Leander fence rules and permits

A plain-English guide for Leander, Texas homeowners. Always confirm with the city before work starts. Rules change.

Do you need a permit?

Depends. Leander's permit list names fences over 8 feet and masonry screening walls. Most standard wood fences up to 8 feet are not on the list. The Permits & Building Inspection Division reviews fence permits online through the Development Hub, and the city's review time for a fence permit is about 5 days. Call the division before you build if your fence is near the limit or you are not sure.

Who to ask: City of Leander, Permits & Building Inspection Division (Development Services) (website)

Fee: $50 application fee plus $40 permit fee on the city's building fee schedule

The rules

• In front yards of single-family and two-family homes, fences can be 3 feet tall or less.
• Fences along a shared property line can be up to 8 feet tall. Taller fences are only for secured or hazardous sites.
• Barbed wire is not allowed in residential districts, except in the SFR district and on farm land.
• At a street corner, keep a clear view between 3 and 8 feet high, 40 feet back along each curb line.
• Within 25 feet of where two rights-of-way meet, a fence cannot be more than 3 feet tall or more than 20 percent solid.
• All fence posts need concrete footings.
• Any fence next to a public right-of-way must have its smooth, finished side facing the street.
• Fences must stay in good shape. Leaning, sagging or rotted pieces have to be fixed.

HOAs

Many Leander neighborhoods are in master-planned areas with a homeowners association. For example, Crystal Falls is run by the Crystal Falls Community Association. An HOA can set rules that are stricter than the city's, so check your HOA before you pick a fence.

Call before you dig

Texas811: dial 811. Call at least 2 working days before digging. Holidays do not count. The call is free and it applies to homeowners too.

Local conditions

Leander has hot summers and hail-prone spring storms. A fence here has to handle wind, sun and the occasional hail hit.

• Hail has hit Leander neighborhoods such as Larkspur, and storm trackers log hail reports near the city.
• Wildfires in 2011 burned 330 acres and destroyed 26 homes in Leander. The city code encourages a masonry column between a wood fence and the house to slow fire spread.
• The city requires concrete footings on all posts, which helps wood fences stay upright in wind.
• Cedar and treated pine are the usual wood choices in the Austin area.

Good to know

• Leander had 59,202 residents in the 2020 census.
• The city's fence permit review time is listed as 5 days for each review round.
• Outside the city limits but inside Leander's ETJ, the city only requires permits for signs and water or wastewater connections.
• The city's zoning code was last updated 10/21/2025.
• All contractors working in Leander must be registered with the city before a permit is issued.
• Leander is a member of Capital Metro, and its MetroRail station has 600 parking spaces.