Do You Need a Fence Permit in Glynn County?

The way I've seen most homeowners get caught out on fence permits is after they have the posts set. It's not complicated, but it's local. And it's something that can really hit you in the wallet if you get it wrong.

Here's how things usually go here, and here's the exact things you'll want to make sure of before anyone starts digging.

Short answer: assume yes, then verify

In unincorporated Glynn County, as well as within the City of Brunswick, they would normally like to hear about a new fence being built. They might require a full permit, zoning review, nothing at all, etc. It depends on the location of the property, the type of fence, the height, etc.

The only way to know for sure is to contact the folks that issue the permits. For unincorporated Glynn County, that's Glynn County Community Development (planning, zoning and building permits). If you're within the City of Brunswick limits, then that's who you'll be dealing with. (Jekyll Island is Jekyll Island Authority jurisdiction. They have their own process on top of whatever else is required.)

You should call or visit and ask:

1. Do I need a permit to build a residential fence at my address? Is there any zoning or setback review that needs to be done?
2. What are my height restrictions for front yard fence and rear yard fence in my zoning district?
3. What do you need from me? Site plan? Plat? Survey?

We intentionally don't list fees or form names here, etc. They are always subject to change and we would prefer that you have the current information from the source as opposed to an outdated value from a blog.

What the rules usually turn on

Height, front versus back

In virtually all jurisdictions, the front yard is treated differently than the backyard. For example, in the back and sides you can often have a six foot privacy fence. In the front yard, you're usually capped much lower, often it's 4' high, but you'll also frequently see a requirement for open style rather than solid, to ensure that line of sight at the driveways and corners is maintained.

In the case of a corner lot you'll probably get extra attention. Visibility triangles at intersections are a safety requirement, not a nice-to-have. That gets a lot of people in trouble.

Where your property line actually is

If the fence is infringing on your neighbor's land, then it's up to you to take it down. (And don't you dare go "the old fence was there".) If you don't have an up-to-date survey, that's the least expensive insurance you could take out for this mess. Sure plats are recorded but what really resolves the issue is pins in the ground and the opinion of the surveyor.

There may also be setbacks. Some areas will require a set distance (from property line or right-of-way, etc.) before you can place the fence instead of right on the property line.

Easements

This one hurts. Glynn County has a bunch of lots with drainage easement, utility easement, access easement etc running through them. If you put up a fence across one of these easements, good chance the utility will take it down legally and make you pay the bill and you're not going to get any sympathy for it. You should see it on your plat. Or ask.

Your HOA

When you buy a house in a subdivision in Brunswick or St. Simons Island, the covenants in the subdivision are often even stricter than what the county allows (what's allowed to be used, colors allowed, which side of the fence should face out, max height, sometimes you have to get an architectural review before you do anything). HOA approval is separate from a county permit. You probably have to have both. Make sure you know what your covenants are. Make sure you get the approval in writing.

Call 811 before you dig: this one is not optional

In GA it's 811. This is a free service (required by law, not just a nice courtesy) for utility locates. Call or use the web site a couple of work days in advance of your digging and they'll come out and mark where their utility lines are buried.

Fence posts can be a couple feet or more in the ground. And they're on property lines where gas, water, power and communications are typically located. Damaging them is both hazardous and costly. Your fence contractor should do the locate anyway if he's someone you want to hire. Ask.

And 811 locates for utility owned lines. Whatever your previous owner may have buried themselves (irrigation lines, septic line, landscape lighting, shed power line) is not in their maps. Let them know what you know about where those are before you start.

Marsh-front and low-lying lots

If your lot borders on tidal marsh then you've got another issue to deal with. Georgia has protections in place for coastal marshes and activities within the marsh may require both a local (and if applicable) a state permit and review. The jurisdiction boundary is not the same as the outer edge of visible grass. It's not something you "look at".

If you have lots within the mapped flood zone areas you may have an issue with structures the local "floodplain administrator" could have input on. If you have your lot's back line even close to marsh or water bring it to the attention of Community Development ASAP. It's a quick discussion to say it's not applicable or a super important one if it is.

A sensible order of operations

1. Figure out your plat or get a survey. Find your pins.
2. If you've got an HOA read your covenants. Start your architectural approval, this will usually be the slowest part.
3. Call Glynn County Community Development or your city and see what you need to do for your address.
4. File whatever they say you need to file and have it in hand.
5. Call Georgia 811 and wait for the marks.
6. Build.

If you do it in this order you're just running around doing a bunch of paperwork to get a permit. If you do it backwards it's a rebuild.

Where we fit in

We do a lot of fences in Brunswick, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and the surrounding counties. We run up against these things all the time. We'll walk the line with you and point out potential easements or setback issues. We'll get the utility locate. We'll be upfront if we think something needs to have a chat with the county before it gets a post hole.

Sometimes fence lines require some preliminary work. This could be a land clearing job to clear out a long fence line that runs through some overgrowth or grading if the ground won't allow a straight line. If you're tearing out an old fence, we can take care of fence repairs and fence replacement as well.

Check out our service area page for more info on how we work in Glynn County.

Need to get started? You can Request a free quote or call us at (912) 674-0619. We'll help you get the order of operations correct the first time.