Flint, MI Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any fence is erected or altered
- Issuing office
- Division of Building and Safety Inspections
- Fee basis
- Fence treated as a structure
- Penalty
- Municipal civil infraction, § 17-99
Summary
Flint requires a permit before erecting or altering any fence, issued through the Division of Building and Safety Inspections, with fences treated as structures for fee purposes.
No fence shall be hereafter erected or altered without first obtaining a permit from the Division of Building and Safety Inspections of the City of Flint. ... A fence shall be considered as a structure for the purpose of figuring the permit fee.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2016 Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 3821, passed 3-1-2012).
Full Breakdown
Under § 17-2 of the Flint City Code, no fence may be erected or altered anywhere in the City of Flint without first obtaining a permit from the Division of Building and Safety Inspections. § 17-3 treats a fence as a structure for purposes of calculating the permit fee, so the same fee schedule that applies to other structures applies to fences. The permit requirement applies citywide regardless of the zoning district, though the height and material rules that follow in § 17-4 vary by zone. Skipping the permit step exposes the fence owner to a municipal civil infraction.
Violations & Fines
Building or altering a fence without a permit under § 17-2 is a municipal civil infraction pursuant to §§ 1-10 through 1-21, per the penalty clause at § 17-99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Flint?
How is the fence permit fee calculated in Flint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Flint
Compare Flint to another location·View the Michigan fence regulations overview
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