Do I need a permit for fence installation or replacement in Brookhaven?

Yes. In Georgia, fence installation or replacement generally requires a permit, and Brookhaven is no exception.

Georgia has no statewide list of work exempt from a building permit. The Georgia amendments to the 2024 International Residential Code delete Chapter 1, Scope and Administration, without substitution, and keep it in the code only as a reference and guide for local governments developing their own administrative procedures. The 7 foot fence line that Chapter 1 contains is therefore a model figure, not a Georgia rule. Permit thresholds for fences in Georgia are set by each local government. Many jurisdictions require a zoning or land-use approval for a fence of any height, and apply their own limits on front-yard height, corner sight triangles and which side the finished face must face, so confirm the local rule. Pool barrier fences are a separate matter and must meet the code height, gate and latch requirements regardless of any local fence-permit threshold. DeKalb County's own permitting office is the DeKalb County Planning and Sustainability, reachable on 404-371-2155 at https://dekalbcountyga.gov/departments/planning-and-sustainability/permits-plan-review-and-inspections. Its online permit portal is https://epermits.dekalbcountyga.gov/. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, and many smaller Georgia 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. Brookhaven Zoning Sec. 27-953 requires walls and fences to be permitted by Community Development before installation. The city issues a compliant residential fence permit the day a complete application is received, at no cost. Fences and masonry walls are limited to 4 feet in the front yard and 8 feet in other yards; front yard gates may be 6 feet, and vehicle gates must be set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way or 20 feet from the back of curb, whichever is greater (Sec. 27-954). Fences over 3 feet tall must include a column or decorative element at least every 8 linear feet, chain link is prohibited in street yards, and the finished side must face neighbors and the street (Sec. 27-954 and 27-955). Fences on residentially zoned lots may not include barbed wire, spikes, or an electric charge, and fences enclosing pools may need additional review.