FENCE RULES – TROUSDALE (COUNTY), TENNESSEE

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within Trousdale County, subject to local regulations.

This page applies to properties in the unincorporated areas of Trousdale County; Hartsville may regulate fences under its own ordinances.

Fence rules for Trousdale County appear primarily in the Trousdale County Zoning Resolution, the Hartsville-Trousdale County Subdivision Regulations, Title 12 Building, Utility, Etc. Codes, Title 16 Streets and Sidewalks, Etc., local adopted-code ordinances, Tennessee State Fire Marshal residential jurisdiction materials, and Tennessee 811 utility-safety materials. The local packet also includes the Hartsville Zoning Ordinance for properties governed by Hartsville zoning.

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 Trousdale County Zoning Resolution, Hartsville-Trousdale County Subdivision Regulations, Hartsville Zoning Ordinance, Title 12 Building, Utility, Etc. Codes, Title 16 Streets and Sidewalks, Etc., Title 10 Animal Control, Ordinance #205-2020-20, Ordinance #206-2020-21, Tennessee State Fire Marshal Residential Jurisdictions & Inspectors, Tennessee State Fire Marshal residential permit materials, 2018 International Residential Code R105.2, and Tennessee 811 utility-safety materials as of July 2026.

GOVERNANCE

Trousdale County regulates zoning in unincorporated county areas through the Trousdale County Zoning Resolution. The local government materials identify the HTC Planning Office as the office overseeing zoning, land use, development planning, and growth management, and identify Building, Codes & Zoning as the local building-code and zoning administration function.

Trousdale County does not publish a single consolidated residential fence code. Fence-related rules appear across zoning, subdivision, building-code, floodplain, street and right-of-way, animal-control, and utility-safety materials.

The Tennessee State Fire Marshal residential jurisdiction list identifies Trousdale County/Hartsville as EXEMPT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement. Local adopted-code Ordinance #206-2020-21 adopts the 2018 International Residential Code with local exclusions and amendments, and Ordinance #205-2020-20 adopts the 2018 International Building Code and related codes for other building-code contexts.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Building-Code Permit Context: The State Fire Marshal residential jurisdiction list identifies Trousdale County/Hartsville as EXEMPT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement, indicating local residential building-code administration. Ordinance #206-2020-21 adopts the 2018 International Residential Code with local exclusions and amendments. The 2018 International Residential Code includes a building-permit exemption for fences not over 7 feet high. Trousdale County does not publish a separate local fence permit requirement for standard residential fences.

• 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 HTC Planning Office and Building, Codes & Zoning before construction.

• General Development Approval Context: Trousdale County publishes a Zoning Compliance Permit / Building Permit process for excavation for or construction of buildings or other structures, moving or alteration of structures, changes in use, and filling of land within floodplain areas, but the referenced published materials do not explicitly state that standard residential fences require that permit or approval. 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.

• Floodplain Development Context: The floodplain regulations require a development permit before development activities in the unincorporated area. The definition of development includes filling, grading, paving, excavating, and drilling operations. The code does not publish a fence-specific floodplain permit trigger for standard residential fences.

• Right-of-Way and Public-Place Work: Title 16 requires a permit before making an excavation in any street, alley, or public place or tunneling under any street, alley, or public place. The county access-control standards state that no curbs or shoulders on county streets or rights-of-way may be cut or altered without approval of the Trousdale County Road Superintendent; state highway work requires a permit from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

• Subdivision Plat Context: The Hartsville-Trousdale County Subdivision Regulations require a subdivider or developer to furnish and install fences wherever the Planning Commission determines that a hazardous condition exists. Those subdivision-development fences must be constructed according to Planning Commission standards and noted on the final plat as to height and required materials.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• Property-Line Placement: The zoning resolution does not state 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.

• Corner Lots and Intersection Visibility: On a corner lot in any district, within the area formed by the center line of intersecting streets and a line joining points on those center lines 75 feet from their intersection, nothing may be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow in a way that materially impedes vision between 2 1/2 feet and 10 feet above the center-line grades of the intersecting streets. The zoning resolution states that this section does not prohibit necessary retaining walls.

• Rights-of-Way and Access Control: Fence-related work must not cut or alter county street curbs, shoulders, or rights-of-way without the required county approval. State highway work is handled through the Tennessee Department of Transportation permit process where applicable.

• Gates and Public Ways: Title 16 states that no gate or door may swing open upon or over any street, alley, or sidewalk except when required by statute.

• Drainage and Public Right-of-Way: Title 16 prohibits obstruction of any drainage ditch in any public right-of-way. The floodplain regulations separately regulate development activities in mapped flood hazard areas.

• Subdivision Hazard Fences: Where the Planning Commission determines that a hazardous condition exists in a subdivision, the subdivision regulations require the subdivider or developer to install required fences, with height and materials noted on the final plat.

• 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

• Standard Residential Fence Height: The Trousdale County Zoning Resolution does not specify a maximum height for standard residential fences.

• Yard-Based Height Limits: The zoning resolution does not specify separate front-yard, side-yard, or rear-yard maximum heights for standard residential fences.

• Building-Code Exemption Is Not a Height Limit: The 2018 International Residential Code building-permit exemption for fences not over 7 feet high is a building-code permit exemption. It is not published as a county maximum fence height, and Trousdale County does not publish an affirmative local fence permit trigger for fences above that height.

• Intersection Visibility: The zoning resolution prohibits obstructions that materially impede vision within the 75-foot intersection-visibility area between 2 1/2 feet and 10 feet above the center-line grades of intersecting streets.

• Subdivision Hazard Fences: Where a subdivision-development fence is required because the Planning Commission determines that a hazardous condition exists, the final plat must note the fence height and required materials.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Standard Residential Fence Materials: The zoning resolution does not specify permitted or prohibited materials for standard residential fences.

• Finished Side and Orientation: The code does not specify a finished-side, good-side-out, or fence-orientation rule for standard residential fences.

• Special-Use and Nonresidential Screening: The zoning materials include fence, wall, screening, opaque-fence, chain-link, barbed-wire, and buffer-strip standards in special-use, subdivision-development, or nonresidential contexts such as salvage yards, campgrounds, self-service storage, buffer strips, and certain site-plan uses. Those provisions are not stated as standard single-family residential fence material rules.

• Subdivision Hazard Fences: When the Planning Commission requires a fence for a hazardous condition in a subdivision, the fence must follow the Planning Commission standards and the final plat must state the required height and materials.

• Animal Enclosures: Title 10 Animal Control requires buildings, structures, corrals, pens, or enclosures used to keep animals or fowls within the corporate limits to be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. It also requires a vicious or dangerous dog to be confined and/or otherwise securely restrained. Title 10 does not publish a general residential fence height or material standard for dog enclosures.

• Electric, Barbed-Wire, and Razor-Wire Fences: The referenced published materials do not specify a separate standard for ordinary residential electric fences, barbed-wire fences, or razor-wire fences.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

Private restrictions operate independently from Trousdale County zoning and building-code materials.

HOA covenants, subdivision restrictions, deed restrictions, private easements, architectural-review covenants, agricultural agreements, private boundary agreements, recorded plats, and conservation easements may impose fence limits that are more restrictive than county-published rules. The county materials do not state that Trousdale County enforces private fence covenants as part of its ordinary zoning or building-code process.

REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT

Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:

• Building-Code Exemption: Trousdale County/Hartsville is listed as EXEMPT for Tennessee residential building-code enforcement. Ordinance #206-2020-21 adopts the 2018 International Residential Code, which includes a building-permit exemption for fences not over 7 feet high. No affirmative local over-7 feet fence permit trigger is published in the referenced published materials.

• Zoning and General Permit Context: The zoning resolution is administered through local building and zoning officials and includes a Zoning Compliance Permit / Building Permit process for specified construction, structures, uses, and floodplain filling. The referenced published materials do not explicitly state that standard residential fences require that permit or approval.

• Intersection Visibility: Corner-lot obstructions may be reviewed where a fence, wall, hedge, planting, sign, or other obstruction materially impedes vision within the 75-foot intersection-visibility area between 2 1/2 feet and 10 feet above street center-line grades.

• Floodplain Areas: Development activities in mapped flood hazard areas are subject to the floodplain development-permit framework. The code defines development to include filling, grading, paving, excavating, and drilling operations, but it does not publish a fence-specific floodplain standard for ordinary residential fences.

• Public Ways and Drainage: Gates or doors may not swing open upon or over a street, alley, or sidewalk. Excavations in streets, alleys, or public places require the Title 16 permit process, and drainage ditches in public rights-of-way may not be obstructed.

• Subdivision Plat Conditions: Subdivision-development fences may be required where the Planning Commission determines that a hazardous condition exists, with height and materials noted on the final plat.

• Animal-Control Context: Animal-control rules may matter where a fence or enclosure is used for animals, fowls, or a vicious or dangerous dog, but those rules do not establish a general residential fence height or material standard.

• Utility Conflicts: Fence post holes and other excavation are subject to Tennessee 811 notice and positive-response requirements where the Tennessee Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act applies.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within Trousdale 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 HTC Planning Office and Building, Codes & Zoning and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from Trousdale County staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.