St. Louis, MO Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard max
- 48 inches
- Side/rear yard max (residential)
- 8 feet
- Commercial zone max
- 10 feet
- Barbed wire
- Banned in residential zones
- Electric fences
- Banned citywide
Summary
St. Louis caps front-yard fences at 48 inches, side/rear fences at 8 feet in residential zones, and commercial-zone fences at 10 feet.
1. No fence exceeding 48 inches in height shall be erected in front of the building line as determined by the guidelines and requirements set forth in the Zoning Ordinance, when constructed for uses in residential zones. ... Fencing on a corner lot shall not be located within the site distance triangle as defined in the Zoning Ordinance. 2. All other fences in residential zones shall be permitted to be erected to a height not to exceed eight feet along side or rear property lines. 3. Fences in commercial zones shall not exceed ten feet in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 11).
Full Breakdown
The Building Code amendments in St. Louis Revised Code § 25.01.020 set fence height by location and zone. In front of the building line in a residential zone, a fence cannot exceed 48 inches, and on a corner lot the fence cannot sit inside the sight-distance triangle defined in the Zoning Ordinance. Along side or rear property lines in residential zones, fences may run up to 8 feet. In commercial zones, fences may run up to 10 feet. Barbed wire, razor ribbon, or similar material is barred outright on residential fences, and even where a strand tops a fence elsewhere it must stay at least 7 feet above the ground. Electrically charged fences are banned citywide, and a fence cannot be built in a side or front yard beyond the building line where there is no sidewalk and the yard abuts a public street.
Violations & Fines
Fences that violate these height, setback, or material rules are enforced as building code violations through the Building Division; noncompliant fences are subject to correction orders and removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my front-yard fence be in St. Louis?
Can I put barbed wire on my residential fence?
What about a fence on a corner lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
How St. Louis compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare St. Louis to another location·View the Missouri fence regulations overview
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