Hudsons Township Fence Regulations
Village of North Hudson
1. Permit & Fees
You must obtain a Village fence permit before any installation. The permit application is available through the Village Clerk's or Building Inspector’s office, with a standard fee of $50 (an additional $100 if you’re installing in an easement)
2. Maximum Heights
Rear and side yards: Solid fences, screens, or panels may be up to 6 feet tall.
Front yards (between house and street): Fences are limited to 4 feet in height to maintain visibility and neighborhood character.
Pool enclosures: Must be at least 5 feet tall and non-climbable, per state building code.
3. Materials & Design
Allowed materials include wood, vinyl, ornamental metal, and chain-link (in rear/side yards only). Barbed wire or electric fences are prohibited in all residential zones. All posts, panels, and hardware must be weather-resistant—galvanized or powder-coated—for corrosion protection.
4. Setbacks & Clearance
Fences must be installed inside your property line (setbacks vary but are typically 0 – 6 inches). The bottom rail or panel may not exceed 2 inches above the existing grade. In street-corner sight triangles (30 × 30 feet), no fence over 30 inches high is allowed to ensure driver visibility.
5. Maintenance & Upkeep
Property owners are responsible for keeping fences in safe, good repair. Rotten boards, leaning posts, or missing hardware must be replaced or fixed within 30 days of notice to avoid Village enforcement actions.
6. Compliance & Inspections
The Village Building Inspector will review your site plan and issue permits once setbacks, height limits, and material standards are met. Inspections are required after post setting (pre-concrete) and upon final completion to verify compliance.
Town of Hudson
1. No Town-issued fence permit required
Ordinary residential and agricultural fences don’t need a separate Town permit (you’ll see “Fence Permit” is not listed under Forms & Permits)
2. Height limits
Rear and side yards: Must be 6 feet tall.
Front yards: To preserve sightlines and streetscape, front-yard fences should not exceed 4 feet in height.
3. Setback requirements
Side & rear yards: Fences (as accessory structures) must be located at least 3 feet inside your side and rear lot lines to allow access for maintenance and inspections
4. Road right-of-way & sight-triangle clearance
No fence, signage, vegetation or other obstacle may encroach into the road right-of-way or block visibility at driveways and intersections. Maintaining the safe sight-triangle is mandatory under the Town’s Driveway Access Permit rules
5. Prohibited materials & styles
Barbed-wire, electric, or otherwise “sharp-topped” fences are not permitted in residential areas. All posts and hardware must be corrosion-resistant (galvanized or powder-coated).
6. Maintenance & liabilities
Property owners are responsible for keeping fences in good repair. Any unsafe or dilapidated fence may be ordered removed or replaced by the Town.
City of Hudson
1. Permit & Fees
All new fence installations (and any significant alterations to existing fences) require a City fence permit from Community Development. Applications cost $50, payable by cash or check, with an additional $50 if your fence encroaches into a drainage or utility easement (an easement agreement is then required). Minor repairs—like swapping out a single post or panel—do not require a permit.
2. Maximum Heights
Front yard & road right-of-way: maximum 4 feet
Side & rear yards: up to 6 feet tall.
In special cases (where safety or sightlines aren’t affected), the City may approve fences taller than 4 feet along roadways upon detailed site-plan review.
3. Location & Setbacks
Fences must be built entirely within your property boundaries unless an easement agreement is in place. The finished side (with rails and supports on the back) must face the adjacent property. Any portion of the fence in a drainage/utility easement triggers the easement fee and agreement process.
4. Materials & Design
Permitted materials include wood, vinyl, ornamental metal, and chain-link. Barbed wire, electric fencing, or “sharp-topped” designs are prohibited in residential zones. All hardware must be galvanized or powder-coated to resist corrosion.
5. Frontage Adjacent to Streets
Per the Zoning Code, no fence in a residential district may exceed 4 feet in height in the front, side, or rear yards that are adjacent to streets, to maintain visibility and neighborhood character.
6. Screening for Non-residential Use
Where screening is required—for example, commercial properties abutting residential zones—a fence or screen of acceptable design must be between 4 and 6 feet tall along the shared property line.
7. Inspection & Approval Timeline
After you submit your permit, allow 3–5 business days for City staff review. You’ll receive an email notification of approval or denial; only after approval may you begin construction.
Town of Troy
1. Town Right-of-Way Restrictions
The Town of Troy expressly prohibits placing any fences (or trees, shrubs, and similar objects) within the town road right-of-way. Before installation, confirm your property’s right-of-way limits with the Town to avoid removal orders.
2. Height & Vision Triangle Limits
On subdivision roads, no fence or obstruction over 2½ feet tall may encroach into the 50-foot vision triangle at intersections; on arterial streets, that triangle extends to 100 feet.
Residential fences may reach up to 6 feet in the side, rear, and street yards, but must stay at least 2 feet back from any right-of-way. Corner lots have two street-yard restrictions to meet vision-triangle rules.
3. Shoreland Setback
If your property lies within 300 feet of a navigable water body’s ordinary high-water mark, fences are treated as “structures” and must comply with the 75-foot shoreland setback under Walworth County Chapter 74-174.
4. Construction Standards
All fences over 4 feet in height must be built to withstand a 150-pound load in any direction, and the finished (aesthetic) side of the fence must face outward toward adjacent properties.
5. Materials & Maintenance
Barbed wire or electric fences are not permitted in residential areas. All fence materials and hardware must be galvanized or powder-coated to resist corrosion. Property owners are responsible for keeping fences in safe, good repair; unsafe or dilapidated fences may be subject to Town or County enforcement.
Town of St. Joseph
1. Permit Required
All new fences (and any significant alterations) require a Town building permit, which is administered by All-Croix Inspections, Corp. — you’ll submit the permit application, site plan, and fee directly to them
2. Height Limits
Front yards: maximum 4 feet tall
Side & rear yards: maximum 6 feet tall
These limits are set by the Town’s Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 170) and apply in all residential districts
3. Location & Setbacks
Fences must be built entirely within your property lines.
No portion of any fence may encroach into the road right-of-way or utility easements.
The finished (rails/support) side of the fence must face outward, toward adjacent properties
4. Materials & Design
Permitted materials include wood, vinyl, ornamental metal, and chain-link. Barbed-wire, electric, or other “sharp-topped” fences are prohibited in all residential zones.
5. Construction Standards & Inspections
All fences over 4 feet tall must be built to withstand a 150-lb load in any direction.
After posts are set (but before back-filling), and again upon final completion, you must schedule inspections through All-Croix Inspections to verify compliance
6. Maintenance & Enforcement
Property owners are responsible for keeping fences in safe, good repair. If a fence becomes unsafe or dilapidated, the Town may order its repair or removal under its zoning enforcement powers.
Where to get a Fence Permit in Hudson, Wisconsin?
Village of North Hudson
Fence permits for the Village of North Hudson are issued through the Village’s contracted inspection agency, Tony Feuerhelm Inspection Agency. To apply:
Visit Tony Feuerhelm Inspection Agency at 726 E Highway 12, Suite 105, Hudson, WI 54016.
Complete the Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit Application, indicating “Fence Permit.”
Pay the $50 permit fee (an additional $50 if your fence encroaches into a utility/drainage easement).
Town of Hudson
All permits—including fences—are handled by the Town’s Building Inspector. Download forms or get contact info here:
Town of Hudson Forms & Permits
City of Hudson
Download and submit the official Fence Permit application (PDF) to the Community Development Dept.:
City of Hudson Fence Permit Application (PDF)
Town of Troy
Fences fall under the Town’s building-permit process. Complete the Wisconsin Uniform Building Permit form:
Town of Troy Building Permit Application (PDF)
Town of St.Joseph
Town Forms & Permits page: download the Building Permit application (required for all new fences) here: Town of St.Joseph Permit Application (PDF)
All-Croix Inspections, Corp.: submit your completed application packet, payment, and supporting docs to All-Croix Inspections (the Town’s building inspector). Learn how to apply here: