Fence or deck costs in Charlotte

In Charlotte, a fence that runs along a city street needs a sign-off from the transportation department, not just from zoning. City Code section 19-243 says any fence or wall bordering a city street has to be located and certified before it goes in. You apply for a Fence and Wall Certificate with a scaled drawing that shows your property lines, the curb or edge of pavement, any driveways, and how far the fence sits from the right-of-way.

Corner lots get one more check. The city treats anything that blocks a driver's view near an intersection as a nuisance. That includes a fence inside a sight triangle measured 50 feet along the back of the curb.

Height limits come from Article 17 of the Unified Development Ordinance. In residential districts, a fence can be 5 feet in the front setback (6 in a zero-lot-line subdivision), 6 feet in the side yard and 8 feet in the established rear yard. Post caps can rise 2 feet above that. Once a fence passes 6 feet, it also needs a building permit. And no fence may sit in a storm drainage easement where it would block runoff, which is worth checking on a lot with a swale out back.

Decks follow a separate path. Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement issues building permits across the county, and adding, replacing or upgrading a deck usually needs one.