Town of Deerfield fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Deerfield? Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Deerfield 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 Deerfield (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 in residential districts source
- Corner lots
- No object over 2 ft that obstructs the view in the street-intersection visual clearance triangle; posts and open fences are excluded source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences are permitted on the property lines in all districts but shall not be closer than two feet to any public right-of-way. source
- Not allowed
- Security fences are not permitted in residential districts (elsewhere up to 10 ft, open type such as woven wire or wrought iron). source
- How to apply
- Online portal, mail, in person source
Still being confirmed with Deerfield: Does a typical residential fence need a County land use permit, or is it exempt as under $2,000 and 150 sq ft (and how is a fence's area measured)?
How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Deerfield
Steps based on energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
- Call the Waushara County Zoning Office (920-787-0453) to ask whether your fence needs a land use permit.
- If it does, fill out the County Land Use Permit Application and checklist.
- Submit it to the Zoning Office at the Government Center, 380 S. Townline Rd., Wautoma (Mon-Fri 8:00-4:30) and pay the fee (fees are on file at the zoning office; online payment is available).
- The zoning administrator decides within 30 days (60 days if a preliminary site plan is required).
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Fees on file at the zoning office; tripled if you apply after building (Sec. 58-194); online payment link on the county site
- Review time
- Zoning administrator decides within 30 days (60 if a preliminary site plan is required)
Who to contact
Todd Wahler
Director, Zoning & Land Conservation
- Phone
- 920-787-0453
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Address
- Waushara County Zoning & Land Conservation, Government Center, 380 S. Townline Rd., Wautoma, WI 54982
Contact from co.waushara.wi.us — land use permits
What to submit
- Waushara County Land Use Permit application
Other rules to know
- The Town of Deerfield follows the Waushara County zoning ordinance, so fence permits come from the county zoning office, not the town.
- The county zoning code defines "structure" to include fences. Sec. 58-162(a) (current code): all permanent uses require a land use permit, "except that no permit is required for a structure or remodeling if the proposed work is less than $2,000.00 market value and less than 150 square feet in area." The county permit page repeats this exemption. Neither source says how a fence's "area" is measured or names fences specifically, so whether a typical residential fence is exempt is not stated (the 2023 archived copy of the code had $1,000/100 sq ft).
- In shoreland areas, work below the exemption thresholds still needs a "no-fee" land use permit (2023 archived code).
- No permit is issued for property with delinquent taxes or unresolved county code violations.
- Landowners must also comply with Wis. Stats. chs. 90 (partition fences) and 844.
- Permit fees are tripled if you apply after the structure is partly or fully built (Sec. 58-194). Fees are on file at the zoning office.
- Local units of government are exempt from county zoning fees (Sec. 58-193).
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 Deerfield, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the Town of Deerfield before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance. The county zoning code defines "structure" to include fences. Sec. 58-162(a) (current code): all permanent uses require a land use permit, "except that no permit is required for a structure or remodeling if the proposed work is less than $2,000.00 market value and less than 150 square feet in area." The county permit page repeats this exemption. Neither source says how a fence's "area" is measured or names fences specifically, so whether a typical residential fence is exempt is not stated (the 2023 archived copy of the code had $1,000/100 sq ft).
How tall can a fence be in the Town of Deerfield?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft in residential districts. Corner lots: No object over 2 ft that obstructs the view in the street-intersection visual clearance triangle; posts and open fences are excluded.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Town of Deerfield?
Fences are permitted on the property lines in all districts but shall not be closer than two feet to any public right-of-way.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Deerfield?
Call the Waushara County Zoning Office (920-787-0453) to ask whether your fence needs a land use permit. If it does, fill out the County Land Use Permit Application and checklist. Submit it to the Zoning Office at the Government Center, 380 S. Townline Rd., Wautoma (Mon-Fri 8:00-4:30) and pay the fee (fees are on file at the zoning office; online payment is available). The zoning administrator decides within 30 days (60 days if a preliminary site plan is required). 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 Deerfield (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Deerfield?
Todd Wahler, Director, Zoning & Land Conservation. Phone 920-787-0453, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the Town of Deerfield's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Waushara County Code ch. 58 (Zoning), Sec. 58-162 Land use permits; Sec. 58-824 Fences
Work for the Town of Deerfield? 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.