FENCE RULES – PEMBROKE PINES (CITY), FLORIDA
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Pembroke Pines, subject to local regulations.
The City of Pembroke Pines regulates residential fences, walls, and hedges through the Land Development Code, including § 155.655, Fences, Walls, and Hedges. Fence installation is also administered through the Building Department fence permit process. Where a fence serves as a swimming-pool safety barrier, the pool barrier standards in Chapter 150 also apply.
This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.
Compiled From the City of Pembroke Pines Code of Ordinances, Land Development Code, Building Department Fence Permit Checklist, Building Department FAQ materials, Planning and Economic Development Department materials, and related City permit affidavits and forms as of April 2026.
GOVERNANCE
The City of Pembroke Pines is the governing municipality for residential fence regulation inside the city.
The primary zoning source is the Land Development Code of the City of Pembroke Pines, especially § 155.655, Fences, Walls, and Hedges, which regulates the location, height, and appearance of fences, walls, and hedges in all zoning districts.
The Building Department administers fence permit intake and building-related plan review. The Planning and Economic Development Department administers zoning, landscaping, and tree-removal or relocation review functions referenced in the city’s permit materials.
The City publishes both a specific fence code section and a dedicated Fence Permit Checklist. Fence rules therefore appear in both the Land Development Code and the Building Department’s permit requirements.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Building Permit: A Building Permit is required to install a fence in the City of Pembroke Pines. The Fence Permit Checklist requires 2 sets of plans, a Broward County Uniform Building Permit Application, a site plan, and a property survey showing setbacks and fence location.
• Plan Review: Fence permits require Building and Electrical plan review, with Engineering and Zoning review when applicable. An Electrical Application is required when applicable.
• Fence Construction Documents: For PVC or metal fences, plans or drawings must be signed and sealed by a Florida licensed architect or engineer. For wood or chain-link fences not designed by an architect or engineer, installation must follow the prescribed method in the Florida Building Code, 7th Edition.
• Drainage District Release: If the project is located in the South Broward Drainage District, a permit release from SBDD is required.
• Notice of Commencement: A Notice of Commencement must be recorded, submitted, and displayed before the first inspection for a non-mechanical project with a job value over $5,000.
• HOA Affidavit: The Homeowners Association Affidavit of Awareness is required as part of the fence permit package, even when the property is not in an association.
• Landscape Affidavit: The Affidavit of Landscape Compliance for Improvements on Residential Lots is required. A separate tree removal or relocation permit is required before removing or relocating a tree.
• Zoning Compliance: Building permit requirements are separate from zoning, setback, or plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, and plat requirements with Planning and Economic Development Department before construction.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.
• Front Yard Setback: A fence, wall, or hedge must not encroach into the front yard setback, except for the corner-lot and R-MH District exceptions stated in the Land Development Code.
• Corner Residential Lots: A fence may be installed in the front yard setback of a corner residential lot where the primary entrance to the residential structure is located on the street side yard. Approval is handled by the Planning and Economic Development Department Director or designee as part of the building permit process.
• R-MH District: In the R-MH District, a fence may be installed within the front yard setback only under the district standards for height, opacity, materials, sight distance, and utility access.
• Survey and Site Plan: The Fence Permit Checklist requires a property survey showing setbacks and location and a site plan.
• Easements: The Utility Easement Hold Harmless Agreement places responsibility on the owner to contact utility companies about utility-line locations in easements. The owner must allow access and bear the cost of moving structures when easement holders need access.
• Utility Access: In the R-MH District, a fence must not obstruct sight-distance triangles, fire hydrants, water valves, water meters, sewer clean-outs, or otherwise preclude utility maintenance by the City.
• Utility Safety: Florida law requires notice through Sunshine 811 before excavation or demolition. For fence projects that involve digging, including fence post holes, notice generally must be given at least 2 full business days before excavation begins on land.
FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES
• Residential Height: A fence, wall, or hedge along or adjacent to a lot line on residentially zoned property must not exceed 6 feet in height in any yard. Height is measured from grade.
• Adjacent Nonresidential Use: Where the residential lot line is adjacent to a nonresidential use, the height limit for a fence, wall, or hedge along that lot line is 8 feet.
• R-MH Front Setback Height: In the R-MH District, a fence within the front yard setback must not exceed 36 inches, or 3 feet, in height.
• Front Setback Visibility: In any residential district, no fence, wall, or hedge may exceed 2 feet above the nearest street grade within the front setback.
• Intersection Visibility: In any residential district, no fence, wall, or hedge may exceed 2 feet above the nearest street grade within 25 feet of the intersection of any street lines or of the street lines produced.
• Line of Sight: The Land Development Code states that the line of sight must not be obstructed.
• Swale Vegetation: Ground covers, shrubs, and hedges must not exceed 2 feet in height when located within the swale.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Finished Side: The finished side of the fence must face the abutting property, adjacent property, or street when feasible. If the finished side cannot face that direction, the property owner is responsible for providing evidence, and the matter is reviewed by the Planning and Economic Development Department Director or designee as part of the building permit process.
• R-MH Front Setback Materials: In the R-MH District, a fence within the front yard setback must be constructed of decorative aluminum or wood and must be no more than 50% opaque.
• R-MH Prohibited Materials: In the R-MH District, chicken wire and any wire-type fence are not permitted for a fence within the front yard setback.
• Barbed Wire: Barbed wire and barbed wire-topped fences may not be erected, placed, or maintained on residentially zoned or residentially used property, except in R-E or A zoning districts.
• Pool Barrier Fences: When a fence serves as a swimming-pool safety barrier, wooden-type fences must be constructed to be nonscalable and impenetrable. Walls used as pool barriers must be nonscalable. Wire fences used as pool barriers must be two-inch chain-link or diamond-weave nonscalable type, or an approved equal, with top rail and heavy galvanized or rustproof material.
• Other Residential Materials: The Land Development Code does not publish a general list of permitted standard residential fence materials outside the specific R-MH, barbed-wire, pool-barrier, and permit-document rules described above.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
Private restrictions operate independently from City fence regulations. HOA covenants, deed restrictions, and private community rules may be more restrictive than the City’s requirements.
The City’s permit materials state that deed restrictions are not enforced as part of the City permitting process. The Homeowners Association Affidavit of Awareness states that issuance of a City building permit does not exempt a property from HOA regulations.
REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT
Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:
• Permit Review: Fence permit review may include the building permit application, site plan, survey showing setbacks and fence location, construction drawings, and applicable electrical, engineering, or zoning review.
• Planning Review: The Planning and Economic Development Department Director or designee reviews finished-side exceptions and qualifying corner-lot front-yard setback fence requests as part of the building permit process.
• Visibility Review: Review may include the 2-foot front setback and intersection visibility limits, the line-of-sight rule, and R-MH District sight-distance restrictions.
• Easement and Drainage Review: Review may include the Utility Easement Hold Harmless Agreement and, where applicable, a South Broward Drainage District permit release.
• Landscape and Tree Review: Review may include the residential landscape affidavit, tree removal or relocation permit requirements, and any tree replacement or additional tree requirements identified during zoning inspection.
• Complaint-Based Code Compliance: The Code Compliance Unit receives code complaints. Anonymous complaints are not investigated, and complainants must provide their name and address.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Pembroke Pines, based on publicly available materials reviewed as of April 2026.
In addition to local fence rules, certain Florida laws apply statewide. See Statewide Fence Laws in Florida.
It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with City of Pembroke Pines Building Department and Planning and Economic Development Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Pembroke Pines staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.