City of Watertown fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Watertown? Yes. The City of Watertown 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 Watertown (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
- 8 ft in residential districts (10 ft commercial/industrial) source
- Front (street) yard
- Front yard 4 ft; street-side yard 6 ft (§550-123 table). Note: §550-82 says front/street yard fences may not exceed 3 ft. source
- Corner lots
- Within a traffic visibility triangle (§550-106), nothing may obstruct sight lines over 2.5 ft above the roadbed source
- Distance from lot line
- No fence, wall or decorative post closer than 2 ft to the front yard or street yard property line. Fences may sit on side or rear property lines; the owner must locate the corner stakes or establish the line by survey. source
- Good side faces
- Visible supports and structural components must face toward the subject property. source
- Not allowed
- Wire mesh in required front or street yard setbacks (residential); barbed wire in nonresidential districts except industrial security fences. Street-yard fences max 60% opaque. source
- How to apply
- Call 920-262-4000 source
Still being confirmed with Watertown: Is the front-yard fence limit 4 ft (§550-123 table) or 3 ft (§550-82)? Is the fence permit fee still $10, is 920-262-4060 still the Building, Safety & Zoning line, and are permits still valid one year?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Watertown
Steps based on watertownwi.gov — building safety zoning
- Locate your property corner stakes (or have a survey done) and check easements, deed restrictions and covenants.
- Get the fence permit application from the Building, Safety & Zoning Department (Permit/Application Forms page, or call City Hall at 920-262-4000).
- Turn it in with the fee from the BS&Z fee schedule; one of the City's inspectors reviews it.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Review time
- Fence permits require review by one of the City's inspectors
Who to contact
- Phone
- 920-262-4000
- Address
- City of Watertown, 106 Jones Street, P.O. Box 477, Watertown, WI 53094
Contact from watertownwi.gov — building safety zoning
What to submit
- Fence permit application
- Property line location (corner stakes or survey)
Other rules to know
- Fencing standards apply to fences and walls 30 inches or taller.
- Check deed restrictions, subdivision covenants and easements; easements require a minimum setback.
- Code text read from the Zoneomics mirror of the City Zoning Code (Ch. 550).
- The Building, Safety & Zoning fee schedule is linked from the department page (BS&Z Fee Schedule).
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 Watertown, WI?
Yes. The City of Watertown requires a permit before you build a fence.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Watertown?
Side and rear yards: 8 ft in residential districts (10 ft commercial/industrial). Front (street) yard: Front yard 4 ft; street-side yard 6 ft (§550-123 table). Note: §550-82 says front/street yard fences may not exceed 3 ft.. Corner lots: Within a traffic visibility triangle (§550-106), nothing may obstruct sight lines over 2.5 ft above the roadbed.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Watertown?
No fence, wall or decorative post closer than 2 ft to the front yard or street yard property line. Fences may sit on side or rear property lines; the owner must locate the corner stakes or establish the line by survey.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Watertown?
Visible supports and structural components must face toward the subject property.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Watertown?
Locate your property corner stakes (or have a survey done) and check easements, deed restrictions and covenants. Get the fence permit application from the Building, Safety & Zoning Department (Permit/Application Forms page, or call City Hall at 920-262-4000). Turn it in with the fee from the BS&Z fee schedule; one of the City's inspectors reviews it. 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 Watertown (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Watertown?
Building, Safety & Zoning Department (via City Hall). Phone 920-262-4000.
Sources
Summarized from the City of Watertown's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Zoning Code §550-123 Fencing Standards
Work for the City of Watertown? 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.