City of Ashland fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Ashland? Yes. The City of Ashland requires a permit before you build a fence.
buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Ashland (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Fee
- $50 (fence up to 50 ft); $75 (50-200 ft); $100 (over 200 ft) source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft maximum, or 4 ft where the rear yard abuts a neighbor's front yard source
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft maximum in residential front yards (must be at least 50% open fencing) source
- Corner lots
- Up to 6 ft in a corner side yard if set back at least 10 ft from the front face of the principal building and at least 15 ft from the corner parcel line source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences may be on the parcel line unless Sec. 6.5 says otherwise. Not in the public right-of-way; at least 5 ft from the paved edge of a street or face of curb and at least 3 ft from an alley right-of-way edge; at least 35 ft from the ordinary high water mark of lakes, navigable rivers, creeks and streams and at least 10 ft from wetlands; not in an easement without required approval. Must not materially impede the vision triangle. source
- Good side faces
- If the two sides differ, the higher-quality finish faces outward (toward the exterior of the parcel); framing and posts of wood, chain link, picket, stockade and decorative metal fences face the inside of the fenced area. source
- Not allowed
- Woven wire in residential districts. Metal cyclone/open-grid (chain link) not allowed as required screening between uses (except slatted fencing in rear/side yards abutting rear/side yards) and not in front yards (except industrial uses in industrial districts). Barbed wire needs a conditional use permit (except livestock fencing on parcels of 5 acres or more). Electric fencing not allowed in R-1 to R-4 districts and needs written approval elsewhere. source
- How to apply
- Call 715-682-7041 source
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Ashland
Steps based on zoneomics.com — Municipal code: chapter 3
- Get the 2026 Building Permit Application from the City of Ashland website and mark 'Fence Permit'.
- Sketch the fence area on an aerial map of your property and describe the work (sizes, quantities). The zoning code also asks for a site plan at 1 inch = 20 ft or larger, a description of materials, and a drawing of height, footings and design.
- Contact Terri Erickson, Assistant Planner (715-682-7041, [email protected]), to arrange an appointment; Planning will confirm the fee ($50 / $75 / $100 by fence length).
- The Building Inspector or designated agent approves, approves with conditions or denies within 15 days of a complete application.
- Contact the Building Inspector at the appropriate times to arrange required inspections.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Fee confirmed by the Planning Dept.; $50 up to 50 ft, $75 for 50-200 ft, $100 over 200 ft; fees double if work starts before the permit
- Review time
- Within 15 days of a complete application
- Inspections
- Contact the Building Inspector at the appropriate times to arrange required inspections
Who to contact
Terri Erickson
Assistant Planner (building permits)
- Phone
- 715-682-7041
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm
- Address
- City Hall, 601 Main St W, 2nd Floor, Ashland, WI 54806
Contact from coawi.org — Building Permits
What to submit
- Building Permit Application (2026 form, 'Fence Permit' under Residential Permits)
- Aerial map of your property with the fence area sketched on it
- Site plan at 1 inch = 20 ft or larger showing the fence relative to structures and parcel lines
- Description of fencing materials
- Drawing showing height, footings and design
Other rules to know
- Fences must be durable, weather-resistant and made of new or like-new materials (Sec. 6.5). Fences taller than the limits need a conditional use permit (Sec. 3.9).
- Permit fees double for work started before the permit is issued. The form advises waiting to pay until the Planning Dept. confirms the fee.
- Denials may be appealed in writing to the Zoning Board of Appeals within 10 working days.
- Same-name trap: this is the City of Ashland, Ashland County, WI 54806 (coawi.org), not Ashland in other states. The City straddles into Bayfield County; its main part is in Ashland County.
- City Clerk: Denise Oliphant, 715-682-7071, [email protected], 601 Main Street West.
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 Ashland, WI?
Yes. The City of Ashland requires a permit before you build a fence.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Ashland?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft maximum, or 4 ft where the rear yard abuts a neighbor's front yard. Front (street) yard: 4 ft maximum in residential front yards (must be at least 50% open fencing). Corner lots: Up to 6 ft in a corner side yard if set back at least 10 ft from the front face of the principal building and at least 15 ft from the corner parcel line.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Ashland?
Fences may be on the parcel line unless Sec. 6.5 says otherwise. Not in the public right-of-way; at least 5 ft from the paved edge of a street or face of curb and at least 3 ft from an alley right-of-way edge; at least 35 ft from the ordinary high water mark of lakes, navigable rivers, creeks and streams and at least 10 ft from wetlands; not in an easement without required approval. Must not materially impede the vision triangle.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Ashland?
If the two sides differ, the higher-quality finish faces outward (toward the exterior of the parcel); framing and posts of wood, chain link, picket, stockade and decorative metal fences face the inside of the fenced area.
How much is a fence permit in the City of Ashland?
$50 (fence up to 50 ft); $75 (50-200 ft); $100 (over 200 ft).
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Ashland?
Get the 2026 Building Permit Application from the City of Ashland website and mark 'Fence Permit'. Sketch the fence area on an aerial map of your property and describe the work (sizes, quantities). The zoning code also asks for a site plan at 1 inch = 20 ft or larger, a description of materials, and a drawing of height, footings and design. Contact Terri Erickson, Assistant Planner (715-682-7041, [email protected]), to arrange an appointment; Planning will confirm the fee ($50 / $75 / $100 by fence length). The Building Inspector or designated agent approves, approves with conditions or denies within 15 days of a complete application. Contact the Building Inspector at the appropriate times to arrange required inspections. buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Ashland (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Ashland?
Terri Erickson, Assistant Planner (building permits). Phone 715-682-7041, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Ashland's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Zoning Code Sec. 3.43 Fence Permit; Sec. 6.5 Fences
Work for the City of Ashland? 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.