# Fence Installation in Cumming and South Forsyth County > Fences in Cumming and Forsyth County, GA: permits only over 6 feet, 48-inch front yards, site plans, easement permission letters and typical prices. URL: https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/service-areas/cumming/ Service area Fences in Cumming and Forsyth County, GA: permits only over 6 feet, 48-inch front yards, site plans, easement permission letters and typical prices. Call (678) 509-2926 Last Updated: November 5, 2026 ## What changes a fence plan in Cumming ### A 6-foot privacy fence Code summaries say Forsyth County needs a building permit only for fences and walls over 6 feet, so a standard 6-foot fence in unincorporated Forsyth usually needs none (confirm with the county). ### A front-yard fence Front-yard fences and freestanding walls are limited to 48 inches; side and rear setbacks allow up to 8 feet (confirm with the county). ### A drainage easement along the back line Forsyth County engineering guidance says a fence in a drainage easement needs written permission from the easement owner, often the HOA or developer, rather than a county permit. ### An address inside the City of Cumming Addresses inside Cumming's city limits follow the city's own rules, which can differ from the county's. Confirm which jurisdiction your lot is in first. ## Fence services in Cumming Service Fence installation New fences planned around the Johns Creek permit, your HOA's rules and the clay and rock under the yard, with posts set for the ground that is actually there. Service Privacy fences 6 and 8 foot privacy fences in wood, vinyl and composite, built for the wind a solid fence catches and the rules your HOA sets. Service Wood fences Pressure-treated pine and cedar fences in board-on-board, shadowbox, stockade and picket styles, with posts set to last in north Fulton clay. Service Aluminum fences Black aluminum and ornamental steel fences for street-facing yards, pools and views, racked to follow the slope. Service Chain link fences Galvanized and black vinyl-coated chain link for pets, property lines and dog runs, placed where Johns Creek allows it. Service Pool fences Pool barriers planned with the pool permit, with gates that close and latch on their own every time. Before a fence goes up around Cumming, it is worth finding out who governs the lot: most homes with a Cumming mailing address sit in unincorporated Forsyth County, not inside the city. [Upright Johns Creek Fencing](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/) installs fences across Cumming and south Forsyth, just north of the Johns Creek county line, through licensed and insured fencing contractors. Unincorporated Forsyth follows the county’s Unified Development Code. Addresses inside the City of Cumming’s limits follow the city’s own rules. The county rules described here come from the county’s published permit packet and code as summarized in public listings, because the county’s documents could not be opened directly, so confirm them with Forsyth County before you build. ## When the county requires a permit Summaries of the county code say building permits are required for fences and walls over 6 feet in height. A standard 6-foot privacy fence in unincorporated Forsyth therefore usually needs no county permit, which is different from [Johns Creek](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/johns-creek-fence-permit/), where every new and replacement fence needs one. Taller fences and walls go through the county’s residential fence and retaining wall permit, which asks for a site plan showing where structures, fences and walls sit on the property. The county is also clear about responsibility: the owner or permit holder has the sole responsibility for complying with setbacks and for not encroaching on easements and buffers. A permit, or the lack of one, does not confirm that a fence is in the right place. ## Heights: front, side and rear Code summaries put front-yard fences and freestanding walls at a maximum of 48 inches, and allow fences up to 8 feet in required side or rear setbacks. Retaining walls over 6 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, need a permit and must be engineered. A typical south Forsyth backyard therefore gets a 6-foot privacy fence along the side and rear lines and either no fence or a low open fence in front. ## Drainage easements and HOA permission Many south Forsyth subdivisions have drainage easements along rear lot lines, where swales carry runoff between houses. Forsyth County engineering guidance addresses fences in those easements directly: written permission from the owner of the easement, such as the homeowners association or developer, must be submitted, and no county permit is required for that. The easement holder can still need access to the swale or pipe later, and a fence across a swale needs an opening or raised bottom so water keeps moving. The [easement guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/fence-on-an-easement/) explains the risks. Because the HOA is often the easement owner as well as the architectural reviewer, its approval covers two questions in south Forsyth: whether the style is allowed and whether the fence can sit in the easement. The [HOA approval guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/hoa-fence-approval/) covers what committees usually want. ## Lines, plats and surveys With the county leaving setback and easement compliance to the owner, the line matters. The recorded plat shows lot dimensions and easements; it does not mark the corners on the ground. Where the fence will sit close to the line or along an easement edge, a surveyor locates the pins first. The [survey guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/survey-before-building-a-fence/) explains when that is worth it. ## Lake Lanier, creeks and slopes North and west of Cumming, properties near Lake Lanier and its coves have their own constraints, including the shoreline managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; fences near the lake should be checked with the agencies involved before planning. South Forsyth is crossed by Big Creek and other streams, and many backyards fall toward a creek buffer or wooded common area. Fences are racked or stepped to follow the grade, and stepped panels on steep yards leave gaps that need closing for dogs. On the clay subsoils common across the Piedmont, posts get drainage under each footing. ## How a south Forsyth job is sequenced Jurisdiction comes first: a few minutes with the county’s parcel lookup settles whether the lot is in the city or the county. From there, the plan follows the county’s heights, with the drawing doubling as the HOA submittal and, where a drainage easement is involved, the request for the easement owner’s written permission. Taller fences and walls go to the county for a permit. Utility locates are requested through Georgia 811 three business days before auger work, and installation runs posts first, infill second, gates last. ## Choosing a fence for south Forsyth [Wood privacy fences](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/privacy-fence-installation/) are the most common on rear lines, usually 6 feet, which also keeps them under the county’s permit threshold. [Aluminum](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/aluminum-fence-installation/) is common around pools and where an open look is wanted, and black vinyl-coated [chain link](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/chain-link-fence-installation/) works for dogs where HOAs allow it. Pool barriers follow the state pool and spa code with the pool’s permit; see the [pool fence page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/pool-fence-installation/). ## Neighbors and shared lines South Forsyth subdivisions often have fences on several sides of a lot, each shared with a different neighbor, and some lots already have a neighbor’s fence along one side. Before a new fence goes up, it helps to agree where it will sit, which side will face each neighbor and whether an existing fence will be removed or tied into. The [finished side guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/which-side-of-fence-faces-out/) covers which face goes outward. ## Budgeting in Cumming and south Forsyth Most south Forsyth fences are 6-foot wood privacy, which runs roughly $20 to $30 per installed foot in the Atlanta market. Vinyl usually lands between $20 and $40, aluminum between $25 and $50 and chain link between $8 and $24. At 6 feet or under, unincorporated Forsyth usually charges no county permit fee. Larger lots mean longer runs, which lower the cost per foot, while creek slopes and easement crossings raise it. The [fence cost guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/fence-installation-cost/) breaks down an estimate line by line. ## Fences on larger south Forsyth lots Some south Forsyth properties are larger than typical subdivision lots, with wooded acreage, outbuildings or room for animals. Long runs there are planned around tree lines and slopes, with gates placed where mowers and trailers need to pass. Where the goal is keeping animals in rather than screening, woven wire or rail fencing may suit better than privacy boards; the [farm fencing page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/farm-fencing/) covers those options. Planning a fence in Cumming? Send the address and the rough length; the rules for that lot come first. Call (678) 509-2926 ## Fence questions in Cumming ### Do I need a permit for a fence in Forsyth County? Summaries of the Forsyth County Unified Development Code say building permits are required for fences and walls over 6 feet, so most 6-foot fences in unincorporated Forsyth need none. The county still holds owners responsible for setbacks and easements. Confirm with the county for your project. ### Can I put a fence in a drainage easement in Forsyth County? Forsyth County engineering guidance says written permission from the easement owner, such as the HOA or developer, must be submitted, and no county permit is required for that. The easement holder can still need access later. ### How tall can a front-yard fence be in Forsyth County? Code summaries say fences and freestanding walls up to 48 inches are allowed in front yards, and fences up to 8 feet in required side or rear setbacks. Confirm with the county for your lot. ### How much does a fence cost in Cumming? Typical Atlanta-area ranges apply: about $20 to $30 per foot installed for a 6-foot wood privacy fence, $25 to $50 for aluminum and $8 to $24 for chain link. A 6-foot fence in unincorporated Forsyth usually has no county permit fee (confirm). ### Does the City of Cumming follow Forsyth County's fence rules? Not necessarily. Properties inside Cumming's city limits are under the city, which sets its own rules and permits. Many addresses with a Cumming mailing address are in unincorporated Forsyth County, so confirm which applies. ## Guides for Cumming homeowners Learn Can a fence be built on an easement? Sometimes, with permission and with the risk that it may have to come out. What drainage and utility easements mean for a fence line. Cost Guide How much does fence installation cost in Johns Creek? Typical Atlanta-area ranges per foot, what a Johns Creek permit adds, and the handful of things that move a fence price more than the material does. Learn How do you get HOA approval for a fence? Submit a site plan, the style, the height and the color to your HOA's architectural committee before the city permit. Here is what they look for. Learn Do I need a survey to build a fence? Not always, but often when the fence will sit close to the property line. Here is what a plat shows, what a survey adds, and how to decide. ## Nearby service areas Service area Suwanee Fences in Suwanee, GA: no permit to install a fence, 4-foot front and 6-foot side and rear limits, 8 feet only with approval, 811 and HOA rules. Service area Milton Fences in Milton, GA: the city's fence permit and fees, rules on opaque fences seen from main roads, equestrian fence rules, gates and horse and farm fencing. Service area Alpharetta Fences in Alpharetta, GA: a 6-foot residential limit, corner sight rules, no permit for a compliant fence, retaining walls over 4 feet, and permitted materials.