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permit.guide
Oconto County, Wisconsin

Town of Doty fence permit

Do you need a fence permit in the Town of Doty? Yes. The Town of Doty 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 Town of Doty (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 feet source
Front (street) yard
6 feet maximum; may not encroach upon a vision clearance area source
Corner lots
No structure within the visual clearance triangle at public street intersections (measured 300 ft along a State/Federal highway, 200 ft along a County highway, 150 ft along a Town road); no solid view obstruction above 2 feet above road elevation in the triangle source
Distance from lot line
Solid fences may be located on the lot line where both property owners concur to jointly maintain the fence. Where concurrence is not obtained, the fence shall not be located closer than 3 feet from the property line. source
Good side faces
The finished side of the fence shall face away from the property. source
Not allowed
All cable, chain, rope and wire gates are prohibited (existing gates are not grandfathered). Gates on privacy/decorative fences must be clearly visible, painted with reflectorized paint or have reflectorized markers on each horizontal and vertical member, and may not exceed 6 feet. source
How to apply
In person source

Still being confirmed with Doty: What is the current county zoning permit fee for a residential fence, and do open (non-solid) fences need a permit?

Plan your fence and build the applicationLook up your address, draw the fence on an aerial photo of your lot, and get a site plan and filled-in application.

How to file for a fence permit in the Town of Doty

Steps based on energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)

  1. Planning a solid (privacy or decorative) fence? It needs an Oconto County zoning permit. Call Planning & Zoning (920-834-6827) to get the application form and current fee.
  2. Keep the fence 6 ft or lower, out of the vision clearance triangle at road intersections, and at least 3 ft from the property line unless your neighbor agrees in writing to jointly maintain a fence on the line.
  3. Face the finished side away from your property.
  4. Submit the application and pay by cash or check at the Courthouse, 301 Washington Street, Oconto (Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.). Starting before the permit is approved doubles the fee.
  5. Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
Paying
Fee set by County Board resolution; cash or check only; non-refundable; doubled if work starts before approval
Inspections
The Zoning Administrator may inspect the site before issuing the permit
Permit good for
1 year (extension of up to 6 months possible for valid cause)

Who to contact

Patrick Virtues
Department Head, Planning, Zoning & Solid Waste

Phone
920-834-6827
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.
Address
Oconto County Planning / Zoning (Land & Water Resources), Courthouse, 301 Washington Street, Oconto, WI 54153

Contact from ocontocountywi.gov — Planning Zoning Solid Waste

What to submit

  • County zoning permit application (forms furnished by the Zoning Administrator)

Other rules to know

  • The Town of Doty follows the Oconto County zoning ordinance, so fence permits come from the county zoning office, not the town.
  • Sec. 14.414(b): "Solid fences used for privacy or for decorative purposes shall be considered structures and shall require a zoning permit." A solid fence is one with greater than 50% constriction of lateral air flow. The ordinance does not say whether open fences (chain link, wire) need a permit.
  • Sec. 14.414(a): parcels abutting land where livestock are kept must be fenced to Chapter 90, Wis. Stats. standards.
  • Work started or finished before the permit is approved: all applicable fees are doubled (Sec. 14.3004(b)). Fees are set by County Board resolution, are non-refundable, and the county only accepts cash or check (no wire transfers; the county warns of scam emails asking for wire payments).
  • The county ordinance takes effect in each town upon the town's adoption (Sec. 14.3501(c)(2)). Oconto County adopted countywide zoning in 1989 and the town comprehensive plans state the county has zoning jurisdiction in all unincorporated communities. 2025 county rezone agendas list rezones in 21 of the 23 towns (not seen for the Towns of Gillett and Mountain, which are included based on the plans' countywide statement).
  • Ordinance text used is the archived copy of Chapter 14 revised 12/16/2021 (energyzoning.org); the county's own Forms & Documents page could not be opened.
  • Many towns also have their own town building permits and building inspectors (see the County Directory); none found mention fences.
  • A variance from vision clearance rules can be granted only by the Oconto County Board of Adjustment.
  • Town of Pensaukee: its Forms & Permits page links a Building-Remodeling-Razing Permit Application (Town Permit) and a 2024 Town Fee Schedule, and says to check the Oconto County website for zoning permit fees; ask the Town whether its permit covers fences.
  • Town clerk, chair and town building inspector contacts for every covered town are in the Oconto County Directory (https://www.ocontocountywi.gov/730/Oconto-County-Directory-PDF).

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 Town of Doty, WI?

Yes. The Town of Doty requires a permit before you build a fence. Sec. 14.414(b): "Solid fences used for privacy or for decorative purposes shall be considered structures and shall require a zoning permit." A solid fence is one with greater than 50% constriction of lateral air flow. The ordinance does not say whether open fences (chain link, wire) need a permit.

How tall can a fence be in the Town of Doty?

Side and rear yards: 6 feet. Front (street) yard: 6 feet maximum; may not encroach upon a vision clearance area. Corner lots: No structure within the visual clearance triangle at public street intersections (measured 300 ft along a State/Federal highway, 200 ft along a County highway, 150 ft along a Town road); no solid view obstruction above 2 feet above road elevation in the triangle.

How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Town of Doty?

Solid fences may be located on the lot line where both property owners concur to jointly maintain the fence. Where concurrence is not obtained, the fence shall not be located closer than 3 feet from the property line.

Which side of the fence has to face the neighbor in the Town of Doty?

The finished side of the fence shall face away from the property.

How do I apply for a fence permit in the Town of Doty?

Planning a solid (privacy or decorative) fence? It needs an Oconto County zoning permit. Call Planning & Zoning (920-834-6827) to get the application form and current fee. Keep the fence 6 ft or lower, out of the vision clearance triangle at road intersections, and at least 3 ft from the property line unless your neighbor agrees in writing to jointly maintain a fence on the line. Face the finished side away from your property. Submit the application and pay by cash or check at the Courthouse, 301 Washington Street, Oconto (Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.). Starting before the permit is approved doubles the fee. 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 Town of Doty (site plan, aerial photo and filled-in details) in a few minutes.

Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Town of Doty?

Patrick Virtues, Department Head, Planning, Zoning & Solid Waste. Phone 920-834-6827.

Sources

Summarized from the Town of Doty's own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.

Ordinance: Oconto County Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 14, Sec. 14.414 Fences; Sec. 14.410(b) Vision Clearance

  1. energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
  2. ocontocountywi.gov — Planning Zoning Solid Waste
  3. ocontocountywi.gov — 10302025 1040
  4. ocontocountywi.gov — 08212025 987
  5. ocontocountywi.gov — 06192025 951
  6. ocontocountywi.gov — 02202025 893
  7. ocontocountywi.gov — 07242025 971
  8. ocontocountywi.gov — 12182025 1093
  9. ocontocountywi.gov — 612
  10. ocontocountywi.gov — Spruce Chapter 4 Implementation
  11. ocontocountywi.gov — Oconto Chapter 4 Implementation
  12. ocontocountywi.gov — Town of Oconto
  13. ocontocountywi.gov — Oconto County Directory PDF
  14. townofpensaukee.org — forms permits
  15. storage.googleapis.com — Rezoning Requests

Work for the Town of Doty? 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.