Mount Prospect, IL Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Section 14.318 A of the Village of Mount Prospect zoning chapter makes the permit the first step of every fence project. It is unlawful to construct, erect or replace any fence without first obtaining a permit from the Community Development Department. Replacing an existing fence needs a new permit, not only building a new one. The permit may be granted only if the proposed fence complies with the provisions of the Code, and for this purpose freestanding walls are considered fences.

The fee is set in Section 21.320, which says the fee to construct, alter or erect a fence is as set forth in appendix A, division II of the Code.

The zoning chapter sets the standards the application is measured against. All fences must be entirely on private property and cannot encroach on adjoining lots or public rights-of-way. A fence on a residentially zoned property cannot enclose an area less than fifty percent of the maximum fenceable area, though that limit does not apply to fencing around swimming pools. Fences are not permitted in floodway areas designated on FEMA's Flood Boundary and Floodway Map, and fences in utility easements are subject to the condition of the easement. Grades at property lines cannot be altered for fence construction unless a grading plan is approved by the Community Development Director.

Material rules also feed the review: only a smooth finished side may face an abutting lot or road, and barbed wire or electrically charged wire is unlawful except to protect industrial property. Temporary construction, safety and silt fencing is allowed only as part of a project with a current building permit and must be removed when the project is complete.