Dubuque, IA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

City Code section 16-3-21-1 sets the baseline for fences on residential lots: 7 feet in any yard except a required front yard, where the limit drops to 4 feet. Corner lots carry an added condition, a 10-foot clear visibility area maintained under section 16-3-5, meant to keep sightlines open at intersections regardless of the yard's 7-foot allowance. Fences enclosing swimming pools must separately satisfy applicable building code standards on top of the zoning height rule, since a pool barrier often has its own minimum height and latching requirements. Section 16-3-21-2 exempts fences at schoolyards or in nonresidential zoning districts from this residential height scheme entirely, though even those exempted fences still cannot block visibility at intersections under section 16-3-5. The height rules apply citywide across every residential zoning district, since section 16-3-21 sits in title 16, chapter 3's general provisions rather than inside any single district's bulk table.