Do you need a permit for a fence in Fort Worth?
It depends on the project. Fort Worth exempts some fences from a building permit and requires one for the rest1; the exemption's limit is 7 feet, with the conditions in the city's wording below.
On this page
Depends on size or scope
Fort Worth's rule“Building permits are required for solid fences with a height above 7 feet and for open fences with a height above 8 feet.”1
City of Fort Worth, Development Services Department, Fences/Retaining Walls
Which permits you need
| Permit | Required when | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Solid fence > 7 ft; open fence > 8 ft | Building permits are required for solid fences with a height above 7 feet and for open fences with a height above 8 feet.1 |
Limits and conditions in Fort Worth's rule
Each limit sits next to the sentence it comes from; the conditions in that sentence are part of the rule.
| Rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt up to this height | 7 feet | Fences not over seven( 7) feet( 1829 mm) high and open wire fences without slats up to eight 8) feet ( 2438 mm) high that are not barrier fences required under the Electrified Fence provisions of the Electrical Code.2 |
Zoning rules: separate from the building permit
A project can be exempt from one and still need the other (zoning vs building permits).
| Zoning rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum height in the front yard | 4 feet | Fences in the front yard and projected front yard can be no more than 4 feet tall and open design picket style.1 |
Who can apply
- Registered building contractor or homestead owner-occupant1
- State-licensed trades; homeowner exception2
Fence permit fees in Fort Worth
Fee lines as Fort Worth's schedule states them. A minimum or base fee is not the whole price when the line says the fee grows with project value.
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Permit Application Fee, Applicable to All Permit Types, Excluding Signs | Flat fee | 1. Permit Application Fee, Applicable to All Permit Types, Excluding Signs: 33.083 |
| 3. Technology Fee applicable to all applications/ permits | Technology surcharge | 3. Technology Fee applicable to all applications/ permits: 16.873 |
| 2. Reinspection fee | Re-inspection | 2. Reinspection fee: 66.153 |
All of Fort Worth's fee lines are on the Fort Worth permit page.
Review time
7 business days4. This is the department's published figure, not a guarantee.
Special areas and extra reviews
- Chain link prohibited in front yard1
- Historic district approval1
- Historic/design districts need extra approval5
- Projected front yard on corner lots5
Texas law that applies
Who to ask
Development Services Department6
Building permits
- Website
- fortworthtexas.gov6
- Apply online
- aca-prod.accela.com7
- Phone
- (817) 392-22228
- Address
- New City Hall, 100 Fort Worth Trail, Fort Worth 761028
- Inspections
- Online (Accela) or IVR 817-392-63709
Fence permit rules in other cities
Rules differ from city to city. Compare Fort Worth with 18 other cities on the national fence permit guide, or go straight to one:
- New York City, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- Dallas, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Philadelphia, PA
- Austin, TX
Sources
- Residential PermittingCity of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- Fort Worth Administrative Building Code, Ordinance No. 25387-03-2022City of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentAdopted March 8, 2022Checked November 7, 2026
- Ordinance No. 26-28781City of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentEffective October 1, 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Review TimeframesCity of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- Nuts & Bolts of Residential Building PermitsCity of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026
- Development ServicesCity of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- Building & Energy CodesCity of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- PermitsCity of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- InspectionsCity of Fort Worth, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026