Fence Permits in Northwest Arkansas

Twenty-nine towns, and the answer changes every few miles. Here is every one of them, from the code and the city offices.

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The Short Answer

Nine of the 29 towns we cover require a permit for essentially every fence: Bella Vista, Bentonville, Gravette, Highfill, Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Siloam Springs and Tontitown, and Little Flock’s code requires a building permit for any structure.

Four require one only above a height or for a certain kind of build: Fayetteville and Centerton over 7 feet, Rogers over 7 feet or with concrete footings, and Farmington at 8 feet and up. Six have no fence permit for an ordinary fence: Cave Springs, Gentry, Greenland, Lowell, Springdale and West Fork. In eight more, the code does not clearly say, so we confirm with City Hall before every job. And two are special cases: most of Eureka Springs is a historic district that reviews fences, and Holiday Island’s neighborhood covenants require approval first.

That is the whole map, and most of what gets published about it is wrong, because the answer changes every few miles and the fence companies with the most city pages write one template for all of them. The table below has every town at a glance, and each town links to its full guide, with the code section or city office behind every answer.

We pull the permit for you. In the towns that require one, Kismet Fence handles the fence permit as part of the job. You do not have to file it yourself. The links below are here so you can see exactly what your city asks for, and so you can check your own address before you call anyone.

Fence Rules by Town

Every town we cover, side by side. Heights are the most a typical home lot allows. Tap a town for its full guide and the code behind each answer.

Town	Fence permit	Back and side yards	Front yard
Avoca	We checkNot listed; we check with Town Hall	8 ft	Allowed if sightlines stay clear; at least 8 ft from the pavement
Bella Vista	Required	8 ft	3 ft on lots under 4 acres
Bentonville	Required	6 ft	4 ft
Cave Springs	No permitUp to 7 ft	No citywide limit	No citywide limit
Centerton	Height triggerPrivacy fences over 7 ft	8 ft for a privacy fence; 5 ft on lot lines	3½ ft; no privacy fence
Elkins	We checkCode is unclear; we check	No set limit	Allowed if sightlines stay clear
Elm Springs	We checkUsually not; we check	No set limit	Solid up to 30 in; above that, see-through
Eureka Springs	Special reviewHistoric district review for most of the city	We confirm before quoting	We confirm before quoting
Farmington	Height trigger8 ft and up	No set limit	No separate limit
Fayetteville	Height triggerOver 7 ft	No single citywide limit	Solid up to 30 in; above that, it can’t block the view of the house
Garfield	We checkNot listed; we check	8 ft	Allowed if sightlines stay clear
Gentry	No permit	6 ft	Ornamental, up to 3½ ft
Goshen	We checkNot listed for homes; we check	6 ft	Allowed if sightlines stay clear
Gravette	RequiredWith a final inspection	8 ft	Decorative, up to 36 in, not solid
Greenland	No permit	No set limit	No separate limit
Highfill	Required	8 ft	Allowed if sightlines stay clear
Holiday Island	Special reviewCovenant approval first	8 ft	Nothing past the front of the house (covenants)
Huntsville	We checkNot listed; we check	8 ft	Allowed if sightlines stay clear
Johnson	We checkUsually not; we check	6 ft	Open fences only: 36 in, or 48 in for chain link
Lincoln	Required	6 ft	None in the required front yard
Little Flock	RequiredA building permit, as for any structure	No set limit	Allowed if sightlines stay clear
Lowell	No permit	8 ft	No separate limit
Pea Ridge	We checkUsually not; we check	8 ft	No separate limit
Prairie Grove	Required	8 ft	Solid 36 in; see-through 48 in
Rogers	Height triggerOver 7 ft, or with concrete footings	6 ft	4 ft
Siloam Springs	Required$10, inspected before you build	7 ft	Nothing opaque over 3 ft
Springdale	No permit	6 ft	3 ft
Tontitown	Required	8 ft	36 in, unless the Planning Commission approves more
West Fork	No permit	No set limit	Allowed if sightlines stay clear

HOA covenants can be stricter than any of these, and corner lots have extra sight-line rules in most towns.

Towns That Require a Fence Permit

Bentonville

A fence permit is required before construction and replacement of any fence, unless it is shown on an approved plat or large-scale development (Community Code Art. 50-7).
The application is the most demanding in NWA: a site plan showing property lines, existing structures, any pool or spa, existing fence staying, existing fence being replaced, and the new fence; a written description of height and construction type; and a cut sheet or photo of the style labeling which side is the finished surface.
Fences must sit at least 5 feet from the right-of-way, with an administrative waiver down to 3 feet available (§50-510(e)).

Apply for Permit$30 fee. Application returned to Building & Fire Safety, 305 SW A St.

Bella Vista

No fence may be constructed, altered or relocated without a permit, and each fence needs its own application (§109-141). Replacement of less than 49% of the linear length is exempt (§109-076).
Submittal: property lines, existing and proposed structures including pools and spas, existing fence staying, fence being replaced, new fence, and a note of height and construction type. The Director approves, denies or conditions it; no hearing.
The permit is void if work has not started within 180 days.
You also need approval from the POA’s Architectural Control Committee. See our HOA approval guide.
Planning and Development: (479) 855-8285.

Apply for PermitFences are filed under the Miscellaneous / Accessory Improvements application. Approval is good for 180 days.

Prairie Grove

A fence permit must be obtained before construction or replacement of all applicable fences and walls (§11.44.02). The application goes to the Building Inspection Office with a plot plan showing property lines, structures, pools, existing fence staying, portions being replaced, new fence, and the proposed height and construction type.
Exempt: the A-1 Agricultural district, and replacement of less than 50% of the linear length of any straight run (§11.44.01).
Permits are issued at City Hall, 975 E. Douglas St., (479) 846-3038.

Apply for PermitThe city has a dedicated Outdoor Fence or Wall Permit Application.

Siloam Springs

No person may erect, place or replace a fence without first obtaining a fence permit (§102-80). Maintenance and repair of an existing fence is exempt; relocations and extensions are not.
$10 for residential, $25 in all other zones, the only published fence permit fee in NWA. Submit plans showing property lines, existing structures, fence location, dimensions and materials.
A site inspection is required before installation, so the inspection is a scheduling step, not a sign-off at the end.

Apply for Permit$10 residential, $25 other zones. The city inspects before the fence goes in.

Gravette

A fence permit is required before a fence is built or replaced, single-family homes included. When the fence is done, the city inspects it and issues a certificate of compliance (UDC Sec. 7.1.3).
Fences can be up to 8 feet. Front-yard fencing has to be decorative, 36 inches or lower, and not solid.

Read the full Gravette fence guide

Highfill

Highfill’s residential permit application includes a fencing permit. It goes to the city by email with a copy of the contractor’s license, and the permit has to be posted where it can be seen from the street before inspections.
Fences can be up to 8 feet, with the posts on the inside.

Read the full Highfill fence guide

Lincoln

Every new fence needs a permit from the Building Official before it is built, with a site plan drawing. A fence built at the same time on one property counts as one fence and needs one permit (UDC Sec. 5.1.1).
Fences can be up to 6 feet, none can go in the required front yard, and every fence needs a gate at least 3 feet wide for emergency access.

Read the full Lincoln fence guide

Tontitown

The city requires a fence permit for all fences, with a site plan. There is no extra charge when the fence is part of a new home permit.
Fences can be up to 8 feet. In the front yard, a fence is limited to 36 inches unless the Planning Commission approves more.

Read the full Tontitown fence guide

Little Flock

Little Flock’s zoning code requires a building permit before any structure is built, except portable buildings under 144 square feet, and it defines a structure as anything built with a fixed location on the ground. That takes in a fence (Sec. 14.04.07 and 14.04.08).
The zoning code sets no fence height limit, and fences can go in any yard as long as they do not block visibility.

Read the full Little Flock fence guide

Towns With a Height Trigger

Fayetteville: over 7 feet

A fence 7 feet tall or less needs no building permit. Anything taller needs a building permit application to the Building Safety Division (City of Fayetteville Planning Division FAQ).
No permit does not mean no rules: sight lines, easements, the Downtown Design Overlay and the two local historic districts all still apply. Full detail on our Fayetteville fence permit page.

Apply for PermitOnly needed above 7 feet. Applications go through the city Civic Access portal.

Rogers: over 7 feet, or with concrete footings

Rogers does not require fence permits. A building permit is required for a fence over 7 feet and/or one built on concrete footings; retaining walls over 4 feet need one too (City of Rogers FAQ).
A footing is a poured structural base under a masonry wall or column. A post set in a concrete collar is not a footing, so an ordinary wood or chain link fence does not trip this.
Fees are valuation-based, $25 up to $3,000 of work, and are tripled if work starts before the permit is pulled. Building Inspection: (479) 621-1100, 113 N. 4th St.

Apply for PermitNo fence permit as such. A building permit applies above 7 feet.

Centerton: over 7 feet

The city’s FAQ gives two answers. The general one: no permit for a fence. The privacy-fence one: a permit is required if the fence is taller than 7 feet. Centerton allows privacy fences to 8 feet, so a 7-to-8-foot fence is legal but permitted.
On a corner lot, the city asks you to call Code Enforcement before installation to check traffic visibility. City Hall: (479) 795-2750.

Apply for PermitPermit above 7 feet. On a corner lot the city asks to be called before you build.

Farmington: 8 feet and up

No permit under 8 feet; a permit is required at 8 feet and above. That number came from the Building Official directly, and it is higher than the 7-foot threshold most people assume from the model code.
Barbed wire is not allowed on any residential property; existing barbed wire is grandfathered. Building Official: (479) 267-3865, 354 W. Main St.

Apply for PermitNo permit under 8 feet. Required at 8 feet and up.

Springdale: No Fence Permit

Springdale’s building chapter has no fence permit provision, and its Neighborhood Services FAQ confirms it. The rules that still apply are strict ones: 3 feet maximum along the front of any front yard, 6 feet in rear and side yards, posts on your side of the fence, and a list of approved materials (Ch. 130 Art. 6 §2.3).
The exception is a pool fence: the city requires at least 48 inches with a self-latching gate, and tells you to get the complete requirements and a permit from Building Inspection.
Building Department at City Hall, 201 Spring St., (479) 750-8114.

Cave Springs: No Permit up to 7 Feet

Cave Springs has no building code of its own. Its Building Department at City Hall enforces the State of Arkansas codes, and the Arkansas Residential Code does not require a permit for a fence 7 feet tall or less. Anything taller needs a building permit. The zoning regulations add no fence permit, but they treat a fence as a structure: it may sit inside a setback as long as it does not block sight lines, and the utility easements on platted lots can bar a fence outright. Pool fences follow the state pool code, the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code adopted through the Arkansas Residential Code: at least 48 inches tall, no more than 2 inches of gap underneath over grass, no opening a 4-inch ball can pass through, chain link openings no larger than 1-3/4 inches, and gates that open away from the pool and close and latch on their own, with the latch release at least 54 inches up unless it is on the pool side. A pool also needs its own permit. Building Department: (479) 248-1040.

More Towns With No Fence Permit

Like Springdale and Cave Springs, these towns do not require a permit for an ordinary home fence.

Gentry

No city fence permit. Fences can be 6 feet tall from the front of the house back, and an ornamental fence up to 3½ feet can go in the front yard.
No fence, sign or planting can block drivers’ view at more than 3 feet above the street, with fines of up to $250 a day (Sec. 8.28.01).

Read the full Gentry fence guide

Greenland

No fence permit. Greenland’s code says so directly (Sec. 11.04.05).
There is no height limit, and fences can go in setbacks as long as visibility stays clear.

Read the full Greenland fence guide

Lowell

No fence permit.
Fences can be up to 8 feet, with no separate front-yard limit, and they can go in setbacks as long as visibility stays clear.

Read the full Lowell fence guide

West Fork

No fence permit, and no height limit for an ordinary home fence. Fences can go in any yard as long as they do not block visibility.
In the bluff protection zone, fences are limited to 8 feet and have to stay at least 30 feet back from the top of the bluff.

Read the full West Fork fence guide

Towns Where the Code Does Not Say

In these towns the code either does not mention a fence permit or leaves it unclear. We confirm with City Hall before every job, and when a permit is needed, we pull it.

Avoca: no separate fence permit is listed, but building authorizations are issued at Town Hall. Fences can be up to 8 feet, at least 8 feet from the pavement, in traditional materials only.
Elkins: the Land Use Code requires a building permit for structures and names fences as structures, but exempts small structures with no utilities without saying how that applies to a fence. There is no fence height limit.
Elm Springs: usually no permit. There is no height limit. In front of the house a fence can be solid up to 30 inches, and anything taller has to leave the house visible from the street.
Garfield: the zoning code lists no fence permit. Fences can be up to 8 feet, with a 25-foot sight triangle kept clear at corners.
Goshen: its fence permit rule sits in the landscaping rules for commercial districts, and the zoning code does not add one for homes. Fences can be up to 6 feet.
Huntsville: the code lists no fence permit, and building permits are issued at City Hall. Fences can be up to 8 feet.
Johnson: usually no permit. Fences can be up to 6 feet, and front yards allow only open fences, 36 inches tall or 48 inches for chain link.
Pea Ridge: usually no permit. Fences can be up to 8 feet, with no separate front-yard limit.

Two Special Cases

Eureka Springs

Most of the city is in the Eureka Springs Historic District. Any exterior fence work there needs a Certificate of Appropriateness first, even when no building permit is required, and a building permit cannot be issued without one. Work without it can be fined up to $500 a day.
A new fence ordinance was moving through the city council in late 2025, and its text is not posted yet, so we confirm current height rules with the city before quoting.

Read the full Eureka Springs fence guide

Holiday Island

A fence has to meet both the city’s zoning code and the neighborhood covenants. The city sets an 8-foot limit and construction standards (Sec. 152.199).
The covenants are stricter. The Holiday Island Planning Commission has to approve a dimensioned plot plan first, fences cannot extend past the front of the house, and only decorative materials or chain link are allowed.

Read the full Holiday Island fence guide

What Every Application Wants

The towns that require a permit all ask for roughly the same drawing. Have it ready and the permit takes one trip:

Property lines, and the house and other structures on the lot.
Any pool, spa or hot tub, existing or planned.
Existing fence that is staying, existing fence being replaced, and the new fence, each marked.
Proposed height and construction type: cedar privacy, treated pine shadowbox, black aluminum, chain link, vinyl.
In Bentonville, a photo or cut sheet with the finished side labeled.

If you are in an HOA, the same drawing is most of your architectural application too. Get that approval first; see the HOA approval guide for the order of operations.

Fence Permit FAQ

Do I need a permit for a 6-foot privacy fence?

In Bella Vista, Bentonville, Gravette, Highfill, Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Siloam Springs and Tontitown, yes, and Little Flock’s code requires a building permit for any structure. In Fayetteville, Rogers, Centerton and Farmington, no: a 6-foot fence is under each of those towns’ triggers. Cave Springs, Gentry, Greenland, Lowell, Springdale and West Fork have no fence permit. In Eureka Springs and Holiday Island, historic review or covenant approval comes first. Everywhere else in the table above, we confirm with City Hall before we build.

Do I need a permit to replace an existing fence?

Bentonville and Bella Vista: yes for replacement, with Bella Vista exempting replacement of less than 49% of the length. Prairie Grove: yes, unless you are replacing less than half of any single straight run. Siloam Springs: repair is exempt, replacement is not. The height-trigger towns treat a replacement like a new fence, so a replacement under the trigger needs nothing.

Who pulls the permit, me or the fence company?

We do. In every town that requires a fence permit, Kismet Fence pulls it as part of the job, so you do not have to file anything yourself. The application is built from the fence details in your quote: height, material, style and the fence line. We put all four in writing.

What does a fence permit cost?

Siloam Springs publishes $10 residential and $25 for other zones. Rogers’ building permit, when one is triggered, runs $25 up to $3,000 of work and is tripled if work starts first. The other towns set fees by schedule; ask when you apply.

Is there an inspection?

Siloam Springs inspects the site before the fence goes in. Bella Vista and Gravette inspect at completion and issue a certificate of compliance, and Highfill’s permit has to be posted where it can be seen from the street before inspections. Bentonville issues a permit against your drawing but does not schedule a fence inspection. Where no permit is required there is no inspection, though code enforcement can act on a complaint in every town.

What happens if I build without a permit where one is required?

Rogers triples the fee. Bella Vista lists failure to remove a fence built in violation as a specific offense. Lincoln can fine $25 to $100 a day, and Eureka Springs up to $500 a day for work in its historic district without a Certificate of Appropriateness. In every case the fix costs more than the permit would have.

I am outside city limits. Who do I ask?

The county. In Benton County that is Benton County Risk Reduction, (479) 271-1003. City rules stop at the city line, and so do the permits.

Does the permit cover my HOA?

No. The city permit and HOA approval are separate; the city does not enforce covenants and the HOA cannot waive a city rule. Get both. Our HOA approval guide covers the order to do it in.

Know the Rule Before You Build

Kismet Fence builds wood, aluminum, chain link, vinyl and farm fence in every town on this page, to that town’s code. Every quote states the height, material, style and fence line the permit application asks for. Quotes are free.

Get a Free Quote HOA Approval Guide See What Your Fence Will Cost

Sources: Bentonville Community Code Art. 50-7 and §50-510(e); Bella Vista Ch. 109 §109-076, §109-141; Prairie Grove Municipal Code §11.44.01–11.44.02; Siloam Springs Code of Ordinances §102-80; City of Fayetteville Planning Division FAQ; City of Rogers FAQ and fee schedule; City of Centerton FAQ; Farmington Building Official (by phone); Springdale Code of Ordinances Ch. 130 Art. 6 §2.3 and Neighborhood Services FAQ; Arkansas Residential Code R105.2; Cave Springs Zoning Regulations Sec. 8.1.1 and Subdivision Code plat certificates; Arkansas Residential Code R327 and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (2021) Sec. 305 for pool barriers. Code checked August 2026 (Cave Springs, September 2026). Permit rules change; confirm with the city before you build. Each town’s full fence code is on its city page.