City of Oconto Falls fence permit
Do you need a fence permit in the City of Oconto Falls? Yes. The City of Oconto Falls 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 Oconto Falls (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- Yes source
- Fee
- $60.00 (2026 fee schedule line "Other (siding, roofing, fence etc.)") source
- Front (street) yard
- Fences may extend into the front yard area only to the height of 2 1/2 feet source
- Distance from lot line
- Fences may be constructed alongside lot lines but shall not extend into the front setback area (except up to 2 1/2 ft high). A rear yard setback of four feet applies at all alleyways. Hedges may not be within four feet of the street or alleyway. source
- Good side faces
- The finished side or decorative side of a fence shall face adjoining property; each fence must be built with its good side facing the neighboring property. source
- Not allowed
- Picket fences (pointed posts or pales pointing upward), fences of an otherwise dangerous condition, fences that conduct electricity or are designed to shock, barbed wire (allowed only in industrial areas with securing devices 10 feet above the ground), and fences of unsightly or dangerous materials that would be a nuisance. Security fences (open type, up to 10 ft) are allowed on property lines only outside residential districts. source
- How to apply
- Call 920-846-4515 source
Still being confirmed with Oconto Falls: Is there a maximum height for side and rear yard fences in residential districts (Ch. 244 does not state one)?
How to file for a fence permit in the City of Oconto Falls
Steps based on cityofocontofalls.com — building inspector
- Download the Fence Permit form from the City's Building Inspector page.
- Plan the fence: it can run along side and rear lot lines, but in the front yard it can be no taller than 2 1/2 ft; stay 4 ft back from any alley; no picket, electric or barbed-wire fences.
- Call Building Inspector Jane Meissner for an appointment (920-846-4515, Wednesdays 8-noon; cell 715-245-1708) and turn in the form with the $60.00 fee at City Hall, 500 N. Chestnut Avenue.
- Build only after the permit is issued, with the finished side facing your neighbor.
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Paying
- $60.00 per the 2026 fee schedule
Who to contact
Jane Meissner
Building Inspector
- Phone
- 920-846-4515
- [email protected]
- Hours
- Hours vary; call for an appointment (County Directory lists the office line as Wed. 8-Noon)
- Address
- City Hall, 500 N. Chestnut Avenue (P.O. Box 70), Oconto Falls, WI 54154
Contact from cityofocontofalls.com — building inspector
What to submit
- City of Oconto Falls Fence Permit form
Other rules to know
- Code Ch. 244 Fences and Hedges: "All fences and hedges shall require a permit to be issued by the Building Inspector prior to construction or planting."
- Hedges and shrubbery count as fences; new barrier hedges also need a permit and must not burden the adjoining property.
- Temporary protective/warning fences need no permit, must be marked every four feet and may not stand for more than 45 days.
- Nonconforming fences or hedges may be maintained, but any alteration must comply.
- Chapter 244 gives no maximum height for side or rear yard fences in residential districts. Zoning § 480-82(I) limits individual retaining walls to six feet.
- Fees are set by the Common Council; the 2026 fee schedule lists $60.00 for "Other (siding, roofing, fence etc.)".
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 Oconto Falls, WI?
Yes. The City of Oconto Falls requires a permit before you build a fence. Hedges and shrubbery count as fences; new barrier hedges also need a permit and must not burden the adjoining property.
How tall can a fence be in the City of Oconto Falls?
Front (street) yard: Fences may extend into the front yard area only to the height of 2 1/2 feet.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the City of Oconto Falls?
Fences may be constructed alongside lot lines but shall not extend into the front setback area (except up to 2 1/2 ft high). A rear yard setback of four feet applies at all alleyways. Hedges may not be within four feet of the street or alleyway.
Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the City of Oconto Falls?
The finished side or decorative side of a fence shall face adjoining property; each fence must be built with its good side facing the neighboring property.
How much is a fence permit in the City of Oconto Falls?
$60.00 (2026 fee schedule line "Other (siding, roofing, fence etc.)").
How do I apply for a fence permit in the City of Oconto Falls?
Download the Fence Permit form from the City's Building Inspector page. Plan the fence: it can run along side and rear lot lines, but in the front yard it can be no taller than 2 1/2 ft; stay 4 ft back from any alley; no picket, electric or barbed-wire fences. Call Building Inspector Jane Meissner for an appointment (920-846-4515, Wednesdays 8-noon; cell 715-245-1708) and turn in the form with the $60.00 fee at City Hall, 500 N. Chestnut Avenue. Build only after the permit is issued, with the finished side facing your neighbor. 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 Oconto Falls (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the City of Oconto Falls?
Jane Meissner, Building Inspector. Phone 920-846-4515, email [email protected].
Sources
Summarized from the City of Oconto Falls's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: City of Oconto Falls Code Ch. 244 Fences and Hedges
Work for the City of Oconto Falls? 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.