Will County, IL Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Side/rear yard (res./ag.)
- Up to 7 feet
- Side/rear yard (comm./ind.)
- Up to 8 feet
- Street (front) yard
- 4 feet (5 feet in ag.)
- Double-frontage rear yard
- Up to 6 feet
- Permit required
- None
Summary
In unincorporated Will County, fences top out at 7 feet in residential/agricultural side and rear yards, 4 feet in street yards, with a corner sight-triangle exception.
(A) Fences and walls up to seven feet in height are permitted in side and rear yard areas in residential and agricultural districts. (B) Fences and walls up to eight feet in height are permitted in side and rear yard areas in commercial and industrial districts. (C) Fences and walls up to four feet in height above natural grade level are permitted in street yard areas of all zoning districts. Street yard fences in agricultural zoning districts may be up to five feet in height. (D) For double-frontage lots ... fences may be up to six feet in height in the rear yards. (E) No permits are required for fences.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 24-100, passed 4-18-2024 and Res. 23-387, passed 11-16-2023; and State legislation approved through 2024 Pamphlet #2).
Full Breakdown
The Will County zoning ordinance caps side- and rear-yard fences at 7 feet in residential and agricultural districts (8 feet in commercial and industrial districts). Street-yard (front) fences are limited to 4 feet, or 5 feet in agricultural districts. Double-frontage lots may run rear fences up to 6 feet where street access isn't allowed. No permit is required for a fence. Separately, § 155-14.80 bars any fence, structure, or plant material from blocking driver sight lines within the vision-clearance triangle at road intersections and driveways. These rules apply only to unincorporated county land. Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield and Lockport enforce their own municipal codes.
Violations & Fines
No permit is required, so there's no permit-revocation process; violations are handled as zoning code enforcement, with barbed wire, razor wire and unauthorized electric fencing in residential districts subject to removal orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a fence in unincorporated Will County?
Can I put a tall fence in my front yard?
Does this apply inside Joliet or Bolingbrook?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Will County
How Will County compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Will County to another location·View the Illinois fence regulations overview
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