Fence Regulations in Janesville, WI (2026)
3 verified fence regulations for Janesville, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Janesville requires a fence permit before installing almost any fence and caps height by yard and district: four feet for semi-transparent front-yard fences, six feet along interior side and rear yards, and 30 inches for privacy fencing in the front setback, plus a visibility rule at intersections.
Janesville Fence Height and Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 42-356(a), (f), (g)(5)
(a)Permit required. ... No person shall cause or allow the installation, construction, erection, placement, or replacement of a fence in the City of Janesville without first obtaining a fence permit. ... (f)Fence height. The height of fences shall be measured vertically from the finished grade on the interior side of the fence. ... (1)Fences in the front setback area. ... a.In residential zonin...
Fence Permit Requirements
In the City of Janesville, a fence permit from the Building Division is required before installing, constructing, erecting, placing or replacing any fence under Code § 42-356(a), with narrow exceptions for very short runs, invisible pet fences and small decorative fencing.
Janesville Fence Permit Requirements
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 42-356(a), (c)
(a)Permit required. ... No person shall cause or allow the installation, construction, erection, placement, or replacement of a fence in the City of Janesville without first obtaining a fence permit. Exception: When all other provisions of this chapter are met, a fence permit is not required for:(1)The installation, repair, or replacement of any fence less than 16 feet in length.(2)Underground ...
Material Restrictions
In the City of Janesville, no person may erect or maintain barbed wire or an electric fence on residential property under Code § 42-356(h)(4)c. Opaque metal fencing, chicken wire (except small garden enclosures), razor wire and materials not made for fencing are also prohibited.
Janesville Bans Barbed Wire, Electric Fences
Significant RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 42-356(h)(1), (h)(4)c, (i)(1)
(h)Fence materials.(1)Fences located in residential districts shall be manufactured for residential use. Opaque metal of any kind is prohibited. Typical residential fence materials approved for use are aluminum, wrought iron or steel, chainlink, wood, and vinyl. ... (4)Prohibited fencing materials. ... c.No person shall erect, keep or maintain any barbed wire or electric fence, except electric ...
Looking for Rock County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Janesville city rules.
Fence Regulations in Rock County →