Champaign County, IL Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

G of the Zoning Ordinance regulates fences by zoning district in the county's unincorporated area. In the R residential districts, a fence in a required FRONT YARD may not exceed six feet, and any part of that fence over four feet high must be at least 50 percent transparent, meaning open designs like chain link, wire mesh or split rail rather than solid panels. Fences in the SIDE and REAR YARDS may run up to eight feet, and any portion of a side or rear fence that sits between the dwelling and the front yard is still held to the same four-foot transparency rule.

On residential lots in the AG and CR districts under five acres, the same six-foot front-yard and eight-foot side/rear caps apply, with the transparency rule triggered within 25 feet of the dwelling along a driveway. In the B and I business and industrial districts, fences may run up to eight feet, plus an extra two feet of HEIGHT if the addition is a barbed wire security barrier. 4 measures fence HEIGHT from the highest adjacent grade and allows up to three inches of clearance underneath without counting against the limit.

2 applies a similar 15-foot driveway visibility triangle on all lots, requiring trees within it to be trimmed to at least six feet above the pavement. A fence that violates these standards is enforced the same as any other zoning violation, through the Zoning Administrator's complaint process.