Do not use the livestock statute as a residential rule
Florida Statutes Chapter 588 addresses legal fences, livestock, and adjoining land used for agriculture. It does not answer where a privacy fence belongs on an ordinary subdivision lot. For a residential project, begin with the local building and zoning office.
Florida creates separate checks
Local approval
Ask whether the proposed height, material, gates, and lot location require approval. Requirements differ by jurisdiction. The City of Orlando's fence guide, for example, has address-specific permit triggers and calls for a site plan drawn on a survey when a permit is needed. Its rules apply in Orlando, not statewide.
Boundary
A permit sketch can show where you propose to build, but it does not establish ownership. If the corners cannot be verified or the fence will follow a disputed line, ask a professional surveyor and mapper whose license can be checked through the Florida licensing board what work is needed.
Easements and site constraints
Recorded utility or drainage easements can affect a fence even when it remains inside the property. Waterfront, coastal, floodplain, and HOA-controlled properties may add separate reviews. Send the recorded plat and title material to the surveyor, then ask the relevant authority what construction is allowed.
When an existing survey may be enough
Give an existing survey to the local office and the original surveyor, if available. Ask whether it reflects later improvements and whether its field monuments can still be identified. Do not scale a fence location from a PDF or assume every line is a boundary; easements, setbacks, and restriction lines serve different purposes.
What to request from the surveyor
Identify the fence side, planned gates, and local submission requirement. Ask whether the estimate includes recovering or setting corners, intermediate line stakes, a signed drawing, and a return visit if stakes are disturbed. Include the address, parcel ID, deed, plat, prior survey, and any comments from the local reviewer.
Build after the handoff is clear
Walk the marked line with the contractor before digging. Decide whether the posts will be on the line or inside your property and put that instruction in the contract. Photograph the marks and request utility marking before digging. Utility locating and boundary surveying solve different problems.