Bloomington, IL Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Bloomington City Code § 44-910A sets the general standards every fence in the city must follow. Subsection (2) requires a permit from the Development Services Department before any fence is installed, covering new fences and, by the section's placement among lot-line and setback rules, replacement fencing as well. A fence may sit near or on a lot line but cannot protrude onto a neighbor's property or a right-of-way, and where it is not built directly on the line, it needs a minimum 3-foot setback, or more if needed for maintenance access, so both properties can reach the strip between parallel fences.

Supporting poles must go on the inside of the fenced property, with the finished side facing outward toward neighbors and the street. Getting a permit does not shift the burden of locating property lines: § 44-910A(4) makes it the property owner's duty to determine the correct lines and confirm the built fence matches the approved plan, and issuance of the permit does not mean the City has verified there is no encroachment. Fences in a drainage, access or utility easement need separate written consent, from the City Engineer for drainage or access easements, or from every utility with lines in the easement plus a liability release from the property owner for utility easements, and proof of that consent must be submitted with the permit application.