Fence permit rules in the City of Toledo

Every fence in the City of Toledo needs a Certificate of Zoning Compliance, whatever the height, and the fee is $50.

It is not a building permit and it is not a long process. It is the city checking that the fence you are describing is allowed where you want to put it.

How to get it

Apply online at applyforpermits.toledo.oh.gov, or by mail to the Department of Inspection, One Government Center, Suite 1600, Toledo OH 43604.

You need a site plan showing your property lines and every structure on the property, and the city asks for two copies. A plot plan from your closing paperwork usually works as the starting point. Mark the fence line on it, with the height and the material.

Ask your installer whether pulling the certificate is part of the price. Some include it and some leave it to you.

Heights

• Front yard: 3.5 feet maximum
• Side yard: 6 feet maximum
• Rear yard: 6 feet maximum
• Over 6 feet: a full building permit and plan review, which is a different and slower job

No part of any fence may extend into the public right-of-way. The right-of-way often reaches further into the yard than people expect, so it is worth confirming before you set posts near the street.

Corner lots

A corner lot has two front yards in the city’s eyes. The rear yard is the one opposite the side of the house that carries your address. That catches people out, because the 3.5 foot front yard limit then applies along a stretch that feels like a side yard.

There is also a sight line rule. Nothing may block visibility between 42 inches and 84 inches above the ground within 23 feet of the curb or pavement edge. On a corner lot, that decides where a solid fence can start.

Setback from the property line

None. The city’s own fences page says a fence may be installed on the property line at the appropriate height.

That does not mean you should build on the line without thinking about it. Your fence still has to be on your land, and the city will not tell you where your boundary runs. If there is any doubt, a survey costs less than moving a fence.

Which way the fence faces

The code says the finished side of the fence must face the adjacent property, street or place. Your neighbor and the street get the smooth side and you look at the rails.

Materials

• Wood fence posts must be treated lumber. This applies even on a cedar fence.
• Posts must be structurally stable.
• Materials not manufactured for fencing may not be used in a residential district. The code names pallets, doors, tires, corrugated metal and tree trunks.
• Barbed wire, razor wire, concertina wire and electric fences are not permitted in any district except Industrial, and there only under tight conditions.

Repairs

A repair of 100 square feet or less, using material that matches the existing fence, does not need a new certificate. Replacing the fence, changing its height or moving it does.

Historic districts

If your property is in a designated historic district or is a landmark, such as the Old West End, you need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the relevant Historic District Commission before the work starts. The city does not issue them after the fact, so this one has to be handled first.

Who to call

• Zoning Information line: 419-865-0239
• Division of Building Inspection: 419-245-1220
• Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission, One Government Center, 640 Jackson Street, Toledo OH 43604

One thing we could not confirm. A building permit fee for the rare fence over 6 feet was reported to us as $60 plus 20 cents per square foot, but the code page would not open to us, so treat that as unverified and ask Building Inspection.

One more check before you hire

Toledo licenses home improvement contractors, and fencing falls under the Limited Remodeling Contractor license. The city publishes a list of registered contractors. Asking whether your installer holds a current city license is a fair question, and a straight answer to it tells you a lot.

See your price range

Get your number first, then the paperwork. Put your fence runs into the estimator, see the installed range for your yard, and request a quote from local fence pros who deal with the city every week.