my front yard?
No, not unless the property is a public school. Section 14-6-5.D.2 bars chain link fencing from front yards citywide, and where chain link is permitted elsewhere on the lot it must be coated green or black vinyl with no added slats, per D.3 and D.4.
Are barbed wire fences legal in Kissimmee?
Only for agricultural uses in the AC zoning district, and even there they cannot face the front or street-side yard. Section 14-6-5.D.5 prohibits barbed wire and electric fencing in every other zoning district in the city, so a residential lot outside AC cannot install either.

Sources & Official References

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