City of Wausau fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Wausau? Yes. The City of Wausau 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 Wausau (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Side and rear yards
- 6 ft (same residential districts) source
- Front (street) yard
- 4 ft within the required or provided front yard or street yard source
- Corner lots
- 4 ft in the street yard; fences must meet the visibility standards in Section 23.06.05 source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences may be located within or on any property line, but in no case can the fencing extend over the property line. The City recommends setting the fence back so it can be maintained without entering the neighbor's land. Owners must identify their own property lines (the City does not locate property irons). source
- Good side faces
- Supports and structural parts face the owner's property, i.e. with the finished side facing outward. source
- Not allowed
- Permanent chicken wire fences and snow fences. Wire mesh and uncoated/ungalvanized chain link are not allowed in front yards in residential districts; coated chain link (at least 9 gauge, with a top rail) cannot be in front or street yards. Barbed wire only in industrial/institutional districts listed in the code. source
- How to apply
- Email, mail, in person source
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Wausau
Steps based on wausauwi.gov — residential
- Find your property lines (the City does not locate property irons; hire a surveyor if needed).
- Apply on the City's Evolve online permit portal (linked from the Inspections residential permits page). Paper, email or in-person applications cost extra.
- Include a site plan showing the fence location relative to all lot lines and buildings, and the fence height.
- Questions or in-person visits: call 715-261-6780 to schedule with an inspector (walk-ins not advised).
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- Through the Evolve portal; non-portal applications carry an extra admin fee
Who to contact
- Phone
- 715-261-6780
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm
- Address
- Division of Inspection, Zoning and Electrical Systems, City Hall 2nd Floor, 407 Grant St, Wausau, WI 54403
Contact from wausauwi.gov — residential
What to submit
- Fence permit application (property address, fence type, material, location, height and length, cost)
- Site plan showing the fence location relative to all lot lines and buildings, with the fence height
Other rules to know
- Front-yard fences must be no more than 50% opaque (spaces between pickets at least as wide as the pickets); slatted chain link at least 90% opaque counts as solid.
- Allowed materials: naturally resistant or treated wood, brick or masonry, natural stone, wrought iron, vinyl, galvanized or coated chain link; others need Zoning Administrator approval.
- Height is measured from the ground under the fence to the top rail; decorative posts at least 24 in. apart may rise 8 in. above the maximum; up to 4 in. of ground clearance is not counted.
- Legally built existing fences may be replaced in their existing location.
- The City's minimum fee for residential projects is $55.00; applying by email, in person or on paper adds an administrative fee (the 2026 trade fee schedules list 10% of permit fees or $30.00 minimum for applications not submitted through the Evolve portal).
- The City provides a List of Property Surveyors on its residential permits page.
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 Wausau, WI?
Yes. The City of Wausau requires a permit before you build a fence.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Wausau?
Side and rear yards: 6 ft (same residential districts). Front (street) yard: 4 ft within the required or provided front yard or street yard. Corner lots: 4 ft in the street yard; fences must meet the visibility standards in Section 23.06.05.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Wausau?
Fences may be located within or on any property line, but in no case can the fencing extend over the property line. The City recommends setting the fence back so it can be maintained without entering the neighbor's land. Owners must identify their own property lines (the City does not locate property irons).
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Wausau?
Supports and structural parts face the owner's property, i.e. with the finished side facing outward.
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Wausau?
Find your property lines (the City does not locate property irons; hire a surveyor if needed). Apply on the City's Evolve online permit portal (linked from the Inspections residential permits page). Paper, email or in-person applications cost extra. Include a site plan showing the fence location relative to all lot lines and buildings, and the fence height. Questions or in-person visits: call 715-261-6780 to schedule with an inspector (walk-ins not advised). 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 Wausau (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Wausau?
Division of Inspection, Zoning and Electrical Systems. Phone 715-261-6780, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Wausau's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Wausau Zoning Ordinance §23.06.40 Fence Requirements
Work for the City of Wausau? 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.