Town of Washington fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Washington? Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Washington 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 Washington (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed source
- Distance from lot line
- Solid fences (less than 50% transparent) are prohibited within highway setbacks; open fences (50% or more transparent) may be placed between the highway setback lines but not within the road right-of-way. Highway setbacks: Class 1 highways 60 ft from centerline, Class 2 and 3 highways 80 ft from centerline (each with a minimum distance from the right-of-way line). Nothing may encroach on the vision clearance area at highway and railway intersections (150 ft along Class 1 and 2 highway centerlines, 250 ft along Class 3 highways and railways). source
- How to apply
- Online portal, email, in person source
Still being confirmed with Washington: Does La Crosse County require a Zoning/Occupancy permit for a residential fence outside shoreland/floodplain areas, and what is the fee?
How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Washington
Steps based on lacrossecounty.org — permits
- Call or email La Crosse County Zoning (608-785-9722, [email protected]) to confirm whether your fence needs a Zoning/Occupancy permit.
- If one is needed, apply on the County Permit Portal, or email or bring a printable application to Room 1300, 212 6th St. N, La Crosse, with a site sketch of the lot.
- Along a highway, use only an open fence inside the highway setback, and keep it out of the road right-of-way.
- Pay the fee (credit card online; cash, check or card in person). Post the Zoning/Occupancy placard where it is visible from the road until work is done.
- Check with your town about any town building permit.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Credit cards online; cash, check or card in person. After-the-fact permits are doubled.
- Permit good for
- Zoning/Occupancy permits expire 24 months from issuance
Who to contact
Brock Tokach
Zoning Administrator
- Phone
- 608-785-5744
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- Address
- La Crosse County Zoning, Planning & Land Information, Administrative Center Room 1300, 212 6th Street North, La Crosse, WI 54601
Contact from lacrossecounty.org — about us
What to submit
- Zoning/Occupancy permit application (online Permit Portal or printable application)
- Map/site sketch showing the lot, existing and proposed construction, septic system and private well
Other rules to know
- The Town of Washington follows the La crosse County zoning ordinance, so fence permits come from the county zoning office, not the town.
- Sources conflict: the County Zoning FAQ answers 'Do I Need a Permit For a Deck, Fence, Pool...' with 'Yes, anything that occupies a place or space on the ground is considered a structure and requires a permit,' but the Town of Holland's Building Permits page says 'A zoning permit is not required for fences in La Crosse County.'
- The County zoning code (Ch. 17) has no residential fence height limits; its fence rules are about highway setbacks and vision clearance.
- Town of Holland guidance (town page, not county code): privacy fences must meet the front building setback, fences in front of it must be open (chain link, picket); no setback from side or rear lines; a fence over 6 ft may be a nuisance under state statute; check subdivision covenants.
- Accessory structures of 100 sq ft or less outside the Floodplain and Shoreland Districts are exempt from a Zoning Occupancy permit, but setbacks still apply.
- Shoreland or floodplain property: nearly any construction needs a County permit ($125 land use permit).
- 2026 County fee schedule lists 'Residential Additions, Alterations, Accessory Buildings, Signs - $125.00'; no fence line. After-the-fact permits are doubled.
- Towns issue their own building permits (many through General Engineering Company); check with the town too.
- The Town of Campbell is now the Village of French Island, and the Town of Burns has its own zoning; neither is covered here.
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 Washington, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Washington before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance. Sources conflict: the County Zoning FAQ answers 'Do I Need a Permit For a Deck, Fence, Pool...' with 'Yes, anything that occupies a place or space on the ground is considered a structure and requires a permit,' but the Town of Holland's Building Permits page says 'A zoning permit is not required for fences in La Crosse County.'
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Town of Washington?
Solid fences (less than 50% transparent) are prohibited within highway setbacks; open fences (50% or more transparent) may be placed between the highway setback lines but not within the road right-of-way. Highway setbacks: Class 1 highways 60 ft from centerline, Class 2 and 3 highways 80 ft from centerline (each with a minimum distance from the right-of-way line). Nothing may encroach on the vision clearance area at highway and railway intersections (150 ft along Class 1 and 2 highway centerlines, 250 ft along Class 3 highways and railways).
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Washington?
Call or email La Crosse County Zoning (608-785-9722, [email protected]) to confirm whether your fence needs a Zoning/Occupancy permit. If one is needed, apply on the County Permit Portal, or email or bring a printable application to Room 1300, 212 6th St. N, La Crosse, with a site sketch of the lot. Along a highway, use only an open fence inside the highway setback, and keep it out of the road right-of-way. Pay the fee (credit card online; cash, check or card in person). Post the Zoning/Occupancy placard where it is visible from the road until work is done. Check with your town about any town building permit. permit.guide can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the Town of Washington (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Washington?
Brock Tokach, Zoning Administrator. Phone 608-785-5744, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the Town of Washington's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
- lacrossecounty.org — faq
- lacrossecounty.org — permits
- lacrossecounty.org — fees
- lacrossecounty.org — about us
- energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
- townofhollandwi.gov — building permits
- townofhollandwi.gov — zoningbrochure
- townofshelbywi.gov — inspection department
- frenchislandwi.gov — permits forms
- lacrossecounty.org — directory
Work for the Town of Washington? 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.