City of Lake Mills fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Lake Mills? Yes. The City of Lake Mills requires a permit before you build a fence.
permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Lake Mills (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft or less (8 ft or less when adjacent to a nonresidential use) source
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft in front and street yards, maximum 50% opacity; the Zoning Enforcement Officer may allow up to 6 ft with a 10-foot setback and a landscaping plan source
- Corner lots
- 15-foot clear vision triangle on both sides of driveway openings onto a public right-of-way source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences may sit on the property line; front and street yard fences need at least a one-foot setback, and no fence or decorative post may be closer than one foot to the right-of-way line. source
- Good side faces
- The finished side of the fence shall face outward from the property line; visible supports and structural components toward the subject property. source
- Not allowed
- Wire-mesh fencing is not permitted within required front yard or street yard areas or around swimming pools; barbed wire only for nonresidential security fences at heights of 10 ft or more. source
- How to apply
- In person source
Still being confirmed with Lake Mills: What is the fence zoning permit fee, and can the application be emailed instead of brought to City Hall?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Lake Mills
Steps based on cityoflakemills.zoninghub.com — ApplicationForms
- Call City Offices (920-648-2344) to get the zoning permit application for a fence.
- Get an approved zoning permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer before building.
- Pay review fees by check made payable to the City of Lake Mills at City Hall.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Check payable to the City of Lake Mills, submitted at City Hall
- Review time
- Zoning Enforcement Officer; may take up to ten (10) business days to process
Who to contact
- Phone
- 920-648-2344
- Hours
- Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm
- Address
- City Offices, 200D Water Street, Lake Mills, WI 53551 (fees by check payable to the City of Lake Mills)
Contact from cityoflakemills.zoninghub.com — Procedures
What to submit
- Zoning permit application
Other rules to know
- Allowed residential materials: wood, stone, brick, vinyl, wrought iron, chain link and wire mesh (wire mesh not in front/street yards or around pools). Other materials need Zoning Enforcement Officer approval.
- Fences must be kept in good repair.
- Fees are in the 'Lake Mills Building Inspection Fee Schedule (October 2025)', which could not be opened.
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 Lake Mills, WI?
Yes. The City of Lake Mills requires a permit before you build a fence.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Lake Mills?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft or less (8 ft or less when adjacent to a nonresidential use). Front (street) yard: 4 ft in front and street yards, maximum 50% opacity; the Zoning Enforcement Officer may allow up to 6 ft with a 10-foot setback and a landscaping plan. Corner lots: 15-foot clear vision triangle on both sides of driveway openings onto a public right-of-way.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Lake Mills?
Fences may sit on the property line; front and street yard fences need at least a one-foot setback, and no fence or decorative post may be closer than one foot to the right-of-way line.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Lake Mills?
The finished side of the fence shall face outward from the property line; visible supports and structural components toward the subject property.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Lake Mills?
Call City Offices (920-648-2344) to get the zoning permit application for a fence. Get an approved zoning permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer before building. Pay review fees by check made payable to the City of Lake Mills at City Hall. 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 Lake Mills (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Lake Mills?
Zoning Administrator / City Offices. Phone 920-648-2344.
Sources
Summarized from the City of Lake Mills's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Zoning Code §660-14 Fences (Ord. No. 1266, 7-16-2024)
Work for the City of Lake Mills? 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.