FENCE RULES – MOSS POINT (CITY), MISSISSIPPI

OVERVIEW

Residential fences are permitted on private property within City of Moss Point, subject to local regulations. For properties located outside City of Moss Point municipal limits, Jackson County regulates fences in unincorporated areas.

Local fence rules for the City of Moss Point appear primarily in the Moss Point Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 42, the building and pool-code provisions in Chapter 8, the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance in Chapter 14, the subdivision-easement provisions in Chapter 32, current City zoning and Public Works materials, and residential permit materials published by the Jackson County Building Department. The City does not publish a single consolidated residential fence code.

This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted code or ordinance materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one. If no local code or ordinance is available in the approved source packet, this page notes that the jurisdiction does not publish the relevant standard in the referenced published materials.

Compiled From City of Moss Point Zoning Ordinance, Moss Point Code of Ordinances Chapters 8, 14, 32, and 42, City of Moss Point Zoning Map and Ordinance page, City of Moss Point Public Works, Jackson County Building Department residential permit materials, 2018 International Residential Code Section R105.2, City of Moss Point 2015 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code adoption, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources wetlands permitting materials, and Mississippi Damage Prevention Law / Mississippi 811 as of July 2026.

GOVERNANCE

The City of Moss Point Board of Aldermen governs local zoning and land-use matters. Chapter 42 is administered by an administrative official designated by the mayor and Board, and the current City zoning page directs zoning questions, including variance requests, conditional-use permits, and rezoning applications, to City Hall.

The current residential building-permit posture is County Administration. City guidance directs building permits to the Jackson County Building Department, whose residential permit materials use the 2018 International Residential Code. Moss Point Chapter 8 also publishes the City’s adoption of the 2012 International Building Code and a One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code by reference, but the current City-filed residential-code edition is not identified in the referenced published materials.

The City of Moss Point Public Works Department, operated by ClearWater Solutions LLC, maintains City drainage systems, ditches, streets, and rights-of-way. The City states that stormwater and flood functions are handled jointly with the Building Inspection Department. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources administers coastal-wetlands permitting where work affects regulated coastal wetlands.

PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

• Building-Code Permit Context: The Jackson County Building Department handles building permits for the City of Moss Point and administers residential permit materials using the 2018 International Residential Code. Section R105.2 includes a building-permit exemption for fences not over 7 feet high. The City does not publish a separate local fence-permit requirement for standard residential fences in the referenced published materials. The exemption is not a zoning height allowance, and no affirmative local permit trigger for fences over 7 feet was identified.

• Zoning Compliance: Building-code permit exemptions and local construction-code administration are separate from zoning, setback, subdivision, floodplain, coastal-wetlands, stormwater, drainage, historic, right-of-way, easement, utility, and plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, plat requirements, and site-specific limitations with City Hall before construction.

• General Development Approval Context: Chapter 42 publishes general building-permit and certificate-of-zoning-compliance processes for buildings and structures, but the referenced published materials do not explicitly state that standard residential fences require a separate City zoning permit, zoning certificate, or development approval. Current City guidance directs building permits to the Jackson County Building Department and zoning questions to City Hall.

• Floodplain Development Permit: A building or development permit is required before development activities begin in an identified special flood hazard area. The floodplain ordinance defines development to include filling, grading, paving, excavating, drilling, and other man-made changes to real estate. Fence work involving one of those activities in a mapped flood-hazard area is subject to local floodplain review.

• Special Wetland and Waterfront Review: Chapter 42 defines development in special wetland areas to include disturbance of the natural earth, construction of buildings or structures, clearing of land or vegetation, and similar activity. Development is allowed only after City approval and issuance of the required building permit, and projects in the Waterfront Overlay District (WF-1) require submitted development plans. Current City guidance directs building-permit administration to the Jackson County Building Department.

• Coastal-Wetlands Permit Context: Jackson County lies within the Mississippi Coastal Zone. Fence-related excavation, clearing, fill, access work, shoreline work, or placement affecting regulated coastal wetlands, marshes, tidal areas, waterways, or submerged lands may require approval through the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

• Swimming-Pool Permit and Barrier Review: Moss Point Chapter 8 adopts the 2015 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and requires permits and inspections for swimming-pool construction. Chapter 42 requires fences around swimming pools and requires compliance with the City’s adopted building and safety code. A fence used as a pool barrier is reviewed separately from an ordinary yard fence.

FENCE PLACEMENT RULES

• Required Yards: Fences, walls, and hedges may be placed in any required yard or along the edge of a yard, subject to the front-yard, privacy-fence, visibility, easement, floodplain, wetland, and other site-specific provisions described below.

• Front-Yard Area: A fence, wall, or hedge along the sides or front edge of a front yard is limited to 3 feet in height.

• Privacy-Fence Transition: A residential privacy fence may reach the side- and rear-yard limit described below, but it must be reduced to 3 feet from the front corner of the structure toward the street or property line.

• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.

• Corner Lots: A fence erected on a corner lot may not obstruct the view of traffic in any direction.

• Utility and Drainage Easements: The subdivision regulations require plats and related documents to state that structures, fences, and storage of materials or equipment are restricted within utility and drainage easements.

• Floodplain and Floodway Areas: Fence work in an identified special flood hazard area is subject to floodplain review when it involves a defined development activity. Within a designated floodway, encroachments and other development are prohibited unless supporting certification demonstrates that the work will not increase flood levels during the base-flood discharge.

• Wetland and Waterfront Areas: Fence-related earth disturbance, clearing, fill, access work, or construction in a special wetland area or the WF-1 Waterfront Overlay District is subject to the City’s plan-submission and approval requirements and any applicable state or federal wetlands review.

• Public Right-of-Way and Drainage Context: The City of Moss Point Public Works Department maintains City rights-of-way, drainage systems, catch basins, and ditches. The code does not publish a separate ordinary fence setback from City rights-of-way or drainage features; fences must remain on private property and comply with recorded utility and drainage easements.

• Utility Safety: Mississippi law requires notice through Mississippi 811 before excavation where the Mississippi Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act applies. For fence projects that involve digging, including digging, drilling, augering, boring, grading, or other movement of earth, notice generally must be given at least three full working days before excavation begins. Mississippi 811 is a notification center and does not mark lines itself; member utilities or their locators mark covered facilities, and the excavator must check the positive-response status before beginning work where required. This statewide utility-notice framework is separate from local fence permitting, zoning, development approval, easement limits, right-of-way approvals, floodplain review, stormwater review, drainage review, historic or design review, HOA restrictions, and other applicable requirements.

FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES

• Front-Yard Maximum: Fences, walls, and hedges along the sides or front edge of a front yard may not exceed 3 feet.

• Residential Privacy Fences: Privacy fences in residential districts may not exceed 6 feet in rear and side yards.

• Front-Corner Reduction: A residential privacy fence must be reduced to 3 feet from the front corner of the structure to the street or property line.

• Other Side- and Rear-Yard Fences: Chapter 42 does not publish a separate maximum height for a non-privacy residential fence located entirely outside the front-yard area.

• Corner-Lot Visibility: A corner-lot fence may not obstruct traffic views in any direction. The ordinance does not publish a numerical sight-triangle dimension for this rule.

• Building-Code Exemption Height: The 2018 International Residential Code exempts fences not over 7 feet high from a building permit. This exemption is not a local maximum height and does not replace Moss Point’s 3-foot front-yard and 6-foot residential privacy-fence limits. The referenced published materials do not state the inverse as an affirmative local permit requirement for fences over 7 feet.

MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS

• Listed Fence Materials: A fence may be composed of wire, mesh, steel mesh, chain link, louvered stake and similar materials, wood, wrought iron, stone, or masonry.

• Vinyl and Fiberglass Composite: Vinyl or fiberglass composite materials may be used when the material is listed, designed, and constructed for fencing.

• Roofing Materials Prohibited: Roofing materials may not be used as fencing material in a residential or commercial district.

• Other Material Standards: Chapter 42 does not publish a finished-side requirement or a separate residential rule addressing barbed wire, razor wire, or electric fencing in the fence section.

• Pool Barriers: A fence used around a swimming pool must comply with the 2015 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and the City’s adopted building and safety requirements in addition to the zoning rules stated above.

PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS

Private restrictions operate independently from City of Moss Point fence rules. These may include HOA covenants, subdivision restrictions, deed restrictions, private easements, architectural-review covenants, utility or drainage easements, conservation easements, coastal-property agreements, and private boundary agreements.

A private restriction may impose a lower height, different material, additional setback, design-review requirement, or other limitation even when a fence complies with the Moss Point Zoning Ordinance. The floodplain ordinance also preserves existing easements, covenants, and deed restrictions and applies the more stringent restriction where provisions overlap.

REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT

Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:

• Yard Location and Height: Whether a front-yard fence, wall, or hedge exceeds 3 feet, whether a residential privacy fence exceeds 6 feet in a side or rear yard, or whether the required 3-foot transition from the front corner of the structure is maintained.

• Traffic Visibility: Whether a corner-lot fence obstructs the view of traffic in any direction.

• Materials: Whether the proposed material is listed among the permitted fence materials, whether vinyl or fiberglass composite is designed for fencing, or whether prohibited roofing material is proposed.

• Building-Code Administration: Whether the fence is not over 7 feet high and within the 2018 IRC building-permit exemption, while separately complying with Moss Point’s zoning height and placement rules.

• Easements and Rights-of-Way: Whether the fence enters a recorded utility or drainage easement, extends beyond the owner’s property, or conflicts with a City right-of-way, drainage system, ditch, catch basin, or related public infrastructure.

• Floodplain, Wetland, and Coastal Review: Whether the project involves defined development activity in a special flood hazard area, an encroachment in a floodway, earth disturbance or clearing in a special wetland area or the WF-1 Waterfront Overlay District, or work affecting coastal wetlands regulated by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

• Pool-Barrier Use: Whether the fence encloses a swimming pool and complies with the 2015 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and the City’s adopted building and safety requirements.

• Private Restrictions: Whether HOA covenants, subdivision controls, deed restrictions, easements, or other private agreements impose additional limits.

• Utility Safety: Whether the project involves digging, drilling, augering, boring, grading, or other excavation requiring Mississippi 811 notice and positive-response review.

USING THIS INFORMATION

This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within City of Moss Point, based on the referenced published materials as of July 2026.

In addition to local fence rules, certain Mississippi laws apply statewide. See Statewide fence laws in Mississippi.

It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, zoning approvals, zoning certifications, development approvals, locally adopted building codes, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, floodplain status, stormwater requirements, drainage conditions, historic district status, design-review status, rural or agricultural context, livestock or party-fence context, local building-code administration, adopted-code status, opt-out status, pool-barrier use, Mississippi 811 utility-safety requirements, coastal wetlands conditions, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants, deed restrictions, private agreements, or conservation easements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with City Hall, the Jackson County Building Department, and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from City of Moss Point staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.