FENCE RULES – NORTH LAUDERDALE (CITY), FLORIDA

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within the City of North Lauderdale, subject to local regulations.

The City of North Lauderdale regulates fences primarily through Section 106-184, Fences, Walls and Hedges, of the City Code. Additional rules appear in the yard encroachment section, property-maintenance standards, regulated floodway provisions, and residential overlay districts.

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 North Lauderdale Code of Ordinances, Community Development Department, Permitting Division, Planning & Zoning, Code Compliance Division, Top 10 Code Violations, and Fence / Driveway Permit checklist as of April 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The City of North Lauderdale administers residential fence rules through the Community Development Department, including building permits, Planning and Zoning review, and code compliance functions.

The principal fence regulation is Section 106-184, Fences, Walls and Hedges. That section defines fences, walls, hedges, gates, front yards, temporary construction fences, and swimming pools, and then sets the main residential fence standards for height, placement, visibility, materials, maintenance, easements, permits, pool enclosures, and certain roadway-adjacent fence conditions.

The Planning and Zoning function reviews development plans and modifications for compliance with City ordinances. The City states that plans for additions or modifications, including fences, require Planning and Zoning review and approval before the building permit application.

The Permitting Division issues building permits and schedules inspections. The Code Compliance Division handles code compliance issues, including fences installed without required permits and fences not maintained in good condition.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Building Permit: A city building permit is required for the construction of any fence or wall regulated by Section 106-184.

• Landscape Feature Exception: A fence or wall is not treated as a fence or wall, and does not require a permit, when it is less than 2 feet high as measured from finished grade and is used to define or protect a landscaped area, garden bed, or area under restoration.

• Planning and Zoning Review: The City states that plans for development or modifications, including fences, require Planning and Zoning review and approval before applying for a building permit.

• Fence / Driveway Permit Packet: The City’s fence permit checklist requires a building permit application, written contract or cost estimate, owner/builder affidavit for homeowner permits, homeowner or condominium association approval if applicable, a fence packet, and a survey showing where the fence and gates will be located, including dimensions, type, height, and length.

• Homeowner Permits: The permit checklist states that homeowner permits require a signed and notarized owner/builder affidavit and that the homeowner must have a Homestead Exemption to submit homeowner permits.

• Notice of Commencement: The checklist states that job values from $2,500 to $5,000 are recorded, and job values of $5,000.01 and over are certified for Notice of Commencement requirements.

• Other Agency Approvals: The checklist states that other agency approvals may be required, including DPEP, an engineer’s letter, an easement agreement, or other required agency approvals.

• Overlay Areas: In the Lauderdale North Park-5 Overlay Zone and Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone, fences require Community Development Department approval for height, type, design, color, and location, and must comply with the overlay standards and Section 106-184.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• Property Lines: Fences, walls, and hedges may be constructed or maintained up to the property line on residentially zoned property.

• Maintenance Access Between Fences: If a new fence is placed inside the property line and there is an existing fence on adjacent property, sufficient distance or access must be provided between the two fences to allow maintenance of the property between them without entering the adjacent property.

• Streets and Alleys: Fences, walls, and hedges may not be erected or maintained within 10 feet of the pavement edge of streets or alleys.

• Rights-of-Way: When a side or rear yard abuts a public right-of-way, hedges may reach 10 feet from finished grade only if maintained in a neat and orderly condition and not allowed to grow over the property line into the right-of-way.

• Easements: A fence or wall may be constructed within an identified and recorded easement only if the property owner obtains releases from the public agencies or utility entities with easement rights, or submits the required notarized letter acknowledging access and restoration responsibilities.

• Yard Encroachments: The yard-encroachment section states that fences, walls, and hedges are not treated as yard encroachments or obstructions, but easement restrictions still apply.

• Regulated Floodways: Fences in regulated floodways that have the potential to block floodwaters, including stockade fences and wire mesh fences, must meet the City’s floodway limitations.

• Specified Road Rights-of-Way: Residentially zoned properties adjacent to specified segments of Rock Island Road, 81st Avenue, and Southgate Boulevard, and corner lots with fences perpendicular to those listed rights-of-way, must install the required uniform fence along the applicable property boundary when applying for a fence permit.

• Seaview/Silverado Canal and Alley Locations: In the Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone, fences along canals must be constructed on the easement line leaving 5 feet of access easement for ingress and egress of unit owners in a block. Fences along alleyways must be constructed on the property line, and the owner must sign a utility easement release form.

• Gate Swing: The code defines gates but does not specify a separate gate-swing rule for standard residential fences.

• 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

• Side and Rear Yards: On residentially zoned property, fences, walls, and hedges may not exceed 6 feet in a side yard or rear yard, or along side or rear yard boundaries, unless another provision applies.

• Front Yard Fences and Walls: Fences and walls in a required front yard may not exceed 30 inches above the crown of the adjacent roadway.

• Front Yard Hedges: Hedges in a front yard may not exceed 4 feet from the crown of the adjacent roadway, except where the corner-lot visibility rule applies.

• Corner Lots: At a street-bordering corner, fences, walls, and hedges may not exceed 30 inches above the crown of the most adjacent roadway within the triangular area formed by the intersecting lot lines and a line connecting points 25 feet from the intersection.

• Different Zoning District Boundaries: Where a higher wall, fence, or hedge between activities would further the City’s stated purposes, the development review committee, Planning and Zoning Board, or governing body may recommend approval of a wall or fence up to 8 feet and a hedge up to 10 feet. This provision applies to additional buffering for areas with different zoning district designations.

• Height Measurement: Unless otherwise stated, fence height is measured from the average finished grade of the lot.

• Berms and Mounds: A fence or wall may not be placed on an earthen mound or berm unless the fence or wall height is adjusted so that it is not higher than 6 feet from the average finished grade of the lot.

• Swimming Pool Enclosures: Swimming pools must be completely enclosed by a fence, wall, permanent screen enclosure, or combination, with a height of 6 feet above the finished grade where the enclosure is erected.

• Specified Road Rights-of-Way: Required fences along the listed road rights-of-way must be 6 feet high.

• Lauderdale North Park-5 Overlay Zone: In the LNP-5 Overlay Zone, fences may not exceed 6 feet in a side or rear yard, and fence height is measured from existing property elevations.

• Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone: In the Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone, no fences may be constructed in the front yard. Side and rear yard fence types are limited to 4-foot chain link, board-on-board or shadowbox dog-eared wood at the height specified in deed restrictions but not over 6 feet, and white PVC at the height specified in deed restrictions but not over 6 feet.

• Seaview/Silverado Sight Lines: In the Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone, a fence or wall that obstructs sight lines at elevations between 2 feet and 6 feet above the roadway may not be placed or remain within the corner sight triangle or within 10 feet from the intersection of a street property line with the edge of a driveway or alley pavement.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Front Yard Openness: Front yard fencing must maintain at least 40 percent openness throughout the length of the fence, from the ground to the top of the fence.

• Front Yard Privacy Fences: Solid fencing and fence types or styles that impede visual penetration, described as privacy fences, are not permitted in any front yard.

• Front Yard Metal Fencing: Metal fencing is not permitted in a front yard, except for decorative wrought iron and metal materials fabricated to appear to be wooden material.

• Barbed Wire: Barbed wire fencing material is not permitted in or adjacent to residential districts.

• Electrified and Boobytrapped Fences: Electrified or boobytrapped fences, walls, or hedges are not permitted anywhere within the City.

• Injury-Causing Objects: Walls, fences, or hedges may not be laced with objects placed for the intended purpose of causing bodily injury or having a substantial likelihood of causing bodily injury upon contact. Hedging material with natural thorns or barbs is exempt from this provision.

• Condition and Anchoring: Fences must be constructed of materials that are not unsightly and must be firmly anchored and affixed to the land so they do not create a hazard to surrounding property.

• Maintenance: Fences must be properly maintained so they do not become unsafe or unsightly. Exterior surfaces subject to deterioration must be maintained and protected by paint or another approved protective coating.

• Finished Side of Wood Fences: The finished side of a wooden fence must face the abutting residential property. The zoning administrator may waive this requirement when the stated obstruction or nonresidential-adjacent conditions exist and the required written request and field verification are completed.

• Swimming Pool Fence Openings: Pool enclosure fences, walls, or screens may not have openings, holes, or gaps greater than 4 inches in any dimension. Doors and gates must be self-closing and self-latching so they remain closed and fastened when not in actual use.

• Specified Road Rights-of-Way: Required fences along the listed road rights-of-way must be uniform vertical board-on-board or stockade wood fences and must be painted Benjamin Moore Moorcraft Super Spec Low Lustre Latex Exterior House Paint #134, or an identical color from another company.

• Lauderdale North Park-5 Overlay Zone: In the LNP-5 Overlay Zone, fence types are limited to chain link, shadow box wood, and stockade wood. Fences must be well maintained in natural wood color or painted in a base color range that blends with the main unit; gray, white, redwood, and brown are also listed colors. Corner-lot fences must be opaque shadow box or stockade material so side yards and back yards are not visible from the street.

• Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone: In the Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone, side and rear yard fence types are limited to chain link, board-on-board or shadowbox dog-eared wood, and white PVC, subject to the stated height limits. Wood fences must be maintained in the natural state with clear polyurethane coating or the specified Gliddens color.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

• HOA or Condominium Approval: The City’s permit materials require homeowner or condominium association approval when applicable. If the applicant is within a homeowner association or management organization, a notarized letter from that entity is required to apply for a permit.

• Private Covenants: Private covenants, homeowner association rules, condominium rules, deed restrictions, and similar private agreements operate separately from City fence rules and may be more restrictive.

• Overlay Deed Restrictions: In the Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone, the City Code ties the height of certain side and rear yard fence types to current deed restrictions, while also capping those fences at 6 feet.

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 construction is reviewed through the City’s building permit process when a fence or wall is regulated by Section 106-184.

• Planning and Zoning Review: Fence plans require Planning and Zoning review and approval before applying for a building permit.

• Permit Packet Review: Survey information, fence and gate locations, dimensions, fence type, height, and length are reviewed as part of the fence permit packet.

• Visibility Review: Front-yard height, front-yard openness, corner-lot sight triangles, and Seaview/Silverado sight-line restrictions may be reviewed where they apply.

• Placement Review: Property-line placement, streets and alleys, rights-of-way, recorded easements, floodways, and special canal or alley conditions may be reviewed where they apply.

• Overlay Review: In the Lauderdale North Park-5 Overlay Zone and Seaview/Silverado Overlay Zone, fence height, type, design, color, and location require Community Development Department approval.

• Maintenance Review: The City lists fences among common code violations when they are installed without a permit or not kept in good condition, and the property-maintenance code requires fences and walls to be maintained in good repair.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within the City of North Lauderdale, 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 North Lauderdale Community Development Department and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of North Lauderdale staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.