Fence Regulations in McHenry County, IL (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated McHenry County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
In unincorporated McHenry County, the Unified Development Ordinance caps a solid fence (obscuring more than 50% of the view) at six feet. Open fences may reach eight feet if they meet principal-structure setbacks. Solid fences in a front/street yard are limited to three feet.
McHenry County Fence Height: 6 ft Solid, 8 ft Open
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 16.56.050(H)(2)(a), (H)(3)(a)
Solid fences are limited to a maximum height of six (6) feet, unless a taller fence is otherwise required by this Ordinance. ... Open fences are limited to a maximum height of eight (8) feet, unless they meet the setback requirements for principal structures.
Fence Permit Requirements
Building a solid fence in unincorporated McHenry County requires a building permit from the Department of Planning & Development. Open (see-through) fences are exempt, though work near a floodplain or wetland may trigger a stormwater review or permit.
McHenry County Fence Permits: Solid Fences Require One
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 16.56.050(H)(2)(c), (H)(3)(c)
Construction of solid fences requires a building permit from the Department of Planning and Development. ... Open fences are exempt from building permits, however construction in or near a floodplain or wetland area may require a stormwater review or stormwater permit.
Neighbor Fence Rules
The McHenry County UDO requires the finished side of every fence to face away from your own lot, and posts must be placed on the inside. The whole fence must sit entirely within your property lines, not in the public right-of-way.
McHenry County: Finished Side of Fence Faces the Neighbor
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 16.56.050(H)(1)(a)
The finished side of all fences shall face away from the lot or parcel on which it located. All fence posts, excluding those for barbed wire fences, shall be placed on the inside of the fence.
Retaining Walls
The McHenry County UDO sets no separate height cap for retaining walls, but a 'fence or wall' must sit entirely within your lot lines. Structural retaining walls are reviewed under the adopted building code, and grading near water may trigger a stormwater permit.
McHenry County Retaining Walls: Treated Like Fences/Walls
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code § 16.56.050(H)(1)(b)
A fence or wall, including all posts, bases, and other structural parts shall be located completely within the boundaries of the lot on which it is located. The installation of fencing by a private property owner in the public right-of-way is prohibited.
Material Restrictions
The McHenry County UDO defines a fence broadly as a barrier of wood, masonry, stone, wire, metal, or a combination. Most materials are allowed; barbed wire and aboveground electric fences are the key prohibited types outside farms and heavy-commercial/industrial districts.
McHenry County Fence Materials: Wood, Masonry, Stone, Metal
Some RestrictionsMcHenry County Code Title 16 (Definitions), FENCE
FENCE. A constructed barrier of wood, masonry, stone, wire, metal, or other combination of materials erected to fully or partially enclose or screen an area. An elevated deck railing is not a FENCE.
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