Town of Rockland fence permit

How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Rockland

1. Call Manitowoc County Planning & Zoning (920-683-4185) and your town clerk to confirm whether your fence needs a county zoning-setback permit or a town permit.
2. Keep fences out of the road right-of-way; open fences are allowed in the highway setback area and sight triangle without a county permit.
3. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.

Other rules to know

• The Town of Rockland follows the Manitowoc County zoning ordinance, so fence permits come from the county zoning office, not the town.
• The Town of Mishicot's building-requirements handout says of fences: "A permit is not required from the County or Town" and that "there are no setbacks established from lot lines to a fence," but advises leaving room between the property line and the fence. This is the only source found that speaks directly to fences under county zoning.
• County Ch. 8 §8.50(1) requires a zoning permit before any structure is constructed, and §8.07 defines structure broadly (including walls), but neither the ordinance nor the county's permit form names fences.
• County Ch. 10 (Setbacks) §10.11(6): no object that obstructs the view may be placed in the minimum sight triangle unless a permit allows it; open fences are expressly allowed there (§10.13(2)) and in the highway setback area (§10.12(2)) without a permit.
• Some towns have their own building-permit rules: the Town of Manitowoc requires a $15 town building permit for improvements valued over $1,000, and the Town of Manitowoc Rapids says a town building permit is required for all improvements. Neither page mentions fences.
• The Town of Eaton requires a building permit for projects that increase property value by $1,000 (obtained through Building Inspector Brian Witkowski), and the Town of Schleswig requires one for construction and remodeling costing more than $1,000 ("Exterior landscaping does not require permits"). Neither page mentions fences.
• The county's Planning & Zoning page lists Centerville as county-zoned, but the county's 2025 Rezone Brochure says Centerville, Franklin and Newton are town-zoned; those three have their own entries.
• County Zoning-Setback Permit fees (if staff say a permit is needed): $124 accessory structure; fees double if work starts before permits are obtained.

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

Sources

Summarized from the Town of Rockland's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.

Ordinance: Manitowoc County Code Ch. 10 Setbacks §10.12(2), §10.13(2) (open fences); Ch. 8 General Zoning §8.50

1. manitowoccountywi.gov
2. manitowoccountywi.gov — Rezone Brochure
3. energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
4. manitowoccountywi.gov — Chapter 10 Setbacks 2022 0215
5. manitowoccountywi.gov — Zoning Setback Permit Application
6. manitowoccountywi.gov — Guide to Building update
7. manitowoccountywi.gov — planning and zoning
8. townofmishicot.org — requirements for new building construction 5 5 25
9. manitowoccountywi.gov — zoning permit
10. townofmanitowoc.org — forms permits
11. townofmanitowocrapids.org — copy of permits
12. tn.eaton-manitowoc.wi.gov — building
13. townofschleswig.com — licenses permits
14. townoftworivers.wi.gov — building
15. townofgibsonwi.gov — permits
16. townofcooperstownwi.gov — building inspection
17. manitowoccountywi.gov — 2025 2026 Directory
18. manitowoccountywi.gov — Listing of Clerks 10 25