# Fence and Gate Installation in Dunwoody, GA > Fences in Dunwoody, GA: no permit for fences fully behind the house, quick permits for front and side fences, street-yard height limits and typical prices. URL: https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/service-areas/dunwoody/ Service area Fences in Dunwoody, GA: no permit for fences fully behind the house, quick permits for front and side fences, street-yard height limits and typical prices. Call (678) 509-2926 Last Updated: November 5, 2026 ## What changes a fence plan in Dunwoody ### A fence entirely behind the house Dunwoody does not require a fence permit when the fence is completely to the rear of a residential home, though it must still meet the zoning ordinance. ### A fence in the front or side yard Fences outside the rear of the house need a permit. The city says there is no fee and residential fence permits are typically issued in 1 to 3 business days. ### A fence along a busy street Street-yard fence heights depend on the type of road; the city's application allows up to 8 feet along collector and arterial streets (confirm with the city). ### A replacement on a corner lot Summaries say replacement fences in front yards, on corner lots or in stream buffers need a permit (confirm with the city). ## Fence services in Dunwoody 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 Fence replacement Tear-out, haul-away and a new fence on the right line, with the Johns Creek permit that replacements need. 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 Gates Walk, double and driveway gates hung on posts sized for them, braced to stay square and set back where the code says. Behind the back wall of a Dunwoody house, a new fence usually needs no permit at all; in front of it, the city issues one for free, often within a few business days. [Upright Johns Creek Fencing](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/) installs fences and gates in Dunwoody, inside I-285 south of Johns Creek, with licensed and insured fencing contractors on the job. Dunwoody draws a clear line on fence permits: a fence completely to the rear of a house needs none, while fences elsewhere on the lot go through a permit that the city says is free and usually issued within a few business days. Heights along the street depend on what kind of road the lot faces. The city’s own fence permit page is the source for the permit rules; the height rules come from summaries of the zoning ordinance and the city’s application, so confirm them with Dunwoody Community Development. ## The rear-yard rule The City of Dunwoody says a fence permit is not required when a fence is completely to the rear of a residential home. The fence still has to meet the zoning ordinance. That covers most backyard privacy fences, which run from the back corners of the house along the side and rear lot lines. A fence that comes forward of the back of the house, wraps a side yard toward the street or sits in the front yard needs a permit. ## A quick, free permit for everything else For fences that do need one, the city says there is no fee, and residential fence permits are typically issued within 1 to 3 business days. Summaries add that permits are required for new fences, vehicular gates, and replacement fences in front yards, on corner lots or within stream buffers. That is quicker and cheaper than [Johns Creek](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/johns-creek-fence-permit/), where every new and replacement fence needs a $75 permit, and lighter than [Sandy Springs](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/service-areas/sandy-springs/), with its detailed design rules. ## Heights by street type Street-yard heights are where Dunwoody gets specific. Summaries of the zoning ordinance put fences in any street yard on a residential lot at 4 feet, with corner lots allowed 6 feet on the side street through an administrative permit. The city’s application allows fences up to 8 feet in the street yard of a residential lot that faces a collector or arterial street, where traffic noise and headlights make taller screening reasonable. City Council has also debated limiting fence and wall heights in single-family areas. Because the rules depend on your road and lot, confirm the limit with the city before ordering materials. ## Older lots and mature trees Much of Dunwoody was built as single-family subdivisions with large trees, and many lots have older fences that are reaching the end of their lives. Replacing a fence here is a chance to check the line against the plat, route posts around tree roots rather than cutting them, and set new posts in undisturbed ground with drainage under each footing. The [fence replacement page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/fence-replacement/) covers tear-out and haul-away, and the [survey guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/survey-before-building-a-fence/) explains when to locate the pins. ## Creeks and stream buffers Dunwoody is crossed by creeks and has wooded stream corridors, including around the Dunwoody Nature Center and Brook Run Park. Fences near streams can fall inside protected buffers, and summaries say replacement fences in stream buffers need a permit. Ground near creeks is often soft and wet, which affects footings. Check with the city before clearing a line or replacing a fence near a stream. ## Gates and driveways Vehicular gates need a permit in Dunwoody, according to summaries. Driveway gates are placed with room for a car to pull off the street, and gates in a fence line hang on posts sized for them so they stay square. See the [gate installation page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/gate-installation/) and, for automated gates, the [automatic gate page](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/automatic-gate-installation/). ## How a Dunwoody fence goes in Dunwoody jobs are split at the back wall of the house. Everything behind it can usually be built without a permit; anything forward of it, along a side street, or across the driveway goes through the city’s free permit, which normally takes a few business days. The drawing shows which sections are which and the street-yard heights that apply to your road. With the HOA’s approval and any permit in hand, the 811 request is placed three business days ahead of auger work. Posts are set around tree roots where needed, the infill goes up after the footings cure, and gates are hung and adjusted last. ## Ranch homes, split levels and sloped backyards Many Dunwoody homes are ranches and split levels on lots that fall away behind the house, so backyard fences often step down toward the rear line. Stepped wood sections leave triangles under each panel that need a kickboard where a dog lives; racked sections follow the grade without gaps. Split-level lots also tend to have retaining walls or terraces near the house, and fences are set back from the top of a wall rather than on it unless the wall was built to carry one. ## Choosing a fence for Dunwoody Rear-yard [privacy fences](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/privacy-fence-installation/) in wood are the most common, often 6 feet, with board-on-board or shadowbox giving a finished face to neighbors on shared lines; the [finished side guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/which-side-of-fence-faces-out/) explains why. Front and side-street fences, where heights are lower, suit [aluminum](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/aluminum-fence-installation/) or picket styles. Pool barriers follow the state pool and spa code with the pool’s permit. ## Typical Dunwoody fence budgets Dunwoody charges nothing for a fence permit, so a budget is the fence itself plus gates and removal. As a planning guide, metro Atlanta installations of 6-foot wood privacy run about $20 to $30 per foot, vinyl about $20 to $40 and aluminum about $25 to $50. Wooded lots where posts must dodge roots, older fences with deep concrete footings to pull, and creek-side ground tend to push a job toward the upper end. The [fence cost guide](https://uprightjohnscreekfencing.com/guide/fence-installation-cost/) has worked examples. ## Matching a fence to an older house Brick ranches and traditional homes are common in Dunwoody, and fences that suit them tend to be simple: board-on-board or shadowbox wood in the back, picket or black aluminum in front where the street-yard height allows. Stain colors that echo the brick or trim tie the fence to the house. Planning a fence in Dunwoody? Send the address and the rough length; the rules for that lot come first. Call (678) 509-2926 ## Fence questions in Dunwoody ### Do I need a permit for a backyard fence in Dunwoody? Not if the fence is completely to the rear of the house. The City of Dunwoody says a fence permit is not required in that case, but the fence must still meet the zoning ordinance. ### How long does a Dunwoody fence permit take? The city says residential fence permits are typically issued within 1 to 3 business days, and there is no fee for a fence permit. ### How tall can a street-yard fence be in Dunwoody? It depends on the road. Summaries of the zoning ordinance put street-yard fences at 4 feet on most residential streets, and the city's application allows up to 8 feet along collector or arterial streets. Confirm with the city for your lot. ### How much does a fence cost in Dunwoody? Typical Atlanta-area ranges apply: about $20 to $30 per foot installed for 6-foot wood privacy, $20 to $40 for vinyl and $25 to $50 for aluminum, before gates and tear-out. Dunwoody charges no fee for a fence permit. ### Do fences near streams in Dunwoody need a permit? Summaries of the city's rules say replacement fences within stream buffers need a permit, along with front-yard and corner-lot replacements. Ask the city before working near a creek. ## Guides for Dunwoody homeowners 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 Which side of the fence faces the neighbor? The finished side faces out, toward the neighbor and the street. Johns Creek, Sandy Springs and Peachtree Corners all say so. 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. Learn Do you need a permit to build a fence in Johns Creek? Yes, for every new fence and every replacement. This guide covers the permit, the zoning rules behind it, HOA approval, property lines, utilities, protected trees, and how the rules change in the cities around Johns Creek. ## Nearby service areas Service area Sandy Springs Fences and gates in Sandy Springs, GA, planned for the city permit, its ban on new vinyl, masonry piers on street-facing runs and inward-opening gates. Service area Peachtree Corners Fences in Peachtree Corners, GA: no permit unless the fence needs footers, a site plan check, corner-lot heights, and the city's list of permitted materials. Service area Roswell Fences in Roswell, GA: no building permit for most fences, front-yard height and transparency limits, pool fences inspected with the pool, and historic districts.