Do I need a permit for fence installation or replacement in Unincorporated Martin County?
Yes. In Florida, fence installation or replacement generally requires a permit, and Unincorporated Martin County is no exception.
There is no statewide fence permit rule in Florida, so requirements are set locally. Some jurisdictions exempt common fences below a set height, such as chain-link or wood fences up to a certain height, while others require a permit for essentially all new residential fences. Height, setback, and corner sight-triangle rules apply everywhere, and HOA rules may add more.
Local detail for Unincorporated Martin County: Permits for unincorporated Martin County. Applications submitted through the Accela Citizen Access (ACA) online permit system.
Florida and local notes for Unincorporated Martin County
Florida has no statewide list of building work exempt from a permit. Section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code, Building, exempts only certain gas, mechanical and plumbing work, so whether a fence needs a permit is decided by your local building department rather than by a state threshold. Even where no building permit is needed, zoning height, setback, corner-visibility, and HOA rules still apply. Cities set their own fence ordinances that can differ from the county. Fences in an easement may require an acknowledgement and can be removed if a utility needs access. Martin County's own permitting office is the Martin County Building Department, reachable on (772) 288-5400 at https://www.martin.fl.us/building. Its online permit portal is https://www.martin.fl.us/resources/online-permit-system. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, and many smaller Florida municipalities do not, this is the office that will handle the job. Fences are usually a zoning review rather than a building permit, and the zoning office may be separate from the building office. Martin County requires a permit to build a fence, issued by the Building Department at 900 SE Ruhnke Street, Stuart. A contractor can file a Fence Affidavit of Compliance certifying the fence meets CRA and zoning rules, which waives the zoning review, followed by an Affidavit of Completion after installation. The affidavits cannot be used when the fence is a pool barrier. The county's HB 803 Permit Exemption Request Application asks for a Fence Affidavit of Compliance and a survey for fences, so a qualifying fence under $7,500 at a single-family home outside a flood hazard area may be handled through an approved exemption request instead of a permit.
Documents you may need
- Permit application (where required)Sometimes required
- Site plan or survey showing fence location and property linesLikely required
- Easement acknowledgement (if in an easement)Sometimes required
- Martin County Building Permit Application (Accela Citizen Access portal or permit counter)Likely required
- Survey or site plan showing fence location, setbacks, height, type, and all easementsLikely required
- Fence Affidavit of Compliance (waives zoning review)Sometimes required
- Fence Affidavit of Completion submitted to Inspections after installationSometimes required
- Easement Agreement from each affected utilitySometimes required
Possible inspections
- Setback or post-location inspection (some jurisdictions)
- Final inspection
- Final inspection, or Affidavit of Completion where the compliance affidavit is used
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for fence installation or replacement in Unincorporated Martin County?
- Yes. In Florida, fence installation or replacement generally requires a permit, and Unincorporated Martin County is no exception. The documents and inspections sections on this page list what the building department typically asks for.
- Who issues the permit in Unincorporated Martin County?
- The local building department for Unincorporated Martin County handles permitting. This page lists its contact details and online portal. Your mailing city is not always the permitting authority, so confirm the jurisdiction before you apply.
- How do I find out the exact requirements for my project?
- Run the free PermitRoadmap check for your specific project and answers. It returns the likely permits, documents, inspections, and next steps, each linked to its official source.
PermitRoadmap is an independent informational service and is not affiliated with any city, county, state agency, or permitting authority. Results are informational and do not replace confirming requirements with the local permitting authority.