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

Section 22-317 makes it unlawful to erect or alter any fence within the town unless a permit has been issued by the director of code enforcement. The written application must be filed with the code enforcement department and must include plans drawn to scale, a spot survey of the property, specifications describing the work to be done, the identity of the individual or company performing the work, and the proposed location of the fence on the owner's premises. This permit requirement sits at the front of Article VII, which goes on to regulate fence height, materials, setbacks from the property line, and outright bans certain fence types: Section 22-318 requires all fences to sit at least four inches inside the property line and bars back-to-back fences within four feet of each other, while Section 22-319 bans barbed wire, razor wire and electrically charged fencing outside of manufacturing districts or a zoning variance.

Section 22-320 layers on zone-specific rules, barring front-yard fences in residential districts entirely and capping side and rear yard fences at six feet. A fence permit application seeking removal of an existing fence must be signed by the fence's owner, and every application needs a current, accurate plat of survey showing both the proposed fence and any fences already on the lot.