Michigan's Partition Fence Act (MCL 43.51) makes adjoining rural landowners equally responsible for the cost of a boundary fence in unincorporated/agricultural areas, but it does not apply within Oakland County's cities and villages. In suburban Oakland County, fences are governed by local zoning and civil property law.
MCL 43.51 et seq. is Michigan's 'fence viewer' statute — it gives township-elected fence viewers authority to assign half-costs to each adjoining owner of a partition fence. Section 43.62 explicitly exempts incorporated cities and villages, which covers most of populated Oakland County (Royal Oak, Troy, Birmingham, Ferndale, Farmington Hills, Pontiac, etc.). In those cities, a boundary fence is a private matter — the owner installing it pays unless neighbors voluntarily share costs in writing. The 'finished side out' practice is custom, not state law; some Oakland County municipalities (e.g., Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills) require the finished side to face the neighbor. Encroachment over the property line typically requires a recorded easement or risks a removal action.
Property-line disputes are usually resolved through 48th District Court (small claims under $7,000) or the Oakland County Circuit Court for larger claims. A licensed Michigan land surveyor stake is typically required before a court will order relocation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Oakland County's neighbor fence rules rules stack up against other locations.
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