Fence Regulations in Arkansas (2026)
20 rules on the books across Arkansas, 8 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Height Limits
Maximum fence heights for front, side, and back yards, including privacy fences, corner-lot visibility rules, and how height is measured on slopes and retaining walls.
Benton County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Benton County, a fence up to 7 feet tall is not treated as a regulated "structure," but no fence…
Read full rule →Fayetteville
Some RestrictionsFayetteville sets no flat residential fence-height cap. Any fence 7 feet or under needs no building permit; taller…
Read full rule →Jonesboro
Some RestrictionsJonesboro caps fences at six feet unless the planning commission approves more height, and front-yard fences over 50…
Read full rule →Little Rock
Some RestrictionsLittle Rock caps fences at 4 feet in the zone between the required front setback line and the street, but allows up to…
Read full rule →Springdale
Some RestrictionsSpringdale caps front-yard fences, walls and hedges at 3 feet and rear/side-yard fences at 6 feet on residential lots…
Read full rule →Fence Permit Requirements
Whether you need a building permit to install or replace a fence, and what the permit process and fees look like.
Benton County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Benton County, a fence up to 7 feet tall isn't a "structure" under the Planning and Development…
Read full rule →Fayetteville
Some RestrictionsFayetteville requires a building permit only for fences taller than 7 feet; fences 7 feet and under are permit-exempt…
Read full rule →Jonesboro
Some RestrictionsJonesboro treats fence construction as permitted work: anyone building a new fence, or repairing more than two sections…
Read full rule →Little Rock
Some RestrictionsLittle Rock requires a building permit for fence work that trips either test in Sec. 8-31(c)(1)a, but residential…
Read full rule →Springdale
Some RestrictionsSpringdale's zoning code limits residential fences to 3 feet along front yards and 6 feet along rear or side yards; the…
Read full rule →Fort Smith
Light RestrictionsFort Smith only requires a building permit for a residential fence taller than six feet or a masonry wall taller than…
Read full rule →Neighbor Fence Rules
Rules about shared boundary fences, including who pays for construction and maintenance, and which side faces the neighbor.
Arkansas: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsArkansas Code 2-39-105 governs partition fences statewide. When a neighbor encloses adjoining land using an existing…
Read full rule →Washington County
Some RestrictionsArkansas has no shared-cost residential fence statute, so Washington County neighbors split fence expenses only by…
Read full rule →Retaining Walls
Height limits and permit requirements for retaining walls, including engineering requirements for taller walls on sloped lots.
Conway
Significant RestrictionsIn the City of Conway, Arkansas, Conway Municipal Code Section 5.32.03 caps any individual retaining wall built for…
Read full rule →Little Rock
Some RestrictionsAny retaining wall in Little Rock built four feet or taller to hold back dirt or fill must be designed, approved, and…
Read full rule →Material Restrictions
Specific materials that are prohibited for fencing, such as barbed wire, razor wire, or electric fencing in residential zones.
Arkansas: statewide
StatewideFew RestrictionsArkansas Code 14-56-204 preempts cities from dictating residential exterior cladding materials, roof materials, colors…
Read full rule →Jonesboro
Significant RestrictionsJonesboro bans barbed wire and electrified fencing on any lot smaller than two acres, and forbids fencing inside a…
Read full rule →Little Rock
Significant RestrictionsLittle Rock bans barbed, razor, and concertina wire on residential fences and bans electric fences outside heavily…
Read full rule →Fort Smith
Some RestrictionsFort Smith allows wood, metal tubing, wrought iron, stone, masonry, and chainlink residential fencing, but bans barbed…
Read full rule →Springdale
Some RestrictionsSpringdale requires residential fences to use recognized materials like chain link, wood, vinyl, or wrought iron, and…
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