Town of Cedarburg fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Cedarburg? Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Cedarburg 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 Cedarburg (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft 4 in, excluding a finial or cap (6 ft 8 in total with a decorative cap) source
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft 4 in (4 ft 8 in with a decorative cap) source
- Distance from lot line
- In the street yard, not closer than 2 ft to any public right-of-way. Height is measured from legally compliant grade; berms and retaining walls count toward height. source
- Not allowed
- Residential fences may not be a dangerous condition, conduct electricity, be designed to shock, or use barbed wire. No fences of unsightly or dangerous materials that create a nuisance. source
- How to apply
- Call (414) 640-9523 source
Still being confirmed with Cedarburg: Does a residential fence need a Town permit, and did Ordinance 2026-13 (new Chapter 320, effective 10-19-2026) change the fence heights?
How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Cedarburg
Steps based on townofcedarburgwi.gov — permits applications
- Contact Town Hall (262-377-4509) or zoning ([email protected]) to ask whether your fence needs a Town permit - the Town says owners should check first.
- If a permit is needed, use the "All Other Building Permits" application (SAFEbuilt form).
- Near water? Check with Ozaukee County Land and Water Management about shoreland/floodplain permits.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Inspections
- Inspections must be requested on the scheduling line, (262) 420-4732, by 4 PM for next-business-day
Who to contact
Paul Mortimer
Building Inspector (SAFEbuilt)
- Phone
- (414) 640-9523
- [email protected]
- Hours
- In person at Town Hall Tue & Thu 1:00-2:00 PM
- Address
- Town Hall, 1293 Washington Ave, Cedarburg, WI 53012
Contact from townofcedarburgwi.gov — permits applications
What to submit
Other rules to know
- Ordinance 2026-13 repealed and replaced Chapter 320 (Zoning) effective 10-19-2026. The new text could not be opened (the Town's PDF link was refused), so the fence figures here are from the previous § 320-116 as published on Zoneomics and may have changed.
- Temporary fences need no permit but may stay up no more than 45 days (previous code).
- Shoreland and floodplain permits are issued by Ozaukee County.
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 Cedarburg, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Cedarburg before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance. Temporary fences need no permit but may stay up no more than 45 days (previous code).
How tall can a fence be in the Town of Cedarburg?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft 4 in, excluding a finial or cap (6 ft 8 in total with a decorative cap). Front (street) yard: 4 ft 4 in (4 ft 8 in with a decorative cap).
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Town of Cedarburg?
In the street yard, not closer than 2 ft to any public right-of-way. Height is measured from legally compliant grade; berms and retaining walls count toward height.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Cedarburg?
Contact Town Hall (262-377-4509) or zoning ([email protected]) to ask whether your fence needs a Town permit - the Town says owners should check first. If a permit is needed, use the "All Other Building Permits" application (SAFEbuilt form). Near water? Check with Ozaukee County Land and Water Management about shoreland/floodplain permits. 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 Town of Cedarburg (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Cedarburg?
Paul Mortimer, Building Inspector (SAFEbuilt). Phone (414) 640-9523, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the Town of Cedarburg's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Town Code § 320-116 Fences
Work for the Town of Cedarburg? 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.