FENCE RULES – HUMPHREYS (COUNTY), TENNESSEE
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within Humphreys County, subject to local regulations.
This page applies to properties in the unincorporated areas of Humphreys County; incorporated municipalities such as McEwen, New Johnsonville, and Waverly may regulate fences under their own ordinances.
Humphreys County does not publish a consolidated residential fence ordinance or local fence-permit application in the referenced published materials. Local fence-related context appears primarily in the Humphreys County Planning Commission materials, the Subdivision Regulations of Humphreys County, Tennessee, the county flood-zone permit notice, Tennessee residential jurisdiction status materials, and Tennessee 811 utility-safety materials.
This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction's adopted code or ordinance materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one. If no local code or ordinance is available in the approved source packet, this page notes that the jurisdiction does not publish the relevant standard in the referenced published materials.
Compiled From the Humphreys County official website, Humphreys County Planning Commission page, Subdivision Regulations of Humphreys County, Tennessee, Humphreys County Public Notices & Meeting Calendar flood-zone permit notice, Humphreys County Executive page, Tennessee State Fire Marshal Residential Jurisdictions & Inspectors, Tennessee State Fire Marshal Residential Permits, Tennessee State Fire Marshal Residential Permit FAQs, Tennessee State Fire Marshal Currently Adopted Codes, and Tennessee 811 as of July 2026.
GOVERNANCE
Humphreys County governs relevant residential fence context through county administration, the Humphreys County Planning Commission, the Subdivision Regulations of Humphreys County, Tennessee, and the county flood-zone permit notice. The county does not publish a single consolidated residential fence code in the referenced published materials.
The Humphreys County Planning Commission administers subdivision and plat-review matters. The Subdivision Regulations apply to subdivisions in Humphreys County but exclude territory within the Waverly and New Johnsonville Planning Regions and the McEwen city limits.
Humphreys County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The county flood-zone permit notice directs property owners and professionals to verify whether a property lies within a flood zone before starting a project and to contact the Humphreys County Executive's Office to determine flood-zone status or apply for a permit.
Humphreys County is listed as OPT OUT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement. For this page, that means Humphreys County is not operating under the State Residential Building Permit framework for ordinary one- and two-family residential construction, and the referenced published materials do not identify a local residential building-code edition for standard residential fences.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Building-Code Permit Context: Humphreys County is listed as OPT OUT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement. The State Residential Building Permit framework does not apply to areas that have opted out, and Humphreys County does not publish a local building-code permit requirement for standard residential fences in the referenced published materials.
• Fence Permits: Humphreys County does not publish a local fence permit requirement for standard residential fences in unincorporated county areas.
• Flood-Zone Permit: Humphreys County's flood-zone notice states that any construction, fill, grading, or other development in proximity of a flood-zone area requires a county permit before work begins. Fence work that includes those activities in proximity of a flood-zone area falls within that published permit notice.
• Subdivision and Plat Context: The Humphreys County Planning Commission publishes subdivision plat-review procedures and fees, and the Subdivision Regulations require planning commission approval before land is subdivided within the county's subdivision-regulation jurisdiction. The referenced published materials do not explicitly state that a standard fence on an existing single-family lot requires subdivision plat approval.
• Zoning Compliance: Building-code permit exemptions, Tennessee residential building-code status, and State Residential Building Permit status are separate from zoning, setback, subdivision, floodplain, stormwater, drainage, historic, right-of-way, easement, utility, and plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, plat requirements, and site-specific limitations with Humphreys County Planning Commission and the Humphreys County Executive's Office before construction.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Property-Line Placement: The referenced published materials do not specify 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.
• County Placement Standards: Humphreys County does not publish yard-location, front-yard, side-yard, rear-yard, corner-lot, or driveway-placement standards for standard residential fences in the referenced published materials.
• Flood-Zone Areas: The county flood-zone notice requires a county permit before any construction, fill, grading, or other development in proximity of a flood-zone area. Fence projects involving those activities in proximity of a flood-zone area are subject to the county's published flood-zone permit notice.
• Subdivision and Plat Conditions: For lots being created or modified through subdivision plat approval, the Subdivision Regulations address plat approval, drainage facilities, flood-prone areas, right-of-way dedication, access easements, utility easements, and recorded private restrictions. These subdivision provisions are separate from ordinary fence placement on an already existing residential lot.
• Utility Safety: Tennessee law requires notice through Tennessee 811 before excavation where the Tennessee Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act applies. For fence projects that involve digging, including digging, drilling, augering, boring, grading, or other movement of earth, notice generally must be given at least three full working days before excavation begins. Tennessee 811 is a notification center and does not mark lines itself; member utilities or their locators mark covered facilities, and the excavator must check the positive-response status before beginning work where required. This statewide utility-notice framework is separate from local fence permitting, zoning, development approval, easement limits, right-of-way approvals, floodplain review, stormwater review, drainage review, historic or design review, HOA restrictions, and other applicable requirements.
FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES
• Height: Humphreys County does not publish a defined maximum height for standard residential fences in the referenced published materials.
• Building-Code Status: Humphreys County is listed as OPT OUT, so the state-adopted residential code is not stated as an operating county fence-height or fence-permit standard for unincorporated Humphreys County.
• Fence-Specific Visibility: The referenced published materials do not specify a fence-specific sight-triangle, clear-vision, corner-lot, driveway-visibility, alley-visibility, or intersection-visibility height standard for standard residential fences.
• Subdivision Public-Way Context: The Subdivision Regulations include public-way design and sight-distance concepts for subdivision plats, but those provisions are not published as a standard residential fence height rule for existing single-family lots.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Residential Materials: Humphreys County does not publish a defined residential fence material standard for standard single-family fences in the referenced published materials.
• Construction Details: The referenced published materials do not specify finished-side orientation, opacity, chain-link limits, wood, vinyl, masonry, gate construction, wall construction, or ordinary fence-maintenance requirements for standard residential fences.
• Barbed, Razor, Electric, and Security Fencing: Humphreys County does not publish a residential rule for barbed wire, razor wire, electric fencing, or security fencing in the referenced published materials.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
HOAs, subdivision covenants, deed restrictions, recorded plat notes, access easements, utility easements, drainage easements, private boundary agreements, agricultural agreements, and other private restrictions operate independently of county fence permitting.
The Subdivision Regulations state that they are not intended to abrogate easements, covenants, or other private agreements or restrictions. Private provisions that exceed the standards in the Subdivision Regulations are treated as private contracts beyond the jurisdiction of the planning commission.
REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT
Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:
• Tennessee Residential Status: Humphreys County is listed as OPT OUT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement.
• No Published Fence Permit: Humphreys County does not publish a local fence permit requirement, standard residential fence height limit, or standard residential fence material rule in the referenced published materials.
• Flood-Zone Development: County permit review applies to any construction, fill, grading, or other development in proximity of a flood-zone area.
• Subdivision and Plat Review: The Humphreys County Planning Commission reviews subdivision plats, drainage provisions, flood-prone subdivision areas, access easements, utility easements, and private restrictions in the subdivision context.
• Utility Safety: Tennessee 811 notice and positive-response requirements apply where fence work involves excavation or other covered earth movement.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within Humphreys County, based on the referenced published materials as of July 2026.
In addition to local fence rules, certain Tennessee laws apply statewide. See Statewide fence laws in Tennessee.
It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, zoning approvals, zoning certifications, development approvals, State Residential Building Permits, adopted building codes, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, floodplain status, stormwater requirements, drainage conditions, historic district status, design-review status, rural or agricultural context, livestock or enclosed-land context, residential building-code status, adopted-code status, opt-out status, pool-barrier use, Tennessee 811 utility safety requirements, overhead utility-line safety, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants, deed restrictions, private agreements, or conservation easements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with Humphreys County Planning Commission and the Humphreys County Executive's Office and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from Humphreys County staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.