Peoria County, IL Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDO § 7.4.1
- Permit issuer
- Peoria County Zoning Administrator
- Permit fee
- Set in County Code Ch. 12, App. A
- No-permit threshold
- Under 100 linear feet of fence
- Exempt fences
- Agricultural, ornamental, and under-100-ft fencing
Summary
Anyone erecting a fence in unincorporated Peoria County needs a building permit from the Zoning Administrator first, per UDO Section 7.4.1, unless the fence serves agriculture. Short fences under 100 feet, ornamental fencing, and farm fencing skip the permit under the Section 7.4.2 exemptions.
7.4.1 Fence Permit Application. 1. No person shall erect a fence within the County without first having received a building permit from the Zoning Administrator, unless the fence is for agricultural purposes. 2. Applications for a building permit shall be submitted with the appropriate fee as set forth in Chapter 12 of the Peoria County Code, Appendix A to the Zoning Administrator.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
1 sets the baseline rule: no person may erect a fence in the county without first obtaining a building permit from the Zoning Administrator, and agricultural fencing is the only use built into that section as exempt. The application has to go in with the fee set under Chapter 12, Appendix A of the Peoria County Code, submitted to the Zoning Administrator's office. 2 adds three specific exemptions from the permit step: fences used for agricultural purposes or operations, ornamental fencing made of decorative posts, lattices, arbors, or trellises, and any fence comprising less than one hundred linear feet of total fence run.
A homeowner replacing a short section of backyard fencing under that 100-foot threshold, or installing a decorative low picket border, does not need to file for a permit, but a full property-line enclosure over 100 feet does. 5 requiring the fence be kept in good, sound condition. 11.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a fence that requires a permit without first obtaining one from the Zoning Administrator is a UDO Section 10.2 violation. The county can require the fence be removed until a permit is secured and the installation brought into compliance, withhold other development approvals for the property, and pursue a circuit court action under Section 10.3 to compel compliance if the owner refuses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in Peoria County?
Is a short decorative fence exempt from the permit?
What happens if I build a fence without the required permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Peoria County
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