Burlington, WI Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard, 80%+ open
- 4 feet max
- Front yard, less open
- 3 feet max
- Side/rear yard
- 6 feet max
- Street setback
- 3 feet from right-of-way
- Historic district
- Needs certificate of appropriateness
- Penalty
- $10-$200 per day, § 315-136A
Summary
Burlington caps front-yard fences at four feet if they are at least 80% open, or three feet if more solid, while side and rear yard fences can rise to six feet under Zoning Code § 315-51C. Historic district fences need Historic Preservation Commission approval regardless of height.
Placement on lot. A fence is permitted on or near the property lines in all districts. No fence shall be closer than three feet from the street right-of-way in the front yard, except a protective fence or a fence that is used to screen a parking lot from a residential district. ... Front yard. A fence that consists of at least 80% open space shall not exceed four feet in height. A fence that has less than 80% open space may not exceed three feet in height unless the fence is used to screen a parking lot from a residential district, in which case it shall not exceed four feet in height. ... Side and rear yards. A fence may not exceed six feet in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4997580; v29 updated 2026-07-07; through 07-07-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 315-51C(1)(a) lets a fence sit on or near any property line in every zoning district, but bars placement closer than three feet to the street right-of-way in the front yard, except a protective fence or a fence screening a parking lot from a residential district, which must show its more attractive side to the public. Height limits in Subsection C(1)(b) split by openness and location: a front-yard fence that is at least 80% open space is capped at four feet, while a less-open front-yard fence is capped at three feet unless it screens a parking lot from a residential district, in which case it can reach four feet.
Side and rear yard fences may not exceed six feet regardless of openness. A lot with more than one street yard applies the front-yard rule to each of them, and any fence in the HPO Historic District needs an approved certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission no matter its height. Decorative fences are allowed in the street yard, kept out of the public right-of-way, and capped at three feet, and on corner lots they must also meet the traffic-visibility triangle in § 315-46.
Height is measured from the ground to the top of the fence section, averaged between posts, though a post, post cap, or ornamental feature may exceed the limit as long as it stays proportionate and does not exceed the cap by more than six inches without Plan Commission approval.
Violations & Fines
A fence built taller than the § 315-51C height limits for its yard, or placed inside the required vision clearance triangle under § 315-51C(2)(a), is a zoning violation enforced under § 315-136A: forfeiture of $10 to $200 plus prosecution costs per offense, with each day the fence remains noncompliant treated as a new violation. Nonconforming fences existing before the section's effective date may stay, but altering more than 50% of one brings the entire fence into compliance under § 315-51C(4).
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a backyard fence be in Burlington?
Why do some Burlington front-yard fences max out at three feet and others at four?
Do corner-lot fences in Burlington face extra rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burlington
How Burlington compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Burlington to another location·View the Wisconsin fence regulations overview
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