Fence permits on the Treasure Coast: Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce and Martin County
Heights, setbacks, easements and permit paperwork for Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce and unincorporated Martin County — with the City of Okeechobee for inland properties. Summarized from each government’s published code and forms, October 2026.
Treasure Coast fence rules side by side
| Where | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie | Code §158.216: residential fences up to 8 ft; single-family fences at least 25 ft from the front line or even with the front corners of the house, whichever is farther back. Zoning fence application notarized by installer and owner, with a survey. |
| Fort Pierce | Code §125-322: single-family max 6 ft, 4 ft in the required front yard; permit for every new or substantially altered fence. Checklist: Planning pre-approval, notarized application, fence form or survey. |
| Unincorporated Martin County (Palm City, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound) | County permit closed out with a Fence Affidavit of Completion: max 6 ft on the property line, not within 25 ft of navigable water (except perpendicular to the shore), utility letters for easements, CRA front-yard standards. |
| City of Okeechobee | Code §90-639: up to 5 ft in front of the front building line, 2 ft 6 in inside a visibility triangle, 8 ft elsewhere; no barbed wire on residential lots. Applications in person, by fax or by mail. |
Sources: City of Port St. Lucie Code §158.216 Fences and privacy walls · City of Port St. Lucie — Fence application and checklist (Zoning, rev. 2025) · City of Fort Pierce Code §125-322 Fences, walls, and hedges · City of Fort Pierce — Fence permit checklist (updated 8/3/2021) · Martin County — Fence Affidavit of Completion (rev. 7-26) · City of Okeechobee Code §90-639 Walls and fences · City of Okeechobee — Building & Permitting
Easements and waterfront lots
- Port St. Lucie: anything built in a City drainage or utility easement must be removed at the owner’s cost when the City asks; a 20-foot City easement may be allowed with a revocable encroachment permit.
- Fort Pierce: no fence in or enclosing a drainage easement without the city engineer’s written authorization; utility easements are allowed but the utility can remove the fence without replacing it.
- Martin County: letters from all utility companies if the fence crosses an easement, and no fence within 25 feet of a navigable waterway unless it runs perpendicular to the shoreline.
Sources: City of Port St. Lucie Code §158.216 Fences and privacy walls · City of Port St. Lucie — Fence application and checklist (Zoning, rev. 2025) · City of Fort Pierce Code §125-322 Fences, walls, and hedges · Martin County — Fence Affidavit of Completion (rev. 7-26)
Martin County CRAs have front-yard standards
Martin County has six Community Redevelopment Areas — Golden Gate, Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach, Old Palm City, Port Salerno and Rio. Inside a CRA, the county’s fence affidavit requires front-yard fences to meet the CRA’s design standards, height and materials.
Sources: Martin County — About the Community Redevelopment Agency · Martin County — Fence Affidavit of Completion (rev. 7-26)
Pool barriers
In Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce, a fence that is part of a new pool’s safety barrier is submitted with the pool permit; in Martin County, pool-barrier fences are inspected by the county. Florida’s §515.29 sets the baseline everywhere: at least 4 feet high on the outside, no climbable gaps, and outward-opening, self-closing, self-latching gates. See pool fence installation.
Sources: City of Port St. Lucie — Fence application and checklist (Zoning, rev. 2025) · City of Fort Pierce — Fence permit checklist (updated 8/3/2021) · Martin County — Fence Affidavit of Completion (rev. 7-26) · Florida Statutes §515.29
How to use this guide
This guide summarizes published rules as of October 2026 and links to the sources. It isn’t legal advice, rules change, and HOA rules and other municipalities (including the City of Stuart) aren’t covered. FenceFox confirms the requirements for your exact address before filing any permit.
Frequently asked questions
Section 158.216 allows residential fences up to 8 feet, measured from finished grade at the fence.
Yes — section 125-322 requires a construction permit for every new or substantially altered fence or wall.
They are unincorporated, so Martin County’s Building Department issues the permit, closed out with the county’s Fence Affidavit of Completion.
Related services & areas
Want us to check the rules for your address?
Text your address or ZIP and what you’re planning. We’ll tell you what the permit involves.