7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Lancaster County, Nebraska.
Verified from official government sources
Under Lincoln Municipal Code Title 27, fences up to 76 inches (about 6 feet 4 inches) are allowed anywhere on a lot. Taller fences up to 102 inches are permitted only in commercial/industrial districts or certain residential yards. Unincorporated county lots follow the Lancaster County Zoning Resolution.
Lincoln Municipal Code 27.72.140
fences may be erected to a height not to exceed seventy-six inches on any part of a lot or premises. In addition, fences may be erected to a height not to exceed one hundred two inches on any part of a lot or premises under one of the following conditions:
Lincoln's zoning code does not require a zoning permit for a code-compliant fence, but it bars fences from sight-distance triangles and from utility-equipment clearances. A building permit is separately required for fences over the standard height. Unincorporated lots need county approval.
Lincoln Municipal Code 27.72.140
No fence shall be erected within: The triangular area required for sight distance of vehicles entering or exiting the property or entering an adjacent intersection, except in conformance with the design standards of the city and the City of Lincoln Access Management Policy.
Lincoln Municipal Code lets a fence over 76 inches stand in a residential side or rear yard only if it stays at least four feet from any main structure on an abutting lot. County acreages also keep accessory structures back from the shared line.
Lincoln Municipal Code 27.72.140
no fence over seventy-six inches shall be located within four feet from any main structure on an abutting lot.
Lincoln measures fence height from the ground beneath the fence, and treats earth berms, terraces, and retaining walls that elevate a fence as part of the fence, so a wall plus fence cannot exceed the code height. A hard 12-foot cap applies on low lots along major streets.
Lincoln Municipal Code 27.72.140
Man-made earth berms, terraces, and retaining walls that elevate the fence shall be considered a part of the fence.
Lincoln Municipal Code 27.72.140 governs fence height, measurement, and location. Height is taken from the ground beneath the fence, taller fences are limited to specific yards and districts, and fences may not block sight triangles or utility equipment. The section allows only a fence, not other structures.
Lincoln Municipal Code 27.72.140
The height of a fence shall be determined by a measurement from the ground beneath the fence. Swales and other earth depressions up to six feet wide shall not be used when measuring the fence's height.
Lincoln Municipal Code Title 27 does not set a general fence-material restriction for residential fences; its fence rules address height, measurement, and location instead. Any material limits (such as barbed wire near sidewalks) come from the building code or specific districts, not from the zoning fence section.
No county-level fence-material rule applies in Lancaster County. Lincoln Municipal Code Title 27 regulates fence height and placement, not construction material, so standard residential fencing is allowed. Confirm any building-code limits on electrified or barbed-wire fencing with the city before installing.
1 cities in Lancaster County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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