Fence Regulations in Fishers, IN (2026)
7 verified fence regulations for Fishers, Indiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Fishers regulates fence height by location under Unified Development Ordinance Sec. 6.18.2. A fence in a required primary front yard of a residential district maxes out at 4 feet and must be at least 50% open. Side and rear yards of a one- or two-family lot allow up to 6 feet. Fences enclosing an institutional/industrial use may reach 8 feet.
Fishers Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsFishers Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.18.2(B) Walls & Fences
Within a required primary front yard of a residential zoning district... Max Height 4', Openness 50%. Within a required or established side or rear yard of a one- or two family residential lot... 6'. Enclosing an institutional industrial use... 8', May consist of open mesh.
Permit Requirements
Fishers does NOT require a building permit to build a fence or wall. UDO Sec. 6.18.1 states plainly that walls and fences do not require a building permit, but they must comply with all standards in Article 6.18. So a fence is permit-free, yet still has to meet height, openness, material, vision-clearance, and waterway-setback rules.
Fishers Fence Permits
Few RestrictionsFishers Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.18.1 Purpose & Intent
Walls and fences do not require a building permit, but they must comply with the requirements of this Article.
Neighbor Fence Rules
Under Fishers UDO Sec. 6.18.2(C), a fence's non-structural side (posts and beams) must face outward toward the property line — UNLESS the two adjoining owners share the cost. Fences may sit on the line but cannot encroach into easements or the right-of-way. Boundary and cost-sharing disputes fall under Indiana law.
Fishers Fence Neighbor Rules
Some RestrictionsFishers Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.18.2(C) Fence Installation
Walls and fences shall be constructed with the non-structural (e.g., posts, beams) facing outward (e.g., toward the property line). Walls or fences on a property line in which two (2) or more property owners share in the expense of the wall or fence, shall not be subject to this provision.
Retaining Walls
Fishers' UDO sets no separate height table for retaining walls, but carves them out of the waterway rule: a retaining wall that does not obstruct access is exempt from the 15-foot top-of-bank setback that applies to walls and fences (Sec. 6.18.2(F)). Permitting of taller retaining walls is governed by the Indiana Residential Code.
Fishers Retaining Walls
Some RestrictionsFishers Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.18.2(F)
Walls and fences shall not be built within 15 feet of the top of bank of any lake, pond, or waterway. ... This provision does not apply to retaining walls that do not obstruct access.
Fence Requirements
Beyond height, a Fishers fence must satisfy several installation rules in UDO Sec. 6.18.2: the finished (non-structural) side faces outward, the fence stays out of the right-of-way and prohibited easements, it cannot sit within 15 feet of a waterway's top of bank, and it must clear the intersection vision triangle. Fences must also be kept maintained and in good repair.
Fishers Fence Requirements
Some RestrictionsFishers Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.18.2(H) Maintenance
Walls or fences are required to be properly maintained and kept in good repair always. Walls and fences shall be maintained by the owner of the real estate and their successors in title.
Material Restrictions
Fishers restricts dangerous fence materials. Under UDO Sec. 6.18.2(I), fences and walls may not incorporate barbed wire, security wire, sharpened top spikes, or electrified wires, except for agricultural use or City facilities. The UDO bans no list of decorative materials, but primary-front-yard fences must be 50% open, ruling out a solid privacy panel up front.
Fishers Fence Material Restrictions
Some RestrictionsFishers Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.18.2(I) Safety Restrictions
Except where used for agricultural purposes or City facilities, fences and walls shall not incorporate barbed wire, security wire, sharpened top spikes, electrified wires or the like.
Approved Materials
Fishers' UDO does not publish an approved-materials list for fences, so common materials — wood, vinyl, aluminum, ornamental steel, and (in commercial/industrial settings) open mesh — are generally acceptable provided the fence meets the height, openness, finished-side, and safety standards in Sec. 6.18.2. The clear limits are the ban on barbed/electrified wire and the 50%-open requirement in primary front yards.
Fishers Fence Materials
Some RestrictionsFishers Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.18.2(B) and (I)
Enclosing an institutional industrial use ... Max Height 8' ... May consist of open mesh. ... fences and walls shall not incorporate barbed wire, security wire, sharpened top spikes, electrified wires or the like.
Looking for Hamilton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fishers city rules.
Fence Regulations in Hamilton County →