Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning) fence rules
Do you need a fence permit in the Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)? No. Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning) does not require a permit for a typical residential fence, but height and placement rules still apply.
At buildit.dog you can draw your fence on an aerial photo of your lot and check it against Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)'s rules before you build. Start with your address.
Quick facts
- Permit required
- No (typical residential fence) source
- Side and rear yards
- Solid/opaque fences 6 feet or less in height may project into the minimum required side and rear yards (residential districts); taller solid fences must meet principal-building yards source
- Front (street) yard
- Fences, walls or hedges located within the front or street yard ... shall not exceed 3-1/2 feet in height regardless of zoning district source
- Corner lots
- 3-1/2 feet within the visual clearance triangle; within the vision triangle no object over 2.5 feet above the road beds is allowed, except transparent fences source
- Distance from lot line
- Solid fences 6 ft or less may sit in required side and rear yards; residential solid fences over 6 ft must meet the principal building's minimum yards. No fence may exceed 12 feet unless required by a State or Federal agency. source
- How to apply
- Call 715-526-6766 source
How to build within the rules in the Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)
Steps based on co.shawano.wi.us — Approved & Accepted FINAL Zoning Ordinance Amendments
- Outside shoreland areas, no County land use permit is needed for a fence (Sec. X.5.03(4)(g)).
- Keep fences in the front or street yard and in the vision triangle at 3-1/2 ft or less; no fence over 12 ft.
- Near a lake, river or stream? Call Shawano County Planning & Development (715-526-6766) first: fences are accessory structures under the Shoreland Ordinance and may need a permit (appointments required).
- Call Diggers Hotline (811) at least 3 business days before digging.
- Permit good for
- County land use permits last 12 months, renewable for one more year
Who to contact
- Phone
- 715-526-6766
- Address
- Shawano County Planning & Development, basement of the Shawano County Courthouse, 311 N. Main St., Shawano, WI 54166
Contact from co.shawano.wi.us — land use permits
Other rules to know
- County Zoning Ordinance No. 7-14, Sec. X.5.03(4)(g): "A land use permit is not required for fences."
- The county ordinance applies only in the 16 towns whose town boards adopted it (Sec. X.1.07(1)); the other towns in the county have their own town zoning.
- Shoreland areas: the county Shoreland Ordinance (Ch. 40 Art. X, Dec. 2025) lists a fence as an accessory structure (Sec. 40-297) and says structures need a permit unless expressly excluded (Sec. 40-300), with a 75-ft setback from the ordinary high-water mark (Sec. 40-491). Fences for pasturing livestock are exempt in shoreland-wetland districts (Sec. 40-326). The shoreland ordinance applies in every town.
- Vision triangle distances depend on road speed (Table X.5.05(4)): e.g. 90 ft at 25 mph up to 210 ft at 65 mph; 75 ft for a T intersection.
- County land use permit appointments are required; the office is in the basement of the Shawano County Courthouse. After-the-fact permits are charged a triple fee.
- Some covered towns have their own town permits for buildings (e.g. the Town of Wittenberg's $10 administrative building permit for structures over 100 sq ft); none of the town pages found mention fences.
- Solid fences over 6 ft (to a 12 ft maximum) are allowed in residential districts only if they meet the principal building's required yards.
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 Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning), WI?
No. Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning) does not require a permit for a typical residential fence, but height and placement rules still apply. Shoreland areas: the county Shoreland Ordinance (Ch. 40 Art. X, Dec. 2025) lists a fence as an accessory structure (Sec. 40-297) and says structures need a permit unless expressly excluded (Sec. 40-300), with a 75-ft setback from the ordinary high-water mark (Sec. 40-491). Fences for pasturing livestock are exempt in shoreland-wetland districts (Sec. 40-326). The shoreland ordinance applies in every town.
How tall can a fence be in the Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)?
Side and rear yards: Solid/opaque fences 6 feet or less in height may project into the minimum required side and rear yards (residential districts); taller solid fences must meet principal-building yards. Front (street) yard: Fences, walls or hedges located within the front or street yard ... shall not exceed 3-1/2 feet in height regardless of zoning district. Corner lots: 3-1/2 feet within the visual clearance triangle; within the vision triangle no object over 2.5 feet above the road beds is allowed, except transparent fences.
How close to the property line can I put a fence in the Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)?
Solid fences 6 ft or less may sit in required side and rear yards; residential solid fences over 6 ft must meet the principal building's minimum yards. No fence may exceed 12 feet unless required by a State or Federal agency.
Who do I contact about a fence permit in the Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)?
Shawano County Planning & Development (Zoning). Phone 715-526-6766.
Sources
Summarized from Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)'s own ordinances, forms and permit pages. Each link opens the original.
Ordinance: Shawano County Zoning Ordinance No. 7-14, Sec. X.5.03(4)(g) Fences; X.5.05(4) Vision triangles
- co.shawano.wi.us — Approved & Accepted FINAL Zoning Ordinance Amendments
- energyzoning.org — Zoning ordinance (archived copy)
- co.shawano.wi.us — land use permits
- co.shawano.wi.us — EXHIBIT A SHORELAND ORDINANCE
- wicounties.org — shawano county
- townofbirnamwood.wi.gov — landUse
- townofwittenbergwi.gov — how do obtain a building permit
Work for Shawano County Zoning (towns under county zoning)? 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.