City of Kaukauna fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Kaukauna? Yes. The City of Kaukauna 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 Kaukauna (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Fee
- $60.00 source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft (72 inches) source
- Front (street) yard
- 3½ ft (42 inches) in the front yard, with at least 50% through-visibility source
- Corner lots
- Vision setback: nothing blocking vision more than 2½ ft above street centerline grade within the area set by the street lines and points 50 ft from the intersection (10 ft at a street-alley intersection) source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences may be up to the property line (finished surface at the line) except where an easement or setback says otherwise. Not onto neighboring property and not in the area between the curb and the street lot line. source
- Good side faces
- Supporting vertical and horizontal framing members must face the interior of the lot. source
- Not allowed
- Barbed wire, razor wire, old doors, chicken wire, sheet metal and plywood; fences designed to produce an electric shock (barbed/razor wire allowed only where IND Industrial zoning allows it). Use approved fence wire or treated fence wood. source
- How to apply
- Online portal, email, mail, in person source
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Kaukauna
Steps based on kaukauna.gov
- Find and mark your property line on site (expose the property stakes and run a string line). Engineering (920.766.6305) may have a plat map.
- Create a Cloudpermit account and fill out the Fence Permit application with the fence location, materials, height, length and total cost (applications are also accepted in person, by email or by mail).
- Pay the $60.00 fence permit fee in person, by mail or in the 24-hour drop box at 144 W. 2nd St.
- Provide a sealed survey if the Building Inspector asks for one.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- $60.00 (Residential Fee Schedule 2026); pay in person, by mail (P.O. Box 890, Kaukauna, WI 54130) or in the 24-hour drop box at 144 W. 2nd St.
- Inspections
- The inspector checks fences that are (or are alleged to be) improperly installed; contact is usually only needed if a construction or location problem is found
Who to contact
Brett Jensen
Building Inspector
- Phone
- 920.766.6315
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Mon-Fri 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (summer hours May 28-Sept 2: Mon-Thu 7:30 AM-4:30 PM, Fri 7:30-11:00 AM)
- Address
- City of Kaukauna Building Inspection, 144 W. 2nd Street (mail: P.O. Box 890), Kaukauna, WI 54130
Contact from kaukauna.gov — building inspection
What to submit
- Online fence permit application (Cloudpermit) with fence location, materials, height, length and total cost
- Property line marked on site (exposed property stakes/irons and a string line)
- Survey signed and sealed by a Wisconsin registered land surveyor, if requested (at owner's expense)
Other rules to know
- All permanent fences and retaining walls need a permit regardless of length or height; hedges are exempt.
- Temporary fences need no permit but must follow permanent fence height/location rules and be removed within six months.
- Opaque fences 4 ft or taller must be anchored at least 36 inches below grade; fences must withstand a 30 psf wind load.
- A plat map may be available from City Engineering (920.766.6305).
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 Kaukauna, WI?
Yes. The City of Kaukauna requires a permit before you build a fence. All permanent fences and retaining walls need a permit regardless of length or height; hedges are exempt.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Kaukauna?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft (72 inches). Front (street) yard: 3½ ft (42 inches) in the front yard, with at least 50% through-visibility. Corner lots: Vision setback: nothing blocking vision more than 2½ ft above street centerline grade within the area set by the street lines and points 50 ft from the intersection (10 ft at a street-alley intersection).
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Kaukauna?
Fences may be up to the property line (finished surface at the line) except where an easement or setback says otherwise. Not onto neighboring property and not in the area between the curb and the street lot line.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Kaukauna?
Supporting vertical and horizontal framing members must face the interior of the lot.
How much is a fence permit in the City of Kaukauna?
$60.00.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Kaukauna?
Find and mark your property line on site (expose the property stakes and run a string line). Engineering (920.766.6305) may have a plat map. Create a Cloudpermit account and fill out the Fence Permit application with the fence location, materials, height, length and total cost (applications are also accepted in person, by email or by mail). Pay the $60.00 fence permit fee in person, by mail or in the 24-hour drop box at 144 W. 2nd St. Provide a sealed survey if the Building Inspector asks for one. 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 Kaukauna (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Kaukauna?
Brett Jensen, Building Inspector. Phone 920.766.6315, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Kaukauna's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Zoning Code § 17.32(3)(b) Fences
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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.