Fence Regulations in Kirkwood, MO (2026)
4 verified fence regulations for Kirkwood, Missouri, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Kirkwood caps most fences at six feet, measured from grade to the fencing material's topmost point, with posts allowed six inches taller. Section 5-39(c) cuts that to 48 inches for any fence in front of the front building line on a residential lot, and corner-lot owners only face that cap on the addressed frontage.
Kirkwood Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsKirkwood Code of Ordinances § 5-39
(a) Fence height shall be measured from the topmost point of the fencing material vertically to the ground. (b) Fences shall not exceed six feet in height, except as provided otherwise within this article. Posts may be up to six inches taller than the fencing material. (c) Fences located in front of the front building line of any residentially zoned or residentially occupied lot shall not excee...
Fence Permit Requirements
Kirkwood requires a permit from the Building Commissioner before any fence is built or rebuilt anywhere in the city. Section 5-36 requires the application to list height, type and materials and include a site plan tying the fence to the property lines and street, though a licensed surveyor's plan is not required.
Kirkwood Fence Permit Requirement
Some RestrictionsKirkwood Code of Ordinances § 5-36
No fence shall be constructed or reconstructed without filing an application with the Building Commissioner and obtaining the required permit. The permit application shall include the height, type, construction materials of the fence, and a site plan. The site plan shall show the location of the fence with relation to the property lines and street/curb/sidewalk and/or house, but this provision ...
Retaining Walls
Kirkwood exempts most retaining walls from Architectural Review Board review, but a poured-concrete wall taller than 2 feet as measured from grade needs ARB sign-off before the Director of Public Services issues a building permit, per § 25-21(b)(2)(xi). A separate grading permit isn't required for the wall once a valid building permit is in hand, under § 20-212(b).
Kirkwood Retaining Wall Height and Review Rules
Some RestrictionsKirkwood Code of Ordinances § 25-21(b)(2)(xi)
Retaining walls, except those constructed of poured concrete that are greater than 2 feet tall as measured from grade;
Material Restrictions
Kirkwood bars flimsy and dangerous fencing materials outright: paper, cloth, canvas, bamboo and chicken coop wire are prohibited everywhere, and barbed wire or any electrified fence is banned on residential lots. Section 5-38 lets barbed wire go up six feet on nonresidential lots only, away from streets, alleys, sidewalks or parks.
Kirkwood Residential Fence Material Restrictions
Some RestrictionsKirkwood Code of Ordinances § 5-38(a)-(c)
(a) Prohibited materials and construction: (1) Fences shall not be constructed or erected, in whole or in part, with paper, cloth, canvas, bamboo, chicken coop wire, or other like material. ... (b) Barbed wire. (1) Fences on any residentially zoned or residentially occupied lot shall not be constructed in whole or part with barbed wire or any similar material. (2) Fences in nonresidential zoned...
Looking for St. Louis County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Kirkwood city rules.
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