Fence Permits and Height Rules Around Indianapolis, Town by Town

No building permit is needed for a fence that meets the zoning rules. In a locally designated historic district, the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission must approve the fence first, through a Certificate of Appropriateness.

Front yards are capped at 3.5 feet, or 4 feet if the fence is 30% opacity or less. Side and rear yards are capped at 6 feet. Posts may exceed the maximum fence height by one foot, and fences may be located up to a lot line.

Chain link is allowed in all yards on single-family and two-family lots. Barbed wire and razor wire are prohibited except to enclose livestock on agricultural property or for public safety at a public facility.

The city says no fence permit is needed, but the municipal code still sets rules for fences.

Front yards are capped at 42 inches above grade; a front-yard fence typically begins at the front corner of the house. Corner lots have two front yards, and the fence cannot exceed 42 inches in either. Side and rear yards are capped at 6 feet above grade.

Fences may be placed up to the property line. The city asks that fences be kept at least two feet from adjoining sidewalks.

The city's FAQ says building a fence does not require a permit, but that most fences encroach into an easement and zoning rules apply, so the city advises applying anyway — and it will tell you if no permit is needed.

Easements are the issue in Fishers. Many lots have drainage and utility easements along the back and side lines, and a fence in one can need the city's sign-off.

The city's zoning rules set the heights; confirm them with Planning and Zoning. Ask Fishers Planning and Zoning at 317-595-3155 or Fishers Permits and Inspections at 317-595-3120.

A permit is required for any new fence on a property of less than 3 acres.

Front yards are capped at 42 inches in a required front yard, and at least 25% of the fence must be open so it can be seen through. Side and rear yards are capped at 6 feet in a required side or rear yard.

Along a collector or arterial street, a fence may go above 42 inches, up to 6 feet, if it is set back at least 6 feet from the property line. A fence near a drainage easement must not impede the flow of stormwater, and a fence placed in a utility easement is at the owner's risk — the owner pays for any damage and repair. On corner lots, nothing may block the vision clearance area.

A permit is required. No fence may be installed until a permit is obtained, and the application needs a site plan showing the fence, the setbacks from the property lines, and all easements.

Front yards are capped at 4 feet. Residential fences may go up to 7 feet in a required side or rear yard — a foot taller than most neighboring towns allow.

Westfield does not have a fence permit.

The area between the plane of the house and the street is capped at 42 inches. Side and rear yards are capped at 6 feet; taller needs a variance. Corner lots have two front yards under the ordinance.

A fence that crosses or runs within a Drainage and Utility Easement (marked D&UE on the plot plan) may need permission from Westfield Public Works. Ask Westfield Planning at 317-804-3170 or Westfield Public Works at 317-804-3171.

The zoning ordinance says no improvement location permit is required and no fee is charged for a fence. Confirm with the town before building.

Required front yards are capped at 48 inches. Required side and rear yards are capped at 6 feet. Outside the minimum required yards, the cap is 8 feet. Posts may exceed the six-foot maximum by one foot.

A fence may not encroach on a platted or recorded easement unless the easement's terms or the agency allow it in writing. Barbed wire, razor wire and electrified fence are prohibited except with an agricultural use in the O-1 district.

These are the standards for the town's urban districts. Rural parts of Zionsville have their own section of the ordinance.

A property owner planning a new fence needs a Zoning Review Approval from the town.

Front yards are capped at 42 inches in a required or established front yard. Side, street-side and rear yards are capped at 6 feet. Chain link is prohibited in every zoning district except industrial districts, and barbed wire and razor wire are prohibited in all districts.

The finished side of the fence must face the neighboring property. A fence may not encroach into a right-of-way, or into an easement that prohibits fences.

All fences and walls are subject to review by the town, so apply before building.

Residential front yards are capped at 4 feet, and any part of the fence more than two feet above grade may be no more than 50% opaque. Residential side and rear yards are capped at 6 feet.

A fence may not sit in a utility or drainage easement without approval from the town's Public Works Commissioner.

Greenfield's fence standards are in the city's Unified Development Ordinance. The city's planning and building office can tell you what applies to your lot before you build.

Brownsburg's fence and wall standards are in the town's Unified Development Ordinance. Brownsburg Development Services can tell you what applies to your lot before you build.

A permit is required to put up a fence inside town limits. The town says its review can take up to 30 days — plan for that.

A fence located within an easement must have gates or removable panels within the easement, and the owner signs an Easement Encroachment Agreement that is recorded with the county recorder. A fence across a drainage swale has to be partly open so water can pass, and the town says a shadowbox fence does not satisfy that requirement.

The town's zoning rules set the heights; confirm them with Avon Planning and Building before you build.

No building permit is required for a residential fence.

Residential heights are 48 inches in the front and 72 inches at the side and rear. On commercial property, a fence is not allowed in the front yard; 72 inches is allowed at the side and rear.

Barbed wire, razor wire, concertina wire and similar materials are not permitted on any property. A fence must not block or interfere with an easement's intended use, and must not obstruct the vision triangle on a corner lot.

Ask the city before building whether a fence permit is required.

Residential front yards are capped at 4 feet, and no fence may exceed 6 feet elsewhere. In the IM and IL industrial zones, fences may go up to 10 feet.

The structural elements — posts and rails — must face inward, so the finished side faces out. No fence within two feet of a public sidewalk. No metal prongs, spikes or barbed wire, except barbed wire on top of chain link in the IM and IL industrial zones, and no electrically charged fence except in the AG zone.