Royal Oak Township, MI Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

Section 32-635(c) of the Royal Oak Charter Township Code prohibits the installation, erection or maintenance of a fence except in strict compliance with the chapter. A permit must be obtained prior to installation or erection of any fence where the section requires one, and a complete application with a fee, as established or later prescribed by resolution of the Township, must be submitted before any fence permit is considered.

The definitions say what needs a permit. A fence, which is a structure erected as a boundary marker or to restrict access to or from a lot, requires a fence permit, and so do privacy screens, which are fences of opaque material that form a visual barrier. Landscape treatments, meaning non-sight-obscuring decorative structures three feet or less in height such as timbers, boulders and planter boxes, do not require a fence permit. Decorative plant materials do not either, but they must be set back at least two feet from an adjoining owner's driveway or sidewalk and at least one foot from the nearest edge of any existing or required sidewalk.

Existing fences are covered by subsection (b): a fence that predates the ordinance cannot be enlarged, rebuilt, repaired or replaced without first obtaining a permit from the Building Division, and it must then conform to all provisions of the section.

Under subsection (f), a fence proposed with a development that requires site plan review is shown on the site plan. In all other cases the application goes to the Building Official with a survey by a licensed surveyor and drawings that show the dimensions and design of the fence. The survey must delineate all lot lines, and all lot lines must be permanently staked on the property. The Building Official reviews the application against the State Construction Code and other regulations and can grant a permit upon finding that it complies fully. A fence on the shared property line also needs a written consent form signed by both homeowners, and swimming pool fences, including the gate and lock, are subject to Building Official review and approval.