Carver County, MN Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

029 defines a boundary line fence as any fence erected within the required structure setback of a property; those fences may stand in a required yard but never in the public right-of-way. The seven-foot cap applies countywide in the unincorporated area, and the code allows only two ways around it: a fence higher than seven feet built specifically for an agricultural operation, or one approved for screening or security through a conditional use permit, variance, or other county permit process. The code also layers on a proportional limit: a fence cannot be taller than the horizontal distance separating it from any residence on a neighboring lot, so a fence sitting close to a neighbor's house is held to a lower ceiling than the flat seven feet.

Height itself is measured from the average grade of the surrounding land rather than from the base of the fence post, and if an owner mounds a berm to gain extra height, the berm's elevation is added into the measurement. Fences reaching seven feet or taller trigger the separate State Building Code permit requirement carried in the same section. 010 as the successor to the former Planning and Zoning department, administers and enforces these standards for the unincorporated county.