FENCE RULES – LANCASTER (COUNTY), NEBRASKA
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within Lancaster County, subject to local regulations.
This page applies to properties in the unincorporated areas of Lancaster County; incorporated municipalities regulate fences under their own ordinances.
Lancaster County does not publish a single consolidated residential fence code. Fence-related rules appear through the 1979 Zoning Resolution of Lancaster County, the County Zoning Regulations, Building and Safety fence-permit guidance, required-yard rules, floodplain development rules, airport-hazard-area rules, and shared Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning and Building and Safety administration.
This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing, including rural residential and agricultural residential contexts where applicable. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.
Compiled From Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning materials, Building and Safety materials, Building and Safety Fence Installation guidance, and the 1979 Zoning Resolution of Lancaster County, including the County Zoning Regulations, Article 11 Flood Plain District, Article 17 Additional Height and Area Regulations, Article 18 Special Height and Use Regulations Near Airports, and Article 21 Plot Plan, as of May 2026.
GOVERNANCE
Lancaster County regulates zoning in the unincorporated county through the 1979 Zoning Resolution of Lancaster County and the County Zoning Regulations. The governing authority is the County Board of the County of Lancaster, with zoning districts administered through the County zoning framework.
The County Zoning Regulations apply to unincorporated areas of the county, but they do not apply in the same way inside municipal zoning jurisdictions. The County regulations exclude areas within 3 miles of a primary-class city, 2 miles of a first-class city, and 1 mile of a village or second-class city unless otherwise adopted by those municipalities.
Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning maintains city and county zoning and subdivision codes and processes development applications. Building and Safety administers building permits, inspections, and building-code compliance through the shared Planning and Development Services structure.
For floodplain purposes, the Department of Building and Safety of the City of Lincoln is designated to administer and enforce Lancaster County’s floodplain regulations under Article 11.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Building Permit Threshold: A Building Permit is not required for a fence under 7 feet high in the side or rear yard. A Building Permit is required for a fence over 7 feet high.
• Corner Lot, Driveway, and Alley Review: A fence under 7 feet high on a corner lot or at or near a driveway or alley requires City Public Works Department review for compliance with City Sight Distance Standards.
• Building Permit Submittal: When a Building Permit is required, permits are handled through Building and Safety. Building and Safety guidance states that the applicant needs two copies of a site plan, and building plans should include the type of construction and elevation.
• Zoning Compliance: Building Permit requirements are separate from zoning, setback, or plat requirements. Confirm any applicable zoning conditions, setbacks, and plat requirements with Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning before construction.
• Floodplain or Floodprone Areas: Article 11 requires a separate development permit from the Director of Building and Safety before erecting or constructing any building or structure, or undertaking other development, in floodplain or floodprone areas subject to Article 11.
• Airport Hazard Area: Article 18 regulates structures, trees, and land uses that create airport hazards within the Lincoln Airport hazard area inside Lancaster County zoning jurisdiction. The code does not publish a fence-specific airport-hazard permit threshold for standard residential fences.
• Approved Development Plans: If a residential fence is part of a special permit, community unit plan, subdivision, AG Preservation lot, public access and utility easement, or other approved development plan, the approved plan or recorded conditions may affect review.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Required Yards: Article 17.009 requires required yards to remain open to the sky and unobstructed by structures, but it lists fences as an exception.
• Private Property: Building and Safety guidance states that a fence must be located completely on the owner’s property.
• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements.
• Rights-of-Way: The County code does not specify a standard residential fence setback from county road rights-of-way. Fences must not encroach into public rights-of-way.
• Public Access and Utility Easements: In AG Preservation lot contexts, Lancaster County uses a 60-foot public access and utility easement for shared driveways. Recorded easements, access easements, utility easements, drainage easements, or subdivision conditions may limit fence placement.
• Utility Equipment Clearances: Building and Safety guidance requires fence clearance around utility equipment, including 10 feet from the opening side of pad-mounted transformers, 3 feet from the opening side of power pedestals, and 12 inches from the other sides of transformers and pedestals.
• Corner Lot, Driveway, and Alley Visibility: Fences on corner lots, or at or near a driveway or alley, are subject to City Public Works Department sight-distance review.
• Floodplain and Floodway Areas: Fence work that includes grading, filling, excavation, construction, or other development in a floodplain, floodprone area, or floodway is subject to Article 11 development-permit review and floodway restrictions.
• Utility Safety: Nebraska law requires notice through Nebraska 811 before excavation begins. For fence projects that involve digging, including fence post holes, notice generally must be given at least 2 full business days and not more than 10 business days before excavation begins, subject to limited exceptions.
FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES
• County Fence Height: The code does not specify a maximum height for standard residential fences in Lancaster County.
• Building Permit Trigger: A Building Permit is required for standard residential fences over 7 feet in height.
• District Building Height Rules: The zoning district height limits for AG, AGR, and R districts regulate buildings or permitted uses and are not published as standard residential fence-height limits.
• Sight-Distance Review: Fences under 7 feet high on corner lots or at or near a driveway or alley must be reviewed by the City Public Works Department for compliance with City Sight Distance Standards.
• County Sight-Triangle Dimensions: The County code does not publish a countywide residential clear-vision, sight-triangle, or corner-lot visibility dimension for standard residential fences.
• Airport Hazard Area: Within the Lincoln Airport hazard area, Article 18 controls the height of structures, trees, and land uses that may create an airport hazard. The code does not specify a fence-specific residential height limit in Article 18.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Residential Fence Materials: The code does not specify permitted or prohibited materials for standard residential fences.
• Finished-Side Orientation: The code does not specify a finished-side orientation requirement for standard residential fences.
• Barbed Wire and Electric Fences: The code does not publish a standard residential barbed-wire or electric-fence prohibition.
• Residential Screening and Opacity: The code does not specify opacity or screening construction standards for standard residential fences.
• Utility Access: Fences must maintain access clearances around pad-mounted transformers and power pedestals as stated in Building and Safety guidance.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
HOA rules, subdivision covenants, deed restrictions, private easements, private boundary agreements, agricultural easements, conservation easements, and private rural or agricultural agreements operate independently from Lancaster County fence rules and may be more restrictive.
Private restrictions are not replaced by County zoning review, Building and Safety building-permit review, Public Works sight-distance review, or floodplain review.
Where a recorded subdivision plat, conservation easement, access easement, utility easement, or private agreement restricts fence location or construction, those private restrictions may control the project even when County regulations do not specify a residential fence standard.
REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT
Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:
• Building Permit Review: A fence over 7 feet high is reviewed through Building and Safety as a Building Permit matter.
• Public Works Sight-Distance Review: A fence under 7 feet high on a corner lot or at or near a driveway or alley is reviewed by the City Public Works Department for City Sight Distance Standards.
• Zoning Yard Review: Standard residential fences may be reviewed under Article 17.009 because required yards must remain open and unobstructed, but fences are listed as an exception.
• Property and Encroachment Review: Fence location may be reviewed for placement on the owner’s property and for avoiding rights-of-way, easements, public access easements, and utility-equipment access areas.
• Floodplain Review: Fence work involving a building, structure, grading, filling, excavation, or other development in a floodplain or floodprone area may be reviewed under Article 11 by the Director of Building and Safety.
• Airport Hazard Review: Fence or site work in the Lincoln Airport hazard area may be reviewed under Article 18 when height, location, or use creates an airport-hazard issue.
• Special Permit or Approved Plan Review: Fence placement may be reviewed when it is part of a special permit, community unit plan, subdivision approval, AG Preservation lot, or other approved development plan with recorded conditions or easements.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within Lancaster County, based on publicly available materials reviewed as of May 2026.
In addition to local fence rules, certain Nebraska laws apply statewide. See Statewide Fence Laws in Nebraska.
It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, rural or agricultural context, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants or private agreements. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from Lancaster County staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.