City of Alabaster fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Alabaster? Not confirmed. Contact the City of Alabaster before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Alabaster (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed source
- Side and rear yards
- Privacy fences/walls 6 1/2 ft max source
- Front (street) yard
- Front yard of residential districts: only split rail (4 ft max) or picket (40 in max) fences or retaining walls source
- Distance from lot line
- Privacy fences/walls may not sit between the front of the dwelling and the street; a landscaped strip of at least 4 ft is required between a privacy fence and the right-of-way. Nothing may obstruct drivers' visibility. source
- Good side faces
- Privacy fences in the side or rear area must have a finished surface facing the public street. source
- Not allowed
- Privacy walls must be masonry.
- How to apply
- Online portal source
Still being confirmed with Alabaster: Does a residential fence in Alabaster need a building permit, and what is the fee?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Alabaster
- Call Building and Engineering Services (205-664-6823) to confirm whether your fence needs a permit and the current height and placement rules.
- If a permit is needed, apply through the city's LAMA permit portal.
- Call 811 before digging.
Who to contact
Building and Engineering Services
Andy Burke, Building Official
- Phone
- 205-664-6823
- [email protected]
- Address
- 1953 Municipal Way, Suite 102, Alabaster, AL 35007
Contact from cityofalabaster.com — Building and Engineering Services
Other rules to know
- Heights are from the Zoning Ordinance PDF (Article VII, Sec. 1.0); that PDF is older and the current code is on Municode (Ch. 111), so confirm current numbers.
- The ordinance defines a fence as 'a structure' and requires a building permit for any building or other structure, but no page opened states that a fence permit is required.
Before you dig
Call 811 before digging post holes so underground utility lines are marked. Find your lot corner markers and keep the fence on your side of the line. Find your lot corner markers and keep the fence on your side of the line. County parcel maps can be off by several feet; if you're not sure where the line is, a licensed land surveyor can stake it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in the City of Alabaster, AL?
Not confirmed. Contact the City of Alabaster before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Alabaster?
Side and rear yards: Privacy fences/walls 6 1/2 ft max. Front (street) yard: Front yard of residential districts: only split rail (4 ft max) or picket (40 in max) fences or retaining walls.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Alabaster?
Privacy fences/walls may not sit between the front of the dwelling and the street; a landscaped strip of at least 4 ft is required between a privacy fence and the right-of-way. Nothing may obstruct drivers' visibility.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Alabaster?
Privacy fences in the side or rear area must have a finished surface facing the public street.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Alabaster?
Call Building and Engineering Services (205-664-6823) to confirm whether your fence needs a permit and the current height and placement rules. If a permit is needed, apply through the city's LAMA permit portal. Call 811 before digging. buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Alabaster (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Alabaster?
Building and Engineering Services, Andy Burke, Building Official. Phone 205-664-6823, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Alabaster's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Zoning Ordinance Art. VII Sec. 1.0 Fences and Walls
Work for the City of Alabaster? Help us keep this right
If anything on this page is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it. Municipal staff reports are reviewed first. Please include a link to the current ordinance, form or fee schedule if you can.