Winter Haven, FL Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Section 21-68(a) draws the line for when a fence or wall in Winter Haven needs a permit: any wall, no matter how short, and any permanent fence taller than six feet. A fence at six feet or under generally does not need a separate permit, but it must still meet the height table, material and setback rules elsewhere in Section 21-68. The permit application itself has to include a plan showing where the wall or fence sits relative to the property lines and any easements, its height, and any other information the City decides it needs to review the request.

Because walls of any height and fences over six feet are treated as structures rather than incidental yard features, Section 21-68(a) also requires them to be designed and built to withstand the wind speed and gust loads set by the Florida State Building Code, the same statewide code Winter Haven adopts for general construction under Section 21-9. Section 21-68(f) extends the permit requirement past initial construction: repairs to any wall of any height, any fence over six feet, and all retaining walls also require a building permit, not just new installation.

Utility and power substations, water and wastewater facilities, public swimming facilities, stormwater retention ponds, public school facilities and retaining walls are listed among the uses exempt from the underlying height and material requirements of Section 21-68, though retaining walls remain subject to their own five-foot setback and repair-permit rules under Section 21-68(f) and (g).