Privacy Fence Rules: Alpharetta, Johns Creek

How tall can a privacy fence be in Alpharetta and Johns Creek? Alpharetta's Unified Development Code caps fences on residential property at 6 feet, with up to 50 percent more allowed on sloped lots where an even fence line is wanted. Johns Creek's fence checklist allows up to 8 feet from grade in residential districts, with columns and ornaments up to 3 feet higher. Both cities want the finished side facing your neighbor. The street side is where the rules differ most, and your HOA may be stricter than either city, so confirm your lot with the city before you build.

Last updated: October 2026.

How tall can the fence be?

Alpharetta: the Unified Development Code caps fences at 6 feet on residential property. On sloped lots, that limit can be exceeded by up to 50 percent where the appearance of an even fence line is desired.
Johns Creek: the city's checklist, and the zoning ordinance behind it, say no more than 8 feet from grade in residential districts. Columns and ornaments may rise up to 3 feet higher.

Six feet is a common privacy height, and your HOA may set a lower limit than the city. Alpharetta's fence section does not say how height is measured on a slope or whether post caps count. If your plan is close to the limit, ask Community Development first.

Street sides, front yards, and corner lots

Alpharetta. The code prohibits privacy and chain-link fences in a front yard. The Director of Community Development, or a designee, may approve a privacy fence there on collector or arterial streets. The code defines a front yard as a yard along any public street right-of-way or private street easement, so the street side of a corner lot, or the back of a lot that faces a road, may count. Ask the city how it reads your lot before you plan the layout.

The ban covers privacy fences, which the code defines as sight-obscuring: opaque, or a complete visual barrier. A fence with gaps as wide as its boards does not count as sight-obscuring, so an open style may be treated differently. Ask how the city would classify your design. A privacy fence along any right-of-way is allowed only with the required landscape strip and landscape material.

Alpharetta also keeps sight lines clear. No fence, wall, shrub or hedge over 3 feet tall may sit within 20 feet of an intersection of two or more streets, or within 10 feet of the edge of a driveway leading to a street. On a corner lot, a 6-foot fence has to stay back from the corner. Ask the city where it measures from.

Johns Creek. We did not find a rule against a solid wood fence along a street in the checklist or the ordinance section. The city does require a 3-foot setback from a public right-of-way, with a 3-foot landscape strip. Wire and plastic fencing, including chain-link with plastic or wooden inserts, cannot be used next to a street in most zoning districts. Fences also may not block the minimum sight distance set in other city regulations, so ask for those distances near a corner or driveway. The checklist says no part of a gate may sit within 20 feet of a public right-of-way, but the ordinance text says “automobile gate,” so ask how it applies to a walk gate. Neighborhood zoning conditions can add rules of their own.

If a solid fence is not an option on your street side, aluminum fencing can still mark the boundary. Ask the city whether it fits your lot.

Finished side out

Both cities want the finished side to face your neighbor. Alpharetta's code says fencing is built with the finished side facing away from the owner's property. Johns Creek says a fence along a property line has its finished side toward the neighboring property.

On a standard wood fence, the boards are fastened to the outside of the rails. The board side is the finished side. It faces your neighbor, and the rails face your yard. Board-on-board overlaps its boards, so gaps do not open as the wood dries. It uses more boards, so it costs more. Shadowbox looks the same from both sides too. Either one makes a finished-side rule easy to meet. A quick word with your neighbor first is always worth it.

Permits, setbacks, and approvals

Alpharetta: a construction permit is not required for a fence built to the code's standards, so the standards are the real test. A fence outside them, such as a taller one, is a conversation to have with the city first. Fences must sit at least 5 feet from required landscape strips and buffers unless approved otherwise at a public hearing. Along a public multi-use trail, a fence must be set back 10 feet, cannot be opaque, and cannot exceed 5 feet.
Johns Creek: the city's own pages do not agree. Its Planning and Zoning FAQ says a permit is required to erect or replace a fence. The fence checklist, revised August 2025, says a single-family fence needs none unless it adjoins a public right-of-way, sits in the 75-foot stream buffer, or is in the river corridor. A fence amendment was also on the Planning Commission's March 2026 agenda, and we could not confirm its final status. Plan on a permit unless the city tells you otherwise. Our Johns Creek page lists the other steps.
Johns Creek applications go through the city's online self-service portal and need a survey showing property lines, easements, buffers, and the proposed fence. Near a stream, large trees, or the Chattahoochee River, the checklist adds steps, including a pre-construction meeting with the city's site inspector.
Both: HOA approval is separate from the city. We handle the HOA approval paperwork, and approval is always the HOA's or the city's decision.

A fence around a pool has its own rules; see our pool fence page. City rules can change, so call Community Development before you order. Johns Creek lists 678-512-3200. We verify property lines and call in the Georgia 811 utility locate, a free service, before digging. We are locally and family owned and fully insured, with a 7-year workmanship warranty on every install. Fencing in Cumming or elsewhere in Forsyth County? Start with our HOA fence rules guide.

Pine or cedar, cap and trim

Pressure-treated pine is the lower-cost wood. Let it dry, then seal or stain it.
Cedar resists rot and insects better on its own and costs more. Our cedar vs. pine guide goes deeper.
The code: Alpharetta accepts wood that is naturally durable or pressure treated, and it prohibits plywood and sheet goods. Cedar is a naturally durable wood and treated pine is pressure treated, so both should fit. Ask the city if you want another wood.
Cap and trim shed water off the board tops and give a finished look. They add height, so count them if you are near a limit.
Color: Alpharetta rules out bright or primary colors and anything visually distracting. Johns Creek's checklist has the same bright-or-primary-color wording in its pool fence list. Natural wood tones are the safe choice.

Building on a slope

A racked fence follows the grade, so the top rises and falls with the yard. A stepped fence keeps each panel level and drops in steps, which leaves a gap under the low end of each panel. For a privacy fence, ask how that gap will be handled. Our racked vs. stepped guide has more.

Alpharetta's 50 percent allowance is tied to wanting an even fence line on a sloped lot. It is not a blanket exception, so confirm with the city first. Johns Creek measures height from grade, so ask how that works where the ground changes along the run. We look at the slope at your walkthrough and recommend racked or stepped within what your city and HOA allow.

Common questions

Can I build a solid privacy fence along the street in Alpharetta?

Not in a front yard, with one exception. The code prohibits privacy and chain-link fences there, though the Director of Community Development, or a designee, may approve a privacy fence on collector or arterial streets. The code calls any yard along a street right-of-way a front yard, so a corner lot's street side may count. Ask the city how your lot is treated before you plan the layout.

Do I need a permit for a privacy fence in Alpharetta?

The Unified Development Code says a construction permit is not required for a fence built to its standards, though signs on a fence need a sign permit. If your design falls outside the standards, talk to the city first. HOA approval is a separate step.

Do I need a permit for a privacy fence in Johns Creek?

The city's pages differ. Its Planning and Zoning FAQ says a permit is required for a new or replacement fence. Its fence checklist says a single-family fence needs none unless it adjoins a public right-of-way, sits in the 75-foot stream buffer, or is in the river corridor. Call Community Development at 678-512-3200 before you build, and plan on a permit unless they tell you otherwise.

Can I build an 8-foot privacy fence in Johns Creek?

The city's checklist allows up to 8 feet from grade in residential districts, with columns and ornaments up to 3 feet higher. Your HOA may set a lower limit, and a fence next to a public right-of-way needs a permit and a 3-foot setback. Confirm with the city before you build.

Which side of the fence faces my neighbor?

The finished side. Alpharetta and Johns Creek both call for it to face the neighboring property. On a standard wood fence, the board side faces out and the rails face your yard.

Do cedar and pressure-treated pine meet Alpharetta's rules?

Both should. The code accepts wood that is naturally durable or pressure treated, and it prohibits plywood and sheet goods. Cedar is naturally durable and treated pine is pressure treated. The choice between them comes down to budget, upkeep, and what your HOA allows.

Privacy Fences in Alpharetta and Johns Creek, GA