Fence Regulations in Nebraska (2026)
21 rules on the books across Nebraska, 6 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Height Limits
Maximum fence heights for front, side, and back yards, including privacy fences, corner-lot visibility rules, and how height is measured on slopes and retaining walls.
Blue Hill
Some RestrictionsFences in Blue Hill are capped at six feet under § 5.8.1 of the Zoning Ordinance, dropping to four feet in a…
Read full rule →Douglas County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Douglas County, residential fences are capped at 4 feet in a required front or street side yard and 6…
Read full rule →Lincoln
Some RestrictionsLincoln caps fences at 76 inches anywhere on a lot, but allows 102 inches in residential rear/side yards, corner lots…
Read full rule →Omaha
Some RestrictionsOmaha caps residential fences at four feet in the required front yard and six feet elsewhere, and front-yard fences…
Read full rule →Fence Permit Requirements
Whether you need a building permit to install or replace a fence, and what the permit process and fees look like.
Bellevue
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Bellevue, Nebraska, the city struck the standard building-code exemption that lets fences under six feet…
Read full rule →Blue Hill
Some RestrictionsNo fence may go up anywhere in Blue Hill or its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction without a permit approved and…
Read full rule →Douglas County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Douglas County requires a building permit before erecting any fence, per its Zoning Regulations. Fences…
Read full rule →Lincoln
Some RestrictionsFences up to 7 feet don't need a building permit in Lincoln, but zoning still caps most fences at 76 inches: up to 102…
Read full rule →Omaha
Some RestrictionsOmaha requires a building permit before erecting or replacing any fence anywhere in the city, with the application…
Read full rule →Neighbor Fence Rules
Rules about shared boundary fences, including who pays for construction and maintenance, and which side faces the neighbor.
Nebraska: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsNebraska law requires adjoining landowners to share equitably in the construction and maintenance of division fences…
Read full rule →Sarpy County
Some RestrictionsNebraska is unusual: its division-fence law makes adjoining landowners share a boundary fence in equal parts unless…
Read full rule →Blue Hill
Light RestrictionsFences in Blue Hill must sit inside the fence-owner's own property line under § 5.8.6 of the Zoning Ordinance, unless…
Read full rule →Retaining Walls
Height limits and permit requirements for retaining walls, including engineering requirements for taller walls on sloped lots.
Lincoln
Some RestrictionsLincoln requires no building permit for a retaining wall under four feet tall, but any taller wall, or one holding back…
Read full rule →Omaha
Some RestrictionsOmaha bars grading a slope steeper than 2.5-to-1 unless a Nebraska-registered engineer designs the retaining wall…
Read full rule →Bellevue
Light RestrictionsIn the City of Bellevue, Nebraska, Section 15-86 of the Housing Code requires every retaining wall on a premises to be…
Read full rule →Blue Hill
Light RestrictionsBlue Hill's Zoning Ordinance does not set a dedicated height, permit or engineering standard for retaining walls; its…
Read full rule →Material Restrictions
Specific materials that are prohibited for fencing, such as barbed wire, razor wire, or electric fencing in residential zones.
Blue Hill
Heavy RestrictionsBarbed wire fencing is banned outright within Blue Hill's corporate limits under § 5.8.8 of the Zoning Ordinance…
Read full rule →Bellevue
Significant RestrictionsIn the City of Bellevue, Nebraska, the city limits and jurisdictional area ban barbed wire fences and electrified fence…
Read full rule →Douglas County
Significant RestrictionsUnincorporated Douglas County zoning bans barbed wire and electrified fencing in residential subdivisions, defining…
Read full rule →Lincoln
Significant RestrictionsLincoln outlaws barbed wire fencing on property within city limits, with a narrow exception for wire set high above a…
Read full rule →Omaha
Significant RestrictionsOmaha allows wood, wire, metal, concrete, masonry, or plastic fences, but bans barbed wire, razor wire, and concertina…
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