Lake County, IN Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Site plan review
- Exempt for fences/walls
- Still subject to
- UDO standards + building permit
- Survey
- May be required by director
- Administered by
- Lake County Plan Commission
- Scope
- Unincorporated land only
Summary
In unincorporated Lake County, erecting a fence is exempt from site plan review, but fences must still comply with UDO standards and are subject to building permit review. Requirements differ inside incorporated cities and towns.
The site plan review procedures of this section do not apply to the following, but such activities are subject to the regulations and standards of this UDO and building permit review: ... Construction or erection of accessory buildings, fences, hedges, or walls.
Full Breakdown
Under the Lake County UDO, the site plan review procedures do not apply to the construction or erection of accessory buildings, fences, hedges, or walls; however, the ordinance expressly states such activities are still subject to the regulations and standards of the UDO and to building permit review. In practice that means a fence in unincorporated Lake County must meet the height, material, easement, and intersection-visibility rules even though it skips formal site plan review. The Lake County Building and Zoning offices administer permits and surveys; the director may require a survey where a fence's location relative to rights-of-way cannot be readily determined.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining a fence contrary to the UDO is a nuisance per se; citation penalties run up to $2,500 (first) and $7,500 (subsequent) under IC 36-1-3-8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence?
Might I need a survey?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Compare Lake County to another location·View the Indiana fence regulations overview
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