Topeka, KS Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)

TMC 14.20.040, in Chapter 14.20's Article I general provisions, states the rule in two sentences: "Any person desiring to install any fence on private properties shall first secure a permit for such installation. The fee for a fence permit shall be as prescribed by the City's fee schedule." Unlike several other minor structures, a fence gets no size exemption. The IBC amendment at TMC 14.20.060(f) lists what does NOT need a permit under the adopted 2024 International Building Code, including detached storage sheds under 120 square feet and retaining walls up to four feet tall, but fences are not on that exempt list, so the permit duty in 14.20.040 applies to a residential privacy fence as much as a commercial security fence.

To apply, TMC 14.10.010(a) requires the applicant to call the Division of Building Inspection before any work starts and to describe the work, the site address, and the intended use; the Division may require plans or drawings. Getting the permit does not excuse compliance with the separate dimensional rules in TMC 18.210.040, which caps most residential fences at eight feet (four feet in a front yard) and bars any fence from blocking a sight-distance triangle, so the permit can be denied or conditioned if the proposed fence would violate those standards.

If a contractor fails to pay the permit fee within 30 days of billing, TMC 14.10.060 deems the work unpermitted, stops it, and requires that contractor to prepay permits for the next six months.