Before a new fence goes up in Bedford or anywhere in Bedford County, four things are worth checking: local permit and height rules, any HOA or deed rules, where the property lines are, and where buried utilities run. This guide covers what the local offices say, checked in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the office before you build.
Do you need a fence permit in Bedford, VA?
- In the Town of Bedford, the building office lists fences of any height among work that doesn’t need a building permit, unless the fence is concrete or masonry over 6 feet or serves as a swimming pool barrier (Town of Bedford building permits).
- In Bedford County, the Planning & Zoning office says its zoning permit for small structures isn’t required for fences (Bedford County Planning & Zoning). Check height and setback rules for your zoning district with the same office.
- Lots on Smith Mountain Lake also fall under Appalachian Power’s Shoreline Management Plan for the area inside the project boundary (the 800-foot contour), so check it before running a fence toward the water (Smith Mountain Project shoreline management).
Who to ask: Town of Bedford Building Inspections (in town) or Bedford County Planning & Zoning (in the county). If the property is in an HOA, check its rules too; they’re often stricter than the town’s about height, style and color.
Call Virginia 811 before any post hole
Virginia law requires anyone digging, including for fence posts, to contact Virginia 811 at least 3 working days in advance (weekends and legal holidays don’t count). It’s free: call 811 or submit a request online (Virginia 811). Utilities mark their lines with paint or flags. Private lines, like a line to a shop or a well, aren’t marked, so point those out to the installer.
Know your property lines
Fences are usually set a little inside the property line, not on it. If you aren’t sure where the line is, look for the corner pins from your survey, or check the county’s GIS map as a rough guide. A new survey is the only way to be certain on a close call with a neighbor.
Lake lots, rolling ground and rock
Around Moneta and Huddleston, lake lots slope toward the water and often have docks, walls and shoreline plantings to work around. Further west toward Forest and Montvale, it’s rolling farm ground with clay and rock in the post holes.
On rocky ground, the post spacing sometimes has to shift a little to get every post to full depth. Tell the installer if you already know where rock sits.
What to have ready for an estimate
- Roughly how many feet of fence, and where it starts and stops
- How many gates, and how wide (a mower or truck gate is wider than a walk gate)
- What the fence is for: privacy, pets, a pool, livestock or looks
- The material you lean toward: wood, vinyl, chain link, or farm and field fence
- Any slope, rock, trees or brush along the line
- Your permit or HOA answer, if you already have one
Get a fence estimate in Bedford
We cover Bedford, Forest, Goode, Montvale, Moneta and Huddleston and the rest of Bedford County. See fence installation, privacy fences, farm and field fence and fence repair, or request a free estimate.
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