Town of Adams fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Adams? Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Adams 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 Adams (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed source
- Fee
- $230.00 (county fee schedule lists "fences which require permits" under "Other types of land uses", effective June 1, 2026) source
- Corner lots
- Fences, walls and hedges shall not exceed two and one-half feet (2-1/2') in height in a vision clearance triangle (open wire fences that don't obstruct the view are excepted) source
- Distance from lot line
- The county ordinance sets no fence-specific lot-line setback. "Open fences" are listed among structures permitted within highway setback lines (§4-3-5-4(A)). source
- How to apply
- Call 608-328-9423 source
Still being confirmed with Adams: Does a fence 6 ft or lower in a town need a Green County zoning permit?
How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Adams
Steps based on greencountywi.org — Steps for Obtaining Permits PDF
- Call Green County Land Use & Zoning (608-328-9423) to ask whether your fence needs a county zoning permit; fences over 6 ft are treated as buildings.
- If a permit is needed, schedule an appointment and bring a site plan showing the fence and its distances to the road and lot lines, plus your tax parcel number.
- Pay the county fee ($230.00 for fences that require permits).
- Ask your town chair or clerk whether the town also requires a permit.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- $230.00 per the county zoning fee schedule (effective June 1, 2026)
Who to contact
Adam Wiegel
Zoning Administrator, Green County Land Use & Zoning
- Phone
- 608-328-9423
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Mon-Fri 8 am-4:30 pm
- Address
- Green County Land Use & Zoning, Green County Courthouse, 1016 16th Avenue, Monroe, WI 53566
Contact from greencountywi.org — Directory
Other rules to know
- The Town of Adams follows the Green County zoning ordinance, so fence permits come from the county zoning office, not the town.
- "Fences and walls more than six feet (6') in height shall be considered as buildings" (§4-3-2-4(F)(6)(a)), so they must meet building setbacks and permit rules.
- Decorative and gate posts up to 48 inches tall and 24 inches wide need no zoning permit, but may not sit in a road right-of-way or block drivers' view.
- The county zoning ordinance applies to all unincorporated areas of Green County (§4-2-1); the ordinance copy used is the archived 2022 version on energyzoning.org.
- Some towns have their own building permit ordinances (for example the Town of Exeter's building code requires a permit for any new structure, and does not mention fences); ask your town too.
- The Town of York's fencing ordinance (Ord. 08-1) covers fence viewers for partition-fence disputes ($50 deposit, $40 per diem per incident), not permits.
- Town of Brooklyn (Green County) is included here; the Village of Brooklyn is covered under Dane County.
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 Adams, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Adams before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Town of Adams?
The county ordinance sets no fence-specific lot-line setback. "Open fences" are listed among structures permitted within highway setback lines (§4-3-5-4(A)).
How much is a fence permit in the Town of Adams?
$230.00 (county fee schedule lists "fences which require permits" under "Other types of land uses", effective June 1, 2026).
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Adams?
Call Green County Land Use & Zoning (608-328-9423) to ask whether your fence needs a county zoning permit; fences over 6 ft are treated as buildings. If a permit is needed, schedule an appointment and bring a site plan showing the fence and its distances to the road and lot lines, plus your tax parcel number. Pay the county fee ($230.00 for fences that require permits). Ask your town chair or clerk whether the town also requires a permit. 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 Adams (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Adams?
Adam Wiegel, Zoning Administrator, Green County Land Use & Zoning. Phone 608-328-9423, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the Town of Adams's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Green County Code Title 4 Zoning, §4-3-2-4(F)(6) Fences
- energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
- greencountywi.org — Zoning Fee Schedule PDF
- greencountywi.org — Directory
- greencountywi.org — Steps for Obtaining Permits PDF
- greencountywi.org — Setbacks and Highlights of Zoning Requirements PDF
- greencountywi.org — Town Building Inspectors PDF
- green.extension.wisc.edu — Zoning in Green County Adam Wiegel
- townofyork.org — Fencing Ordinance 08 01
- storage.googleapis.com — Town of Exeter Building Code Ordinance
- townofexeter-wi.gov — frequently asked questions
- ecode360.com — Municipal code
Work for the Town of Adams? 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.