Town of Westport fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Westport? Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Westport 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 Town of Westport (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft in a front yard source
- Corner lots
- 4 ft in the street side yard of a corner lot; 2 1/2 ft in a vision clearance triangle (solid fences over 20% opacity max 30 inches there) source
- How to apply
- Online portal source
Still being confirmed with Westport: Does the Town of Westport require a permit for a residential fence 6 ft or shorter, and does its building code still contain a fence section (formerly Sec. 10-1-10)?
How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Westport
Steps based on townofwestport.org — Building Inspection and Permits
- Ask the Town / General Engineering Company (608-849-5613) whether your fence needs a zoning or building permit (a land use permit is required if over 6 ft and more than 50% opaque).
- If a permit is needed, apply through the GEC Online Permit Application portal and upload your plans; wait for an approved permit before starting.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
- Phone
- 608-849-5613
- Hours
- Office Mon & Wed 8-9 am and 12-1 pm; Tue & Thu 8-9 am
Contact from townofwestport.org — directory
What to submit
- Zoning permit (Town forms: Westport only, or joint Waunakee/Westport or Middleton/Westport)
- Parcel number and electronic plans for the online portal
Other rules to know
- Fences and walls more than 6 ft tall and more than 50% opaque are 'structures' needing a land use permit (Zoning Ordinance 10-9-1.096(3)(a)); the ordinance doesn't say whether shorter or more open fences need one.
- Westport has its own Town Zoning Ordinance (Title 10 Ch. 9, amended June 19, 2023) rather than the Dane County ordinance.
- A Town building-code fence section previously cited (Title 10 Ch. 1, Sec. 10-1-10) is no longer posted on the Town's current website, so its permit, height, finished-side and material rules were removed.
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 Town of Westport, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Westport before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
How tall can a fence be in the Town of Westport?
Front (street) yard: 4 ft in a front yard. Corner lots: 4 ft in the street side yard of a corner lot; 2 1/2 ft in a vision clearance triangle (solid fences over 20% opacity max 30 inches there).
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Westport?
Ask the Town / General Engineering Company (608-849-5613) whether your fence needs a zoning or building permit (a land use permit is required if over 6 ft and more than 50% opaque). If a permit is needed, apply through the GEC Online Permit Application portal and upload your plans; wait for an approved permit before starting. 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 Town of Westport (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Westport?
Building/HVAC/Plumbing/Electrical Inspector, General Engineering Company. Phone 608-849-5613.
Sources
Summarized from the Town of Westport's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Town Zoning Ordinance 10-9-1.075(3) and 10-9-1.096(3)
Work for the Town of Westport? 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.