Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning) fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning)? Not confirmed. Contact Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning) 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 Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning) (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Not confirmed source
- How to apply
- Call 715-421-8466 source
Still being confirmed with Wood County Zoning: Does a residential fence in a shoreland area of these towns need a Wood County Shoreland Permit, and do any of these towns require their own fence permit?
How to file for a fence permit in the Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning)
Steps based on woodcountywi.gov — 704 Shoreland Zoning
- Outside shoreland areas, Wood County has no fence permit; call your Town Clerk (numbers in the notes) to ask whether the Town has its own rule.
- Within 300 ft of a river or stream or 1,000 ft of a lake? Call Wood County Planning & Zoning (715-421-8466) before building; a Shoreland Permit may be needed.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
Jason Grueneberg
Director, Wood County Planning & Zoning
- Phone
- 715-421-8466
- [email protected]
- Address
- Wood County Planning & Zoning, Courthouse, 400 Market Street, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
Contact from woodcountywi.gov — WoodCountyDirectory
Other rules to know
- Wood County's general Zoning Ordinance #700 dates from 1934 and applies in the 22 towns; 12 towns have adopted their own zoning, leaving these 10 on county zoning only (Wood County Planning & Zoning page).
- Ordinance #700 has only two districts (Forestry and Recreation; Unrestricted), sets up no zoning or land use permit process and says nothing about fences.
- Wood County Shoreland Zoning (Ord. #704) applies within 300 ft of a river or navigable stream and 1,000 ft of a lake in unincorporated areas: structures need a permit unless expressly excluded, and the ordinance's definition of accessory structure includes fences. Fences for pasturing livestock are a permitted use in shoreland-wetland areas.
- These towns do not post fence rules online. Building inspection under the Uniform Dwelling Code is handled by each town's building inspector (e.g. the Town of Arpin lists Dan Hansen, 715-347-7866, [email protected]).
- Town clerks (Wood County Directory, July 28, 2026): Arpin - Shelly Grimm, 715-305-1118; Cary - Jean Gansch, 715-884-2962; Cranmoor - clerk VACANT (Chair Fawn Gottschalk, 715-459-7476); Hansen - Diane Kohls, 715-569-4750; Hiles - Cassandra Pio Stoflet, 715-459-8989; Milladore - Leslianne Ruesch, 505-600-9393; Remington - Brenda Haasl, 715-323-2603; Richfield - Paula Rustad, 715-650-3611; Sherry - Tena Linse, 715-486-6642; Wood - Cathy Tritz, 715-884-2116.
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 Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning), WI?
Not confirmed. Contact Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning) before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance. Wood County Shoreland Zoning (Ord. #704) applies within 300 ft of a river or navigable stream and 1,000 ft of a lake in unincorporated areas: structures need a permit unless expressly excluded, and the ordinance's definition of accessory structure includes fences. Fences for pasturing livestock are a permitted use in shoreland-wetland areas.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning)?
Outside shoreland areas, Wood County has no fence permit; call your Town Clerk (numbers in the notes) to ask whether the Town has its own rule. Within 300 ft of a river or stream or 1,000 ft of a lake? Call Wood County Planning & Zoning (715-421-8466) before building; a Shoreland Permit may be needed. 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 Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning) (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning)?
Jason Grueneberg, Director, Wood County Planning & Zoning. Phone 715-421-8466, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning)'s own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Wood County Zoning Ordinance #700 (1934); Shoreland Zoning Ordinance #704
Work for Wood County Zoning (towns without their own zoning)? 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.