De Pere, WI Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front/street-side yard limit
- 3 ft (4 ft if see-through)
- See-through exception
- Must be 60% or more open
- Other lot lines
- 6 ft maximum
- Abutting nonresidential zoning
- 8 ft maximum
- Height measured from
- Finished grade to top of panel
- Governing section
- De Pere Code § 54-7(c)
- Per-offense forfeiture
- $5 to $200 (Sec. 54-7(g))
Summary
De Pere caps residential fence height at three feet in the front or street-side yard setback, four feet if it is a see-through design, six feet along every other lot line, and eight feet where the fence abuts nonresidential zoned property. Sec. 54-7(c) sets these limits and layers a vision-triangle rule at intersections.
(c)Residential fences.(1)No fence exceeding three feet in height shall be allowed within the front yard or street side yard building setback limits, except fences may be constructed to a height of four feet in street side yards and front yards of lots provided the same is a see-through design (60 percent, plus visibility).(2)The maximum height of fences on any other property line shall not be more than six feet.(3)A fence may be allowed to be constructed to eight feet in height abutting a nonresidential zoned property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 54-7(c) of the Code of Ordinances sets three tiers of residential fence height. In the front yard or street-side yard, inside the building setback limits, a fence tops out at three feet, rising to four feet only if it is a see-through design that is 60 percent or more open, under Sec. 54-7(c)(1). Along any other lot line, Sec. 54-7(c)(2) allows up to six feet, and Sec. 54-7(c)(3) permits eight feet where the fence abuts a nonresidential zoned property. Sec. 54-7(c)(4) layers the vision triangle rule from Sec.
54-7(d) on top of these heights at street and alley intersections, where fences and hedges cannot obstruct the triangular clear-sight area measured 30 feet along each property line from the projected curb lines, with a 10-foot triangle observed at alleys. Sec. 54-7(e) fixes how height itself is measured: from finished grade to the top of the highest fence panel, and where a retaining wall or berm separates the fence from the grade of a neighboring property, height is measured from the average of the highest and lowest grade.
Commercial and industrial fences are treated separately under Sec. 54-7(f), which sets an eight-foot maximum and bars any fence containing barbed wire, rods, bands or other material dangerous to life and limb within four feet of a public street, sidewalk or alley.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 54-7(g) makes any violation of the fence regulations, including the height limits, subject to a forfeiture of not less than $5.00 and not more than $200.00 for each offense. Once the building inspector has given notice of a violation, every day the noncompliant fence remains standing counts as a separate offense, so an unresolved height violation can compound quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a front-yard fence be in De Pere?
Can I build a taller fence next to a business or industrial lot?
How is fence height measured on a sloped lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in De Pere
How De Pere compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare De Pere to another location·View the Wisconsin fence regulations overview
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Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle height limits.