Lincoln Municipal Code (LMC) 27.72.140 caps fence height in single-family residential districts at 4 feet in the front yard and 6 feet in side and rear yards. Corner lots have additional sight-triangle restrictions to preserve traffic visibility, and any fence over 6 feet requires a building permit from the Building & Safety Department.
LMC 27.72.140 establishes the citywide fence standards: in any R-1 through R-T residential district, fences in required front yards may not exceed 4 feet in height, while side and rear yard fences may rise to 6 feet. The same code section requires fences taller than 6 feet to obtain a building permit and meet structural design loads. Corner lot fences within the 25-foot sight triangle at intersections cannot exceed 30 inches under LMC 27.71.090 to preserve driver sight lines. Barbed wire is prohibited in residential districts (LMC 27.72.140(a)). The Lincoln Building Safety division administers the residential fence requirements and provides illustrated fence-installation diagrams on the city's Planning & Development Services site.
Failure to comply with LMC 27.72.140 is a Class III misdemeanor under LMC 1.24.020, punishable by a fine up to $200 and abatement (removal of the non-conforming fence) at the owner's cost.
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See how Lincoln's height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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