City of Kewaunee fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Kewaunee? Not confirmed. Contact the City of Kewaunee before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance.
buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Kewaunee (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 source
- Front (street) yard
- 3 ft, minimum 50 percent open type (front-yard fences may sit on the property line) source
- Distance from lot line
- Side and rear yard fences need a two-foot setback unless the adjoining property owners have consented in writing to a fence on the property line. Front-yard fences are permitted on the property line. source
- Good side faces
- Supporting structure goes on the side facing the fence owner (inside). source
- Not allowed
- No fence with sharp or pointed pickets dangerous to life or limb. No fence or structure containing barbed wire or other dangerous material on residentially zoned property, or within 4 ft of a public street, sidewalk or alley. Barbed wire or electric security fences are not allowed except in agricultural zoning. source
- How to apply
- Call 920-388-5000 source
Still being confirmed with Kewaunee: Does a residential fence in the City of Kewaunee need a permit (the 2026 fee schedule lists a $70 fence fee), and who issues it?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Kewaunee
Steps based on zoneomics.com — Municipal code: chapter 5
- Call Kewaunee City Hall (920-388-5000) to ask whether your fence needs a permit and who issues it.
- Plan the fence: up to 6 ft in side and rear yards (2 ft off the lot line unless your neighbor consents in writing), up to 3 ft and at least 50% open in the front yard.
- Put the posts and supports on your side.
- Do not start work before any required permit is issued (double fees apply).
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Who to contact
Patty Schreiber
City Clerk/Treasurer
- Phone
- 920-388-5000
- Hours
- Monday-Thursday 8am-4:30pm, Friday 8am-12pm
- Address
- City Hall, 401 Fifth Street, Kewaunee, WI 54216
Contact from cityofkewauneewi.gov — city hall
Other rules to know
- The City's 2026 fee schedule lists "Fences Each $70.00" under Building Inspection (Miscellaneous), and says double fees are due if work is started before a permit is issued. The zoning code text found (Sec. 94-131) does not itself say whether fences need a permit, so confirm with City Hall.
- Zoning Code Sec. 94-223(a) requires a building permit before any structure is located, erected or altered; the definitions chapter (whether a fence is a 'structure') could not be opened.
- Allowed residential fence materials include decorative block, brick, stone, treated wood, wrought iron, plastic and vinyl (Sec. 94-131).
- Security fences (non-residential uses) may be up to 10 ft and should be open type.
- The fee schedule gives two different permit validity periods (12 months and 24 months).
- The City's Building Inspection web page could not be opened, and the City staff page does not name a building inspector or zoning administrator.
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 Kewaunee, WI?
Not confirmed. Contact the City of Kewaunee before you build; the rules below are what we found in the ordinance. The City's 2026 fee schedule lists "Fences Each $70.00" under Building Inspection (Miscellaneous), and says double fees are due if work is started before a permit is issued. The zoning code text found (Sec. 94-131) does not itself say whether fences need a permit, so confirm with City Hall.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Kewaunee?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft. Front (street) yard: 3 ft, minimum 50 percent open type (front-yard fences may sit on the property line).
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Kewaunee?
Side and rear yard fences need a two-foot setback unless the adjoining property owners have consented in writing to a fence on the property line. Front-yard fences are permitted on the property line.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Kewaunee?
Supporting structure goes on the side facing the fence owner (inside).
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Kewaunee?
Call Kewaunee City Hall (920-388-5000) to ask whether your fence needs a permit and who issues it. Plan the fence: up to 6 ft in side and rear yards (2 ft off the lot line unless your neighbor consents in writing), up to 3 ft and at least 50% open in the front yard. Put the posts and supports on your side. Do not start work before any required permit is issued (double fees apply). Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging. buildit.dog can turn a fence drawn on an aerial photo of your lot into a complete permit application package for the City of Kewaunee (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Kewaunee?
Patty Schreiber, City Clerk/Treasurer. Phone 920-388-5000.
Sources
Summarized from the City of Kewaunee's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Zoning Code Sec. 94-131(3)-(4), Permitted structures and uses in required yards (fences)
Work for the City of Kewaunee? 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.