Fence Regulations in Lewisville, TX

If you live in Lewisville or are thinking about moving there, fence regulations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Lewisville has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of fence regulations, and some of them might surprise you.

Neighbor Fence Rules

Lewisville does not regulate fence placement between neighbors beyond zoning setback and height requirements. Texas is not a shared-fence-cost state. The finished side of the fence has no mandatory facing direction under city code. Property line disputes are civil matters.

Key details: Neighbor Consent: Not required by city code. Shared Cost: Not required in Texas urban areas. Finished Side: No mandatory facing direction. Property Line: Survey recommended before building. Disputes: Civil matter, not city jurisdiction.

No city penalties for neighbor disputes. Zoning violations carry fines up to $500 per day. Property line and encroachment disputes are resolved through civil courts.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Lewisville gives residents more flexibility on neighbor fence rules.

Fence Permit Requirements

Anyone hired to build, alter, or remove a fence in Lewisville must be a city-registered contractor under City Code § 4-551, and the city will not issue a permit to an unregistered contractor. Property owners doing fence work on their own homesteaded residence, as shown on the Denton County Appraisal District rolls, are exempt from the registration requirement.

Key details: Registration length: 1 year, renewed annually. Bond/insurance: $100,000 minimum for general contractors. Homeowner exemption: Own homesteaded-residence work exempt. Appeal window: 10 business days to registration board. Fee: Not prorated, set under § 2-201.

Performing fence contracting work in Lewisville without city registration means no permit will be issued for the job, and the building official can suspend or revoke an existing registration for gross negligence, an expired bond or insurance, false information, or two related code violations within 12 months. An unregistered non-owner contractor risks having work stopped and any permit application denied outright.

Height Limits

Lewisville limits residential fences to 4 feet in front yards and 8 feet in side and rear yards under the zoning ordinance Ch. 18. Corner lots have additional sight triangle restrictions. Commercial and industrial fences may be up to 8 feet.

Key details: Front Yard: 4 ft maximum. Side/Rear Yard: 8 ft maximum. Corner Lot Sight Triangle: 3 ft or open materials. Measurement: From finished grade on higher side. Barbed Wire: Prohibited in residential zones.

Code Enforcement notice with compliance period. Fines up to $500 per day. Non-conforming fences must be reduced in height or removed.

Lewisville is more permissive than most cities when it comes to height limits. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Lewisville gives residents more room on fence regulations. 2 of the 3 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

These rules come from Lewisville's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.