Most residential fences in Lincoln do not need a permit if they are 6 feet tall or shorter and meet the LMC 27.72.140 standards. A building permit is required for fences over 6 feet, fences on commercial property, and any fence in a sight-triangle area on a corner lot.
Per Lincoln's Building Safety division, fences 6 feet or less in residential side and rear yards and 4 feet or less in front yards may be built without a building permit (LMC 27.72.140). Once a fence exceeds 6 feet, the project triggers a building permit under the International Residential Code as adopted by LMC Title 21. Permit applications go through the Lincoln Planning & Development Services Building Safety office, where staff review structural calculations for tall fences and verify property-line setbacks. Owners on corner lots must still observe the 30-inch sight-triangle cap (LMC 27.71.090) regardless of permit status, and homeowners should locate property pins before installation since neighbor disputes over the fence's actual location are not adjudicated by the city.
Building without a required permit is a violation of LMC 21.06 punishable by a fine up to $200 per day under LMC 1.24.020, plus the cost of after-the-fact permit fees (typically double the standard fee).
Lincoln, NE
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Lincoln, NE
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Lincoln, NE
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See how Lincoln's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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