Fence Regulations in Lake County, IL (2026)
4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Lake County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Unincorporated Lake County caps fences and walls at six feet, with a taller eight-foot fence allowed by the zoning director or automatically between residential and nonresidential uses.
Fence rules in unincorporated Lake County
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 151.113(L)(1)
Fences and walls shall be permitted in any required setback (except within required visibility triangles... The maximum height of walls and fences shall be six feet, or six feet six inches when the fence is required to be elevated due to the drainage requirement. In instances when greater height is deemed necessary to provide adequate visual screening, buffering and security, the Planning, Buil...
Fence Permit Requirements
Unincorporated Lake County deleted the standard building-code exemption for low fences. Under the county's 2024 amendments to the International Residential Code, a fence of any height now needs a building permit from Planning, Building & Development before construction begins, with no automatic exemption for fences 7 feet or under.
Lake County Requires Fence Permits at Any Height
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 150.17(B) (2024 ICC IRC Amendments, amending IRC § R105.2)
Amend item 1, delete with no substitution item #2, 3, and 10. Add #11 to read as follows: 11. Structures determined by the Building Official to be eligible for the Registration Program. Item #1 "Playhouses and similar structures, provided the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet" Item #2 "Fences not over 7 feet high." Item #3 "Retaining walls that are not over 4 feet in height measured fr...
Retaining Walls
Retaining walls in unincorporated Lake County must sit at least 4 feet from property lines and stay under 6 feet tall without director approval.
Retaining Wall Rules in Lake County
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 151.113(L)(2)
Retaining walls (i.e., walls that support fill) shall be set back a minimum of four feet from all property lines unless site conditions warrant a lesser setback, in which case, the Planning, Building and Development Director shall be authorized to allow a reduced setback. Retaining walls shall not be permitted within required visibility triangles (see § 151.172). The maximum height of retaining...
Material Restrictions
Unincorporated Lake County caps fences and walls at six feet, requires the finished side to face outward, and makes tall recreational fences mostly open.
Fence Rules in Lake County
Some RestrictionsLake County Code § 151.113(L)(1)
Fences and walls shall be permitted in any required setback (except within required visibility triangles, see § 151.172). The finished/ornamental side of the fence shall face outward... The maximum height of walls and fences shall be six feet, or six feet six inches when the fence is required to be elevated due to the drainage requirement... If a recreational fence is greater than six feet in h...
Fence Regulations by City in Lake County
1 cities in Lake County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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