It depends on where the property is and what you are building. The City of Ann Arbor has a fence chapter in its city code, and each nearby city and township has its own ordinance. We look up the rule for your address before we quote.
Do I need a permit to build or replace a fence?
Ask the building office for your city or township, because the answer is not the same across Washtenaw County. Michigan's building code does not require a building permit for a fence 7 feet tall or lower, but local zoning still controls height, placement and materials, and some communities issue their own fence or zoning permit. In most places a like-for-like replacement has to meet today's rules, the same as a new fence. Our town pages name the office to call for each community.
How tall can my fence be? Is 6 feet allowed?
In many back yards around here, yes, but check before you order. Local codes generally allow a taller fence at the side and rear of a house and hold a front yard fence lower, often with a rule that it be partly open so drivers and walkers can see past it. Corner lots have a clear sight area at the intersection. Ann Arbor's fence chapter sets the exact heights for each part of the lot. We confirm them with the city for your address and write the height on the quote.
How close to the property line can I build? Do I need a survey?
A fence generally goes on your own land, at or just inside the line, unless the local code asks for a setback from a sidewalk or street. In Ann Arbor's older neighborhoods, lot lines are easy to get wrong: shared driveways, hedges and old fences rarely follow the recorded boundary. If the boundary is not marked or your neighbor disagrees, get a plot plan or a survey before any hole is dug.
I live in a historic district. What can I build?
Speak to the city's historic preservation staff before you choose a fence. Ann Arbor has local historic districts, including the Old West Side, where exterior work that can be seen from the street is reviewed. Ypsilanti has a historic district too. Staff can tell you which materials, heights and styles are normally approved, and whether your fence needs to go before the commission.
Can my condo association or HOA restrict my fence?
Yes. Associations and deed restrictions can set tighter limits than the city on height, material, color and location, and some ban fences outright. This is common in the subdivisions of Pittsfield Township, Saline and Canton. Have the approval in writing before you pay for materials.
We are adding a pool. What fence does code require?
The pool needs a barrier that meets Michigan's residential code. The code covers the height of the barrier, the size of any opening, the gap at the ground and gates that close and latch on their own. Your building department gives the current figures and inspects the barrier. Choose the fence while the pool is being designed.
The inspector failed my existing fence for the pool. Who brings it up to code?
A fence contractor does. Existing fences most often fail on the gate, on a gap under the fence, on openings that are too wide or on something a child could climb. Send us the inspector's list. We quote those items and nothing more.
My association only allows a 4-foot open fence, but I want privacy. What are my options?
Work inside the rule first. Planting evergreens or tall grasses inside a 4-foot open fence builds a screen over a few years. A short privacy panel beside a deck or patio may be treated differently from a fence on the boundary. You can also ask the board in writing for a variance. Check your survey for drainage or utility easements too, because fences are often kept out of them.
Who calls 811 before digging, me or the contractor?
Whoever is digging places the request. Michigan's service is MISS DIG 811. It costs nothing, state law requires it, and the request must be made at least three business days before digging starts. Work then has to begin within 14 days of the ticket's dig date. We file the request on every job we install. Utilities mark only what they own. Lines you had put in yourself, such as sprinkler pipe, an invisible dog fence, yard lighting or power to a shed, are not marked, so show us where they run.
My contractor wants to skip the permit and reuse the old holes. What is the risk?
You carry it, as the property owner. Where a permit or approval is required, the local office can stop work or order the fence changed, and the notice comes to you. Reused holes are a separate issue. If the old posts heaved because the holes were shallow, new posts in the same holes will heave as well.
The city says my existing fence breaks the current rules. Can I just repair it?
Check with the building office before paying for work. It is common for an older fence to be allowed to stay and be maintained, while a fence that is rebuilt must follow the present code. The office can tell you where repair ends and rebuilding starts.
We price every fence after seeing the yard. The estimate is free and comes in writing. Call (734) 441-3554 or text us a photo of the fence line.