City of Columbus fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Columbus? Not confirmed. Contact the City of Columbus before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Columbus (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft in residential districts source
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft in the front yard (vision triangle rules apply) source
- Corner lots
- 20-ft vision triangle: no object except tree trunks, posts and wire fences above 2½ ft. On a through lot both street lines count as front lot lines. source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences may be located up to lot lines. A property survey is required before building any fence less than two feet from any property line. No permanent fences in public street or alley rights-of-way without council authorization. source
- Good side faces
- Structural members face the property on which the fence is located, unless it is a "good neighbor style" fence that looks the same on both sides. source
- Not allowed
- Barbed wire or other sharp-pointed fences and electrically charged fences (barbed wire allowed in industrial districts at 6 ft or more above ground; electric fences allowed in the RD rural development district for livestock). source
- How to apply
- Call (920) 350-5894
Still being confirmed with Columbus: Does the City of Columbus require a zoning certificate or building permit for a residential fence, and who issues it?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Columbus
- Call the City's Community and Economic Development office to ask whether your fence needs a zoning certificate or permit.
- Building within 2 ft of a property line? Get a property survey first.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
Mike Kornmann
Director of Community and Economic Development
- Phone
- (920) 350-5894
- [email protected]
Contact from mccmeetingspublic.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net — ITEM Attachment 001 3f8f9f00004142bcb9f44a42c54ac226
What to submit
- Property survey if the fence will be less than 2 ft from a property line
Other rules to know
- The zoning code (Sec. 114-49) requires a certificate of zoning compliance before a new structure is erected, with a fee from the adopted fee schedule; it does not say specifically whether fences need one.
- The City contracts building inspection (2024 RFP under Chapter 18); the inspector calculates permit fees and City staff process payments, and the inspector coordinates permit reviews with the Zoning Administrator. No City page says whether a fence needs a permit.
Before you dig
Call Diggers Hotline at 811 (or file online at diggershotline.com) at least 3 business days before digging post holes. Find your lot corner markers and keep the fence on your side of the line. County parcel maps can be off by several feet; if you're not sure where the line is, a licensed land surveyor can stake it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in the City of Columbus, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the City of Columbus before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance. The City contracts building inspection (2024 RFP under Chapter 18); the inspector calculates permit fees and City staff process payments, and the inspector coordinates permit reviews with the Zoning Administrator. No City page says whether a fence needs a permit.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Columbus?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft in residential districts. Front (street) yard: 4 ft in the front yard (vision triangle rules apply). Corner lots: 20-ft vision triangle: no object except tree trunks, posts and wire fences above 2½ ft. On a through lot both street lines count as front lot lines..
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Columbus?
Fences may be located up to lot lines. A property survey is required before building any fence less than two feet from any property line. No permanent fences in public street or alley rights-of-way without council authorization.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Columbus?
Structural members face the property on which the fence is located, unless it is a "good neighbor style" fence that looks the same on both sides.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Columbus?
Call the City's Community and Economic Development office to ask whether your fence needs a zoning certificate or permit. Building within 2 ft of a property line? Get a property survey first. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging. permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Columbus (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Columbus?
Mike Kornmann, Director of Community and Economic Development. Phone (920) 350-5894, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Columbus's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Columbus Zoning Code Ch. 114, Sec. 114-101 Fences; Sec. 114-99 vision triangle
Work for the City of Columbus? Help us keep this right
If anything on this page is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it. Municipal staff reports are reviewed first. Please include a link to the current ordinance, form or fee schedule if you can.