Will County, IL Fence Regulations: Fence Permit Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- No
- Residential side/rear height limit
- 7 feet
- Commercial/industrial height limit
- 8 feet
- Street yard height limit
- 4 feet (5 feet agricultural)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Will County only
Summary
Unincorporated Will County requires no permit to build a fence, but height and material limits still apply by district.
(A) Fences and walls up to seven feet in height are permitted in side and rear yard areas in residential and agricultural districts... (E) No permits are required for fences. (G) Barbed wire, razor concertina, concertina wire fences are prohibited in residential zoning districts and on lots abutting residential zoning districts.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 24-100, passed 4-18-2024 and Res. 23-387, passed 11-16-2023; and State legislation approved through 2024 Pamphlet #2).
Full Breakdown
Will County's zoning code sets fence and wall height limits by district and location on the lot, up to 7 feet in side/rear yards in residential and agricultural districts, 8 feet in commercial and industrial districts, and generally 4 feet in street yards, but the code states outright that no permit is required to erect a fence. Barbed wire, razor/concertina wire and electric fences are banned in residential districts and on lots next to them, with narrow exceptions for livestock containment in the E-1 and E-2 districts. These rules apply only in unincorporated Will County; Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield and Lockport enforce their own fence codes.
Violations & Fines
No fine for skipping a permit since none is required; noncompliant fences (height, prohibited wire types) are subject to zoning enforcement and correction orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a fence in unincorporated Will County?
Are barbed wire fences allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Will County
Compare Will County to another location·View the Illinois fence regulations overview
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