Research by DoINeedAPermit Research Team · Updated May 2026
The Short Answer
Fences under 6 feet in rear or side yards are permit-exempt in Conway. Any fence in a front yard, anything 6 feet or taller, all pool barriers, and masonry over 4 feet require a permit.
Conway enforces a height-and-location dual threshold: the city exempts rear and side-yard wood, vinyl, and chain-link fences under 6 feet but requires permits for front-yard fences at any height (to protect corner-lot sight lines on residential streets). This split approach is standard in many Horry County municipalities but Conway's specific front-yard rule is stricter than some neighboring communities—Myrtle Beach, for instance, permits some front-yard fences under 3 feet without review. Conway's online permit portal (available through the city website) allows homeowners to pull fence permits themselves, and the city typically issues over-the-counter approvals for simple rear-yard wood fences under 6 feet within 1–3 business days. Because Conway sits on coastal sandy soil with a 12-inch frost depth, the city's building officials pay close attention to footing depth on masonry fences and metal posts in high-water areas; any fence near recorded easements (common in coastal subdivisions with drainage rights) will trigger a utility company sign-off requirement. Start with your HOA restrictions BEFORE filing with the city—many Conway neighborhoods (Barefoot Landing, River Oaks, Kings Grant) have covenants that pre-empt or modify city code, and HOA approval must come first or your permit will be conditional.

What happens if you skip the permit (and you needed one)

Conway fence permits — the key details

Conway's fence code hinges on height and placement. Fences under 6 feet in rear and side yards do not require a permit under the city's zoning ordinance—this applies to wood privacy fences, vinyl, and standard chain-link. The 6-foot threshold is measured from finished grade at the base of the fence. Any fence 6 feet or taller requires a permit, as does any fence in a front yard, regardless of height. This front-yard rule exists to preserve sight triangles on corner lots and to maintain neighborhood character; it is enforced consistently and is one of Conway's most common rejection points. Masonry fences (brick, stone, cinder block) are treated as a separate category: anything over 4 feet tall requires a permit and engineering documentation of footing depth, rebar placement, and drainage. Pool-barrier fences—which include any fence that encloses a pool or hot tub—must meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1908 standards for self-closing, self-latching gates and must be 4 feet tall minimum with no horizontal handholds that a child could use to climb. These rules come from South Carolina's swimming-pool safety statutes and are non-negotiable; pool fences are inspected by the building department, not the fire marshal.

Conway's coastal location (Horry County, near the Atlantic) introduces soil and water considerations. The sandy, sometimes waterlogged soils mean that fence posts—especially metal or untreated wood—must be set below the 12-inch frost line and often deeper in areas prone to pluff mud or standing water. The city's building officials often request footing details for any fence near documented wetlands, drainage easements, or subdivisions with high water tables. If your property is in a flood zone (FEMA Zone AE or VE, common in Conway near the Waccamaw River or lower neighborhoods), expect the permit review to include a floodplain administrator sign-off; this adds 1–2 weeks to the timeline. Corner lots and lots with utility easements (gas, electric, storm drain) require a recorded property survey showing the exact fence location relative to the easement centerline; utility companies in Horry County (SCEG, Comporium) must sign off before the city issues final approval. This is one of the biggest delays—utility sign-offs can take 2–4 weeks.

Permit fees in Conway are typically flat-rate or per-linear-foot. A standard rear-yard fence permit runs $75–$150; masonry or pool barriers are $150–$250. The fee is due at submission and is non-refundable if you decide not to build. The city's online portal (accessed via the Conway city website) allows you to upload a site plan, property survey, and fence specs; most homeowners can complete the application in 30 minutes. Over-the-counter approvals for simple rear-yard wood fences under 6 feet are common—you walk in with your application, the counter staff does a quick zoning check, and you leave with an approval the same day. Full review (front-yard fences, masonry, pool barriers, corner lots) takes 1–3 weeks because it includes plat review by the planning department to confirm setbacks. You must also verify HOA restrictions BEFORE filing. Many Conway neighborhoods (especially those near Barefoot Landing or the Intracoastal Waterway) have deed restrictions that limit fence height to 4 feet in front yards or prohibit vinyl in certain colors. The city will note HOA restrictions on your permit but will not enforce them; that is the HOA's job. If your fence violates HOA rules, the HOA can force removal even if the city permits it.

South Carolina state law (SC Code § 40-11-360) allows property owners to pull permits for their own fences—you do not need a licensed contractor. However, the contractor (if you hire one) must provide a homeowner-affidavit statement if they are not licensed; this is a simple form. If you hire a licensed contractor (tile, masonry, general contractor), they should have their own insurance and license number; confirm this matches the city's records before signing a contract. The city does not require a contractor's license for standard wood or vinyl fencing, but masonry fences often involve footing work that triggers structural engineering requirements—if your fence is over 4 feet, expect the engineer's seal on the drawing. This costs $200–$400 but is non-negotiable for masonry.

Final inspection happens after the fence is built. The inspector walks the property, checks that the fence matches the approved plans (height, location, setbacks), confirms the gate operates if it is a pool barrier, and verifies that the footing (on masonry) is below frost line. For pool barriers, the inspector specifically confirms self-closing and self-latching hardware and verifies the 4-foot minimum height with no gaps exceeding 4 inches or 6 inches if vertical gaps are less than 1.75 inches wide (ASTM F1908 language). The inspection typically takes 1–2 business days to schedule and 30 minutes on-site. If the fence fails (e.g., setback violation, wrong height), you receive a corrective-action notice with a deadline—usually 30 days—to fix it and request a re-inspection. Re-inspections are free. If you do not correct within the deadline, the city will issue a violation notice, and the fence can be ordered removed by code enforcement.

Three Conway fence (wood/vinyl/metal/chain-link) scenarios

Scenario A
6-foot wood privacy fence, rear yard, standard residential lot in downtown Conway (no HOA, no easements)
You are building a 6-foot pressure-treated wood privacy fence in the rear yard of a standard subdivision lot (approximately 0.3 acres) with no HOA, no easements, and no front-yard component. This is the most common fence project in Conway and is fully exempt. You do not need a permit; you do not need to file anything with the city. However, verify on the plat or deed that there are no utility easements running across your rear property line—if there is an easement (for drainage, gas, or electric), you must maintain at least 10 feet of clearance from the easement centerline, and you should notify the utility company (SCEG or Comporium) before digging post holes. Sandy coastal soil means frost heave is less of a concern than in northern climates, but you should still set posts at least 12 inches deep (the city's minimum frost depth) and ideally 18–24 inches in any area that pooled water in the last 2 years. Use pressure-treated Southern yellow pine (UC4B rating) or vinyl; concrete footings should be 12 inches in diameter or 6 inches square. Material cost is $25–$40 per linear foot for wood, $50–$80 for vinyl. A typical 150-foot rear fence (three sides of a small lot) runs $3,750–$12,000 installed. No inspection, no permit, no fees. Timeline: order materials and schedule the contractor; fence can be built in 1–2 weeks depending on ground conditions (wet sandy soil can slow digging).
No permit required | Property line survey NOT required if no easements | Pressure-treated pine UC4B or vinyl | 12-18 inch post depth minimum | Total material cost $3,750–$12,000 | No permit fees
Scenario B
4-foot vinyl fence spanning front yard of corner lot in River Oaks subdivision, Myrtle Beach Road area (HOA active, sight-line concern)
You want to install a 4-foot vinyl fence along the front of a corner lot in the River Oaks neighborhood, which has a homeowners association. Even though 4 feet is under the 6-foot threshold, Conway's front-yard rule requires a permit for any fence in a front yard, regardless of height. You must file a permit application with the City of Conway Building Department via the online portal. First, verify River Oaks HOA restrictions—most corner-lot covenants in this area prohibit front-yard fencing altogether or cap height at 3 feet; you MUST obtain HOA approval in writing before submitting to the city. Once you have HOA sign-off, upload to the city a site plan showing the fence location relative to the property lines, the corner's sight triangle (the city will define this as 25 feet along each adjacent road), and confirm the fence is setback at least 5 feet from the street property line (Conway's standard front-yard setback). A recorded survey is strongly recommended because the sight triangle is a recorded easement for corner lots, and utilities (SCEG) will want to confirm the fence does not encroach on their gas-line easement along Myrtle Beach Road. The permit fee is $75–$125. Plan for 1–2 weeks city review due to corner-lot sight-line verification and utility sign-off. Once approved, the fence is built and a final inspection is scheduled; the inspector confirms height, setback, gate operation (if any), and confirms no sight obstruction at the corner intersection. Material cost for 50 linear feet of 4-foot vinyl is $2,500–$4,000 installed.
Permit REQUIRED (front yard) | HOA approval MUST come first | Recorded property survey recommended | Sight-triangle clearance required (25 ft minimum from corner) | Utility company sign-off required | Permit fee $75–$125 | Total with survey + materials $3,500–$5,000 | Timeline: 2-3 weeks with utility delays
Scenario C
6-foot masonry fence (decorative cinder block with stucco), side yard, residential lot near Waccamaw River area with high water table and recorded drainage easement
You are planning a 6-foot masonry fence (cinder block with stucco finish) in the side yard of a property in the lower Conway area near the Waccamaw River, where the water table is high and your property is crossed by a recorded drainage easement serving the neighborhood stormwater system. This project absolutely requires a permit and triggers multiple regulatory layers. First, masonry over 4 feet requires a structural engineer's stamp; you must submit construction drawings showing rebar placement, footing depth, concrete strength, and drainage (weep holes every 32 inches). Footing depth in this area should be below the 12-inch frost line AND below any seasonal water table—expect 24–36 inches based on proximity to the river. The drainage easement across the side yard means you cannot build the fence over the easement centerline without utility company sign-off; this is a recorded easement (usually 10 feet wide) and the stormwater utility operator (Horry County Public Services) must inspect and approve the location. You must file the permit application with the city, including the engineer's drawings, a recorded survey showing the easement location, and proof of property survey cost ($300–$600). The permit fee is $150–$250. The review process includes plat verification (1–2 weeks), engineer review (3–5 days), and utility company review (2–4 weeks, often the longest step). Once approved, a footing inspection is required before you pour concrete (the inspector verifies the depth, width, and rebar), and a final inspection after the fence is complete. Total timeline: 4–8 weeks due to utility delays. Material cost for 80 linear feet of masonry fence is $8,000–$16,000 installed (masonry labor and materials are expensive); engineering cost is $300–$500. If the water table rises and your footing cracks, the engineer-stamped design protects you legally, but remediation (underpinning, rebar injection) can cost $2,000–$5,000.
Permit REQUIRED (height + masonry) | Structural engineer stamp required | Recorded property survey required | Utility company sign-off required (drainage easement) | Footing inspection required before concrete | Permit fee $150–$250 | Engineer fee $300–$500 | Total with materials + labor $8,300–$17,250 | Timeline: 4-8 weeks (utility delays common)

Every project is different.

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Conway's coastal hydrology and fence footings: why sandy soil and pluff mud matter

Conway's location in the Atlantic Coastal Plain creates unique soil conditions that directly affect fence posts. The primary soils are coastal sand (in higher areas) and pluff mud (clay-silt mix in lower, wetter areas near rivers and marshes). Unlike northern climates where frost heave is the dominant concern, Conway's main risk is saturation, subsidence, and post rot. The 12-inch frost depth is genuine—the ground does freeze briefly in winter—but water movement is the real challenge. If your property drains poorly (standing water 2–3 weeks after rain), your footing must account for expansion and contraction of moist soil.

The city's building officials do not explicitly mandate footing depth by location, but they strongly prefer 18–24 inches in any area with a history of drainage issues or near rivers. Posts set 12 inches deep (the minimum frost line) in poor-draining soil may shift vertically as water table fluctuates seasonally. Pressure-treated wood (UC4B rating) resists rot for 30–40 years, but in perpetually damp soil, vinyl or composite posts are better long-term choices. Concrete footings should use 4000-PSI concrete mixed with a water reducer to resist capillary wicking. Many contractors in Conway use 2-foot-deep footings as standard practice; the building inspector will not cite you for going deeper than required.

If your property is in a FEMA floodplain (common near the Waccamaw River or in lower neighborhoods like Barefoot Landing), the city's floodplain administrator must review the fence application. Fences in AE or VE zones must not obstruct floodwater flow; this typically means the fence must have openings or be designed to fail gracefully under water pressure. A solid 6-foot wood fence in a floodplain will be rejected unless it can resist 4 feet of water depth without collapsing—engineering is required and costs $400–$800. Most homeowners in flood zones choose open-slat fencing (every other board missing) or chain-link instead of solid privacy fence.

HOA and easement sign-offs: why they delay Conway fence permits and how to navigate them

Conway's most common permit-process delay is not the city—it is HOA restrictions and utility easement sign-offs. Many neighborhoods (River Oaks, Barefoot Landing, Kings Grant, Barefoot Resort areas) have strict deed restrictions on fence materials, colors, and placement. The HOA restrictions are separate from city code; the city will permit a vinyl fence in a given location, but the HOA may prohibit vinyl or require it to be white or tan only. If you build against HOA restrictions, the HOA can force removal even if the city issued the permit. The city's application form now includes a checkbox asking 'Has HOA approval been obtained?' and the city will not issue final approval until the checkbox is marked. Get your HOA architectural-review letter BEFORE filing with the city; this typically takes 1–3 weeks.

Utility easements are another mandatory stop. If your property is crossed by a gas line (SCEG), electric line (Comporium), water or sewer line (City of Conway utilities), or drainage easement (Horry County stormwater), you cannot build a fence over the easement centerline without the utility company's written sign-off. SCEG in particular is slow—they require a locate request (call 811 at least 48 hours before digging) and then a post-location email approving the fence route. Do not assume your property has no easements; request a title search or plat report from the county recorder's office ($100–$200) to identify all easements. Once identified, contact the utility company by phone and email, provide a site plan with the fence location, and wait for written approval. This step is not optional and is often the longest part of the permitting process—budget 2–4 weeks.

If you skip these checks and build a fence over an undisclosed easement, the utility company can force removal at your cost (often $5,000–$15,000 if the fence must be demolished). The city will also issue a violation and require removal. Many contractors are aware of this risk and will insist on a survey and easement verification before starting work; if your contractor says 'we do not need a survey,' that is a red flag. Use a licensed surveyor (search 'licensed surveyor Horry County SC') to prepare a site plan; cost is typically $400–$800 but is insurance against a costly mistake.

City of Conway Building Department
Conway City Hall, Conway, SC (exact address: check Conway city website for current building department location and hours)
Phone: Contact Conway City Hall main line and request Building Department; or search 'Conway SC building permit phone' for direct number | Conway permit portal available via City of Conway official website (www.conwaysc.org or equivalent; search 'online permit portal')
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (typical; verify on city website, holiday closures apply)

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a replacement fence if I am using the same material and height?

If you are replacing an existing fence with identical material and height in the same location, many jurisdictions treat this as maintenance and exempt it from permit. However, Conway's building department requires verification that the original fence was legally permitted or grandfathered; if you cannot prove the original was legal (e.g., it was installed without a permit in a front yard), the replacement must be permitted. Call the city and ask for a history search on your property; the cost is typically $25–$50. When in doubt, pull a permit; it is faster and cheaper than risking a violation.

Can I build a fence without a surveyor in Conway if I think I know where my property line is?

Not recommended, especially on corner lots or properties with recorded easements. Property-line disputes are common, and if your fence ends up 6 inches over the line, your neighbor can demand removal. A recorded survey costs $300–$600 but is worth it for peace of mind and required by the city for front-yard or corner-lot fences. If you are certain there are no easements and the fence is rear-yard only, you can skip the survey for a basic exemption application, but a survey is still smart protection.

What is the actual fine if I build a fence without a permit in Conway?

Conway Code Enforcement issues a verbal warning on first contact, followed by a formal cease-and-desist notice if you do not stop. Continuing after notice results in civil fines of $100–$500 per day of non-compliance, which can accumulate quickly. You will also be ordered to remove the fence at your cost (often $2,000–$5,000) and will owe the original permit fee when you resubmit. Total exposure: removal cost + back permit fee + daily fines. The city takes this seriously, especially if a neighbor complains.

Do I need to pull a permit for a temporary fence (like for construction or holiday decoration)?

Temporary fencing for construction is often exempt if it is less than 6 feet and is removed within 90 days; however, if it blocks a sight triangle on a corner lot or obstructs utilities, the city may require notification. Decorative temporary fencing (for holiday displays) is treated similarly. Call the city and give them the dates and scope; they may issue a temporary-use permit (free or nominal fee) or just note your intent. Do not assume temporary means exempt—get confirmation in writing.

Pool fences: what exactly does 'self-closing, self-latching gate' mean, and will the inspector really check it?

Self-closing means the gate closes on its own due to a spring hinge; self-latching means it locks automatically when shut. The ASTM F1908 standard specifies that the gate must close from any position and latch without manual pressure. Yes, the inspector will test it—they will open the gate and confirm it closes and latches. Common rejections: gates that close but do not latch, gates that require a hard push to latch, or latches mounted so high that a young child cannot reach them (latch must be between 33 and 54 inches). Hardware cost is $100–$200 for quality self-closing hinges and a heavy-duty latch.

If my HOA says no fence is allowed, can the city override the HOA and permit my fence?

No. The city enforces city code; the HOA enforces deed restrictions. If the city code allows a fence and your HOA does not, the HOA restriction is the controlling law for your property. The city will not issue final approval without HOA sign-off, or if they do, the HOA can still force removal. Always get written HOA approval first. If you dispute the HOA restriction, that is a separate legal matter between you and the HOA; the city stays out of it.

How much does a fence permit cost in Conway, and is the fee refundable?

Standard rear-yard fences under 6 feet: $75–$125. Masonry, pool barriers, or full-review projects: $150–$250. Fees are non-refundable and due at application. If you decide not to build after submitting, the fee is forfeited. Some municipalities offer a credit if you reapply within a certain period, but Conway's policy varies—ask at the time of application.

What if the city's online portal is down or I cannot upload my site plan?

Call the building department and ask if you can submit by email or in person. Most cities accept email backup; just confirm the email address and get a reference number. In-person submission is also available during business hours. Do not wait for the portal to come back up if you are on a deadline; contact the city by phone and clarify the submission method.

Can I build a fence that is taller than 6 feet if it is in my backyard and setback from the property line?

Not without a permit. Conway code caps rear-yard fences at 6 feet unless you obtain a variance from the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA). A variance requires a public hearing and a demonstration of hardship (e.g., privacy need due to topography, neighbor's property condition). Variance cost is $300–$500, and approval is not guaranteed. Most homeowners accept the 6-foot limit rather than pursue a variance, which takes 3–4 months.

If I hire a contractor to build the fence, do they need a license in Conway?

South Carolina does not require a general fence-contractor license at the state level, but Conway may require the contractor to hold a city business license ($50–$150 annually). The contractor must provide proof of liability insurance (at least $300,000 general liability) and a signed contract. If the contractor is not licensed, they should sign a homeowner-affidavit form confirming the work is being done by the property owner (you). Always verify the contractor has a clean record with the Better Business Bureau and ask for references from recent Conway projects.

Disclaimer: This guide is based on research conducted in May 2026 using publicly available sources. Always verify current fence (wood/vinyl/metal/chain-link) permit requirements with the City of Conway Building Department before starting your project.

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