6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Lake County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Maximum fence height in unincorporated Lake County is 6 feet. Fences exceeding 6 feet in nonresource zones require a building permit. Sight-obscuring fences must not violate vision clearance.
Fences in unincorporated Lake County may qualify for a simplified registration process instead of a full building permit, depending on specifications. A plat of survey is required for all fence registrations.
Illinois Fence Act (765 ILCS 130) governs agricultural boundary fences. In residential unincorporated Lake County, fences must be entirely on private property. No state cost-sharing law for residential fences.
Lake County UDO requires a building permit for any retaining wall over 4 feet measured from bottom of footing to top of wall. Engineered plans stamped by an Illinois PE required for taller or surcharged walls.
Lake County requires barriers around all residential pools, spas, and hot tubs per Illinois Swimming Pool and Bathing Beach Code and 2018 IRC Appendix G. Minimum 48-inch fence with self-closing, self-latching gates.
Lake County IL UDO and municipal zoning codes approve wood, vinyl, wrought iron, tubular steel and chain-link for residential fences, with chain-link often restricted in front yards and historic districts. Barbed wire and electrified fences are banned in residential zones. Materials must withstand Illinois freeze-thaw cycles. HOAs in Gurnee, Vernon Hills and Lake Forest often impose stricter standards.
3 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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Lake County Ordinance Hub →