Which side of the fence faces out? The Miami-Dade 'finished side' rule explained

Miami-Dade County Code Section 33-11(b)(2) requires that the finished side of a fence face outward — toward your neighbor or the street — and that the unfinished side and supporting posts face inward, toward the interior of your own property. It's one of the most-violated and most-disputed fence rules in the county, and it's the source of an unusually high share of code-enforcement letters in residential neighborhoods.

The rule sounds simple. In practice, homeowners and contractors get it wrong all the time — sometimes because the finished side gives the property owner less of the "good-looking" view of their own fence, sometimes because the contractor installed it whichever way was faster, sometimes because no one mentioned it before the project started. The consequence: a Notice of Violation, an after-the-fact requirement to turn the fence around (or finish the back side), and occasionally a neighbor dispute that ends up at code enforcement.

What the code actually says

Quoting Miami-Dade County Code Section 33-11(b)(2) directly:

A fence with a finished and unfinished side shall:
(i) be erected so that the unfinished side and supporting members face inward toward the interior of the property; and
(ii) have the finished side facing the neighboring property or street (outward).

Two things this means in practice:

1. You — the property owner — look at the unfinished side from inside your own yard. The posts, the support rails, the bracing, the "back side" of the fence — that's what faces you. It's not a mistake; it's the law.
2. Your neighbors and anyone passing on the street get the clean, finished side of the fence as part of the visual streetscape.

Why the rule exists

Two reasons, both reasonable:

• Aesthetic uniformity of the streetscape. Miami-Dade Code Chapter 33 treats fences as part of the visible character of the neighborhood. Forcing the finished side outward means everyone walking or driving by sees a consistent, finished appearance regardless of which property the fence belongs to.
• Fairness to neighbors. The unfinished side of a typical wood or composite fence — exposed posts, horizontal support rails, visible fasteners — is significantly less attractive. Without the rule, every homeowner would install their fence to give themselves the good view at the neighbor's expense.

What counts as "finished"

The code doesn't define "finished side" with material-by-material specificity, but the building department's standard interpretation:

• Wood and composite fences: The smooth, planked side (the side without exposed posts and rails) is the finished side.
• Vinyl fences: Most vinyl fences are designed with a finished appearance on both sides — these are sometimes called "good-neighbor" fences and don't trigger this rule because there's no unfinished side.
• Aluminum and ornamental iron: Similar to vinyl — typically finished on both sides, no orientation rule applies.
• Chain link: No "finished" side per se — but additional restrictions apply on where chain link can be installed (Section 33-11(a)(2)). See our Miami-Dade fence permit guide for chain link rules.
• CBS walls (concrete block / stucco): Per Section 33-11(b)(4), both sides of a CBS wall must be completely finished with stucco and paint. So no "unfinished side" exists for a properly installed CBS wall.
• Decorative masonry walls: Per Section 33-11(b)(5), both sides must be completely painted, unless the wall is decorative brick or natural stone with the cement and grout finished on both sides.

The short version: if your fence has an obvious "good side" and "bad side," the good side faces out. If both sides look the same, the rule isn't triggered.

The shared-property-line situation

Section 33-11(b)(6) addresses what happens when a fence sits on a shared property line and the neighbor's consent is needed to finish the side facing them. Quoting:

If a wall is to be placed on a shared property line, consent for access must be obtained from the adjoining property owner(s) prior to finishing the opposite side of the wall.

If the neighbor won't consent or doesn't respond:

• The property owner installing the fence must document the attempt — a request for access approval sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) to the neighbor's address as listed on the Miami-Dade tax roll
• If the certified mail comes back undeliverable, or the neighbor doesn't respond within 30 days, the property owner is not required to finish the opposite side of the wall
• The documentation must be retained as proof if code enforcement later questions the unfinished side

This is a real workaround for the common situation where a neighbor refuses to allow the fence installer onto their property to finish the back side. Document the request, send it certified mail, and the obligation is satisfied even if the back side never gets finished.

What happens if you install the fence backwards

If a code-enforcement officer identifies a fence installed with the unfinished side facing outward (toward the street or the neighbor), the standard sequence:

1. Courtesy notice — informal warning with a short window to correct (typically 30 days)
2. Notice of Violation if not corrected — formal citation specifying Section 33-11(b)(2), with a cure period (typically 30–60 days)
3. Daily fine accrual if not cured — starting at $250+ per day for residential violations
4. Eventual code-enforcement hearing and possible recorded lien if fines accumulate without resolution

Resolution options:

• Turn the fence around — disassemble, reverse, reinstall. Most expensive option, particularly for long fence runs.
• Finish the originally-unfinished side — add planking, paint, or other finishing material to the back side so both sides appear finished. Often cheaper than reinstallation.
• Replace with a "good-neighbor" fence — wood or composite fences designed to be finished on both sides eliminate the issue.
• Document the shared-property-line workaround if applicable — see above.

If a permit was originally pulled and the inspector signed off on the installation, the homeowner may have grounds to challenge the violation — but if the permit was never pulled, the violation will typically also include the unpermitted-work component, which doubles the after-the-fact permit fee under the "double fee" rule (see our guide on working without a permit).

What to do before installing a fence

• ☐ Confirm the rule applies to your fence material (skip if both sides are identical)
• ☐ Specify the orientation in your contractor agreement before installation begins
• ☐ Pull the building permit so the inspector signs off on the orientation
• ☐ If on a shared property line, request the neighbor's consent in writing before installation
• ☐ Confirm whether your HOA has any additional finished-side requirements (some go beyond the county rule)

For existing fences that are already installed backwards, the most cost-effective path is usually to add finishing material to the originally-unfinished side rather than reinstall — but the right answer depends on the fence style, the length of the run, and whether other violations are tied to the same fence.

Permit Solutions Services is a Miami-based specialist firm resolving permit violations, after-the-fact permits, and complex compliance cases across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. For fence permit coordination or after-the-fact resolution, request a free MyHausFax™ Snapshot or call 305-600-9422.