Arlington Heights, IL Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Barbed wire
- Prohibited village-wide, § 28-6.13-2.a
- Slatted chain link
- Prohibited except limited M-1/M-2 use
- Metal fence gauge
- Minimum 9-gauge woven wire
- Post embedment
- Tamped earth or concrete
- Orientation
- Finished side faces neighboring property
- Permit required
- From Director of Building, § 28-6.13-1
Summary
Arlington Heights bans barbed wire fencing outright and prohibits slatted chain link fencing anywhere in the Village except between business properties or around dumpsters in the M-1 and M-2 manufacturing districts. Municipal Code Section 28-6.13-2 also requires metal fences to be at least nine-gauge woven wire, finished side facing the neighbor, and posts set in tamped earth or concrete.
6.13-1 Fence Permit Required. No fence shall be erected without having secured a permit from the Director of Building, who shall grant the permit only if the proposed fence is in compliance with all the provisions of this Code and any amendment to it, and if the proposed fence will be erected in a structurally sound manner. 6.13-2 Materials and Type of Construction: a.The use of barbed wire fencing is prohibited; b.All metal fences erected shall be of nine gauge woven wire or its equivalent; c.Fence posts shall be of an approved material and shall be embedded into tamped earth or concrete, to a depth which would assure its structural stability; d.All fences must be erected with the finished side facing the adjoining properties; e.Solid fencing is allowed only between certain zoning districts and where otherwise specified in Chapter 28; and f.Slatted chain link fence is prohibited. Exception: In the M-1 and M-2 Districts, slatted fences will be allowed between business properties and to enclose garbage dumpsters but cannot be located adjacent to a street or residential properties.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
13-1 requires a fence permit from the Director of Building before any fence goes up, and the Director may grant it only if the fence complies with the Code and will be built in a structurally sound manner. 13-2 then sets the material rules: barbed wire fencing is prohibited outright with no residential or commercial carve-out; metal fences must be at least nine-gauge woven wire or its equivalent; fence posts must be embedded in tamped earth or concrete to a depth that ensures structural stability; and every fence must be erected with its finished side facing the adjoining property, not the owner's own yard.
Solid fencing is restricted to locations specifically allowed between certain zoning districts elsewhere in Chapter 28. Slatted chain link fencing is prohibited village-wide, with one narrow exception: in the M-1 and M-2 manufacturing districts, slatted fencing is allowed only between business properties or to enclose garbage dumpsters, and even then it cannot sit next to a street or a residential property. 13-2 apply regardless of where on the lot the fence sits.
Violations & Fines
A fence built with prohibited materials cannot receive the Section 28-6.13-1 permit in the first place, since the Director of Building may issue a permit only for a fence that complies with the Code. Section 28-6.13-5 gives the Director continuing authority after installation, too: any fence, including one erected with noncompliant materials, that becomes "a hazard to public safety or to the free flow of traffic" can be ordered removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install barbed wire on my residential fence in Arlington Heights?
Is chain link fencing allowed?
Do I need a permit before installing a fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington Heights
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