Fence Regulations in St. Louis, MO (2026)
5 verified fence regulations for St. Louis, Missouri, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
St. Louis caps front-yard fences at 48 inches, side/rear fences at 8 feet in residential zones, and commercial-zone fences at 10 feet.
St. Louis Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis Revised Code § 25.01.020 (Building Code Amendments, adding Section 430 - Fences)
1. No fence exceeding 48 inches in height shall be erected in front of the building line as determined by the guidelines and requirements set forth in the Zoning Ordinance, when constructed for uses in residential zones. ... Fencing on a corner lot shall not be located within the site distance triangle as defined in the Zoning Ordinance. 2. All other fences in residential zones shall be permitt...
Fence Permit Requirements
St. Louis requires a Miscellaneous Structures Permit for fences and sets height limits by zone: 48 inches in residential front yards, 8 feet on residential side/rear lines, and 10 feet in commercial zones.
St. Louis Fence Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis Revised Code § 25.01.020 (Building Code, Section 430 — Fences)
No fence exceeding 48 inches in height shall be erected in front of the building line as determined by the guidelines and requirements set forth in the Zoning Ordinance, when constructed for uses in residential zones. All other fences in residential zones shall be permitted to be erected to a height not to exceed eight feet along side or rear property lines. Fences in commercial zones shall not...
Neighbor Fence Rules
St. Louis does not mandate shared fence costs for urban residential property. Missouri RSMo 272.010 partition fence law applies only to agricultural land. The good-side-out tradition is customary but not legally required.
Fences: Neighbor Rules
Few RestrictionsRSMo § 272.010
272.010. Field to be enclosed by fence. — All fields and enclosures where animals are kept shall be enclosed by a lawful fence as defined in section 272.020.
Retaining Walls
St. Louis exempts retaining walls of 18 inches or less above the lowest adjacent grade from a building permit; any taller wall needs a Division of Building and Inspection permit and construction documents.
St. Louis Retaining Wall Permit Rule
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis Revised Code § 25.01.020 (2018 IBC § 105.2, Item 7, as amended)
Permits shall not be required for the following: ... 6.Replacement of existing fencing of the same height, material, and location except when enclosing swimming pools, hot tubs, or spas;7.Retaining walls eighteen inches or less in height above lowest adjacent grade;8.Tents smaller than 1,000 square feet, or those used for private family events on the same lot as the owner's residence;
Material Restrictions
St. Louis's Building Code bans barbed wire fencing in residential zones and prohibits electrically charged fences citywide; where barbed wire is otherwise allowed, no strand may sit closer than seven feet to the ground.
St. Louis Bans Barbed Wire, Electric Fences
Heavy RestrictionsSt. Louis Revised Code § 25.01.020 (Building Code § 430.1)
430.1 Requirements. Fences shall be subject to the following requirements: ...4.No barbed wire fence or fence topped with barbed wire, razor ribbon, or like material shall be erected for any use group in residential zones. No strand of barbed wire, razor ribbon, or like material on any fence shall be closer than seven feet to the ground....8.No electrically charged fences shall be erected in th...