Fence Regulations in Southfield, MI (2026)
3 verified fence regulations for Southfield, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Southfield bans front-yard fences on residential lots unless they qualify as a decorative or living fence, and caps side- and rear-yard fences at 72 inches under City Code § 5.37-1.C.1, while requiring clear vision zones on corner lots and at driveways.
Southfield Residential Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsSouthfield City Code § 5.37-1.C.1(a)-(d)
(a)Front yard: Not permitted, unless it meets the definition of decorative fence or living fence.(b)Side yard: Fences, not exceeding seventy-two (72) inches shall not extend toward the front of the lot nearer than the front of the house.(c)Rear yard: Fences shall not exceed seventy-two (72) inches in the rear yard.(d)Double frontage yards: On corner lots where a double front setback is required...
Fence Permit Requirements
Building a fence in the City of Southfield always triggers some form of city review. Residential lots (R-A through R-E) must submit an application to the Building Department, while nonresidential and multifamily properties need a permit issued after the city planner grants administrative approval, unless the fence is already part of an approved site plan. Small decorative fencing under thirty inches is the one residential exception that skips the permit step.
Southfield Fence Permit Rules by District
Some RestrictionsSouthfield City Code § 5.37-1(C)(1), (C)(2)(a)
1.Residential districts: ... Residential fences (R-A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-E) are subject to an application to the building department and the following requirements: ... 2.Nonresidential districts: Nonresidential fences and multi-family residential are subject to the following requirements:(a)A permit shall be required prior to the construction of any fence, after administrative approval ...
Material Restrictions
In the City of Southfield, residential fences cannot be built from stockade panels, uncoated chain link, or slats jammed into chain-link mesh, and no fence anywhere in a residential district may carry barbed wire, razor wire, or an electric charge. City Code § 5.37-1(C)(1)(i) spells out the ban directly, with a narrow carve-out: working farms in the R-A through R-E districts may add barbed or electric fencing once the Zoning Board of Appeals signs off.
Southfield Bans Barbed Wire and Stockade Fences
Some RestrictionsSouthfield City Code § 5.37-1(C)(1)(i)
(i)Prohibited fences: Stockade, uncoated chain link and slats (i.e. vinyl, aluminum, etc.) inserted into chain link or cyclone fences. Fences shall not contain barb wire, razor wire, electric current or charge of electricity. Exception: Farms, permitted in the single-family residence districts (R-A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-E), may contain these type fences after approval by the ZBA.
Looking for Oakland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Southfield city rules.
Fence Regulations in Oakland County →