Fence Regulations in Skokie, IL (2026)
4 verified fence regulations for Skokie, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Skokie caps yard fences at 6 feet, but a fence along a shared side lot line between two residential lots drops to 5 feet, industrial-district fences can reach 8 feet, and anything inside a sight distance triangle is limited to 30 inches.
Skokie Fence Height Limits by District
Some RestrictionsSkokie Village Code § 118-61(d)
(d)Height. A fence in a required yard may be erected to a height not exceeding 6' from ground level, except as otherwise provided below:(1)Not exceeding 5' from ground level in a residential zoning district when abutting another lot in a residential zoning district if the fence is either along a side lot line or in a required side yard.(2)Not exceeding 8' from ground level in an industrial zoni...
Fence Permit Requirements
Skokie requires a Village building permit before anyone builds, installs, or replaces a fence on private property. The Zoning Ordinance's current fence standards, adopted in 2019, also block most fences from front and corner side yards in residential districts, though a decorative fence at a nonresidential use may get site plan approval instead. The rule applies throughout the Village of Skokie, Cook County, Illinois.
Skokie Fence Permit Requirement
Some RestrictionsSkokie Village Code § 118-61
(a)A building permit shall be required for the construction, installation, or replacement of any fence. ... (c)Fence location.(1)No fence or portion of a fence shall be allowed on any part of a front yard or corner side yard except at schools, public parks, governmental uses, and public utilities, required for the protection of the public in residential zoning districts. Decorative fences in th...
Neighbor Fence Rules
Skokie does not require neighbor consent for a fence, but fences must be entirely on the owner's property with the finished side facing outward. Property line disputes are civil matters between neighbors, not enforced by the village.
Skokie Fence Neighbor and Property Line Rules
Some Restrictions765 ILCS 130 (Illinois Adjoining Landowners Act - Partition Fences)
14) Sec. 14. If any person is disposed to remove a division fence, or part thereof, owned by him or her, and allow his or her lands to be uncultivated and not used for pasture purposes, after having first given the adjoining owner one year's notice, in writing, of his or her intention so to do and having received such adjoining owner's permission, he or she may, at any time thereafter, remove t...
Material Restrictions
Skokie bans electrically charged fences and barbed or razor wire in residential areas outright; barbed wire is allowed only on industrially zoned property, mounted at least 6 feet up and angled inward.
Skokie Prohibited Fence Materials
Significant RestrictionsSkokie Village Code § 118-61(e)
(e)The following types of fences and fence attachments are prohibited unless otherwise stated:(1)Electrically charged.(2)Barbed wire, razor wire or any guard or barricade intended to cause injury. Barbed wire shall only be allowed at industrially zoned property, located at least 6' above ground level, and extended inwards towards the property enclosed.
Looking for Cook County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Skokie city rules.
Fence Regulations in Cook County →