Fence Installation in The Villages, FL

Before you call any fence company about a home in The Villages, know this: the fence is not your decision alone. Every homesite here is covered by a Declaration of Restrictions, and those declarations say no fence, wall or barrier of any kind goes on the property without prior written approval. Many fence ideas that would be normal in a regular Marion County subdivision are limited or simply not approved here. Our job is to help you find out what your district will allow, then build exactly that.

What the deed restrictions in The Villages actually say

The Villages is run through Community Development Districts. The District Community Standards department has two divisions, Architectural Review and Deed Compliance. The deed restrictions we have read from district documents include these points:

• No arbor, trellis, pergola, awning, fence, barrier, wall or structure of any kind goes on a homesite without prior written approval.
• Hedges may not grow over 4 feet tall, so a tall hedge is not a workaround for a privacy fence.
• Where a homesite backs up to a perimeter wall or a board fence along a wildlife preserve, the owner may not remove or change the fencing the Developer put in, and owners next to perimeter walls and fences share upkeep of them.
• Each district adopts its own rules, standards and Architectural Review Manual, so what is allowed in one village may differ from another.

We will not quote heights, colors or styles as approved until we see your district's rules and your own declaration. Your Villages ID shows your county, unit and lot number, which is how you pull up your declaration on the district site.

How Architectural Review works for a fence

Any change to the outside of a home, fencing included, needs an Architectural Review application. The Architectural Review Committee page lists weekly Wednesday meetings, at Brownwood on Kiessel Road and at Ezell Recreation Center, and the district says there is no fee to submit or review an application. Meetings are public and handle a large volume of applications each week. Expect the committee to approve, deny or ask for changes. Nothing is ordered or installed until you hold the written approval.

A simple checklist before you apply

1. Look up your Declaration of Restrictions on the district site using the county, unit and lot number from your Villages ID.
2. Read the Architectural Review Manual for your district. District 4 is the Marion County part, and the other districts each have their own manual.
3. Get a site plan of your homesite. The district points residents to the building department of their county or city for this.
4. Ask us for a written spec and a drawing with fence type, color, height and exact location, so the committee sees the full picture.
5. Submit the application, wait for the written decision, then schedule the work.

Skipping a step can turn a new fence into a Deed Compliance case, which is a headache nobody needs after spending money on materials and labor.

Fence projects that often make sense here

Homes in The Villages sit on compact homesites, villas and golf course lots, so full perimeter fencing is rare. The requests we see most are small and specific:

• A short dog run or enclosure off the back of the home. Black aluminum fence panels at $35 to $58 a foot are a common choice because they stay open looking.
• A pool barrier. Our pool code fencing runs $35 to $55 a foot and is built to Florida pool barrier rules.
• A small screen to hide equipment or a side yard, often in vinyl at $38 to $60 a foot for privacy or $26 to $40 for picket.
• Repairs to an approved fence with the same matching materials, since district rules expect replacements to match the original color, material and structure.

Project in The Villages	Material	Installed price per foot
Pet enclosure	Aluminum	$35 to $58
Pool barrier	Pool aluminum	$35 to $55
Short privacy screen	Vinyl privacy	$38 to $60
Decorative picket	Vinyl picket	$26 to $40

Your exact footage drives the total, so try our online fence cost calculator before we visit.

Three counties, different building departments

Most of The Villages is in Sumter County, with parts in Lake County and Marion County, and the district lists separate building departments for the Town of Lady Lake and the City of Leesburg too. The district reviews the look of your fence. The building permit, if one is needed, comes from the city or county where your home sits. As an example, Sumter County permit rules list residential fences 6 feet or less as not needing a building permit, except pool barriers. Other departments have their own rules, and we check yours before work starts.

Driving directions from Ocala to The Villages

Spanish Springs Town Square is about 21 miles and roughly 35 minutes from the downtown Ocala square.

1. From the downtown square, head south a few blocks to S Pine Avenue (US 27, US 301 and US 441).
2. Drive south about 10 miles into Belleview.
3. In Belleview, stay on US 27 and US 441 heading southeast where US 301 splits off.
4. Continue about 9 miles to The Villages near Spanish Springs.

Map it here: directions to The Villages. Once you know what you want to apply for, request your free estimate.

Areas we cover around The Villages

• Spanish Springs
• Lake Sumter Landing
• Brownwood Paddock Square
• Village of Fenney
• Village of Marsh Bend
• Morse Boulevard
• Buena Vista Boulevard

ZIP codes served: 32159, 32162, 32163, 34785

Reading for The Villages homeowners

The Villages fence questions

Can I put up a privacy fence around my whole yard in The Villages?

Usually that is not realistic. The deed restrictions require prior written approval for any fence, and each district applies its own standards. Most approved projects here are small, like a pet enclosure or a pool barrier, so plan around that and check your district's manual first.

Does the Architectural Review Committee charge a fee for a fence application?

No. The district states that ARC applications do not require any payment to submit or review. Any message asking you to pay for an application should be treated as a scam.

Can I plant a hedge instead of building a fence in The Villages?

The declarations we have read cap hedges at 4 feet tall, and planting or removing trees can also need approval. A hedge will not give you the same height as a privacy fence. Check your own declaration before planting.

My home backs up to a perimeter wall. Can I attach a fence to it?

Do not assume so. The declarations say owners may not remove or change fencing or walls the Developer put in, and owners next to perimeter walls share their upkeep. Any tie in would need written approval through Architectural Review first.