Fishers, IN Fence Regulations: Material Restrictions (2026)

Material choice in Fishers is governed by performance standards rather than a fixed list. UDO Sec. 2 does not enumerate permitted materials, so wood, vinyl/PVC, aluminum, and ornamental/wrought-style steel are all generally usable in residential yards. Three provisions constrain materials in practice: (1) Safety Restrictions (Sec. 2(I)) bar barbed wire, security wire, sharpened top spikes, and electrified wires except for agricultural use or City facilities; (2) the height table (Sec. 2(B)) requires a primary-front-yard residential fence to be at least 50% open, which favors picket, ornamental, or spaced materials over solid panels in that location, while permitting an 8-foot fence that 'may consist of open mesh' for institutional/industrial enclosures; and (3) the finished-side rule (Sec.

2(C)) requires the non-structural face to point outward, regardless of material. Developer-installed perimeter fencing along common areas must be consistent in size, shape, character, and design (Sec. 2(E)). Because the UDO is permissive on material, the most common real-world constraint is the homeowners' association: many Fishers subdivisions limit fences to specific materials, heights, and colors through recorded covenants, which the city does not enforce but which still bind owners.