Fence Regulations in Bloomington, IL (2026)
4 verified fence regulations for Bloomington, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
In the City of Bloomington, residential fences are capped at 4 feet in a required front yard and 6 feet in a side, rear or corner-lot secondary front yard under Table 910 of Code § 44-910, and fences over 4 feet in a secondary front yard need a 3-foot setback.
Fence Height Limits in Bloomington, Illinois
Some RestrictionsBloomington City Code § 44-910B, D
B. Fence height. (1) The fence height shall be measured from the established grade on the fence owner's property to the topmost section of said fence. (2) Fences in required yards are limited in height; see Table § 44-910C. Fences outside required yards are limited to the height of accessory structures in the zoning district in which they are located; see Table § 44-908D(2). (3) On Residential ...
Fence Permit Requirements
In the City of Bloomington, no fence can go up without a permit from the Development Services Department first, under Code § 44-910A(2); the property owner, not the City, is responsible for confirming the fence sits on the correct property line.
Fence Permit Requirement in Bloomington, Illinois
Some RestrictionsBloomington City Code § 44-910A
A. General standards. ... Fences erected in the City of Bloomington shall comply with the following standards. (1) Subject to compliance with all of the other restrictions of this section, a fence may be located near or on a lot line but shall not protrude in full or in part onto any adjacent property or right-of-way. ... (2) Prior to installation of any fence, a permit shall be acquired from t...
Retaining Walls
Retaining walls in the City of Bloomington fall under the zoning code's landscaping article rather than a stand-alone wall permit. § 44-1303(A)(21) requires any landscape plan proposing a retaining wall to include a detail sheet showing its materials, height, and construction, and § 44-1304(E)(1)(e) makes the property owner responsible for keeping the wall in good repair permanently.
Retaining Wall Rules in Bloomington, IL
Some RestrictionsBloomington City Code §§ 44-1303(A)(21), 44-1304(E)(1)(e) & 44-1619
Where fences, retaining walls or screen walls are proposed: an inset detail or specification sheet that indicates materials, height, and construction details for the structure; ... Fences, steps, retaining walls and similar landscaping elements shall be maintained in good repair. The owner of the premises shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of all landscape materia...
Material Restrictions
In the City of Bloomington, residential fences cannot be built of wire mesh, barbed wire, an electrically charged fence or sharp-edged toppers under Code § 44-910C(1); chain-link is allowed in a rear or side yard but must be coated black, green or a similar color if visible from the street.
Prohibited Fence Materials in Bloomington, Illinois
Significant RestrictionsBloomington City Code § 44-910C
C. Fence materials. (1) Residential district fences shall not be constructed of wire mesh, barbed wire, electrically charged fence, or topped with sharp-edged material. In residential districts, chain-link fence may be allowed in the rear or side yard. If viewable from the right-of-way, chain-link shall have a black, green, or other similar type coating to reduce visual impact. (2) In all distr...