Do I Need a Permit for a Fence in Minneapolis?

Direct Answer: It depends on height. Minneapolis Construction Code Services — the division that issues building permits — states it plainly: “Fences up to 7 feet high do not require a building permit but must comply with zoning requirements. Fences over 7 feet high do require a building permit and plan submittal including a site plan with found property boundary monuments or a survey.” That matches Minnesota's own rule, which exempts “fences not over seven feet (2,134 mm) high” (Minn. R. 1300.0120 subp. 4.A(2)) — so a fence of exactly 7 feet is exempt and 7 feet 1 inch is not. A pool barrier fence requires a building permit at any height. Every fence, permitted or not, must meet the zoning rules for location, height and design, and no fence may exceed 8 feet.

Verified against official municipal and state sources: July 13, 2026. Requirements change — confirm with the city before applying.

Key Takeaways

• A building permit is required for a fence over 7 feet, and the submittal includes a site plan showing found property boundary monuments or a survey (Fences, driveways, parking pads, sidewalks, patios and similar site features, Construction Code Services, Last Updated 06/2025).
• At 7 feet and under there is no building permit — only zoning review. Minnesota's state rule draws the same line: it exempts “fences not over seven feet (2,134 mm) high” (Minn. R. 1300.0120 subp. 4.A(2)).
• A pool barrier fence needs a building permit at any height, with the same monument-or-survey site plan (Fences.pdf).
• Note a contradiction in the City's own publishing: the CPED Planning zoning handout page says, without qualification, “A building permit is not required to build a fence, but you still need to follow the zoning requirements” (Fences — zoning handout). The building permit is Construction Code Services' to issue, and that division's own handout and the state rule both put the line at 7 feet. Ask Minneapolis Development Review (development@minneapolismn.gov, 311 or 612-673-3000) if your fence is near the line.
• The City directs fence questions to Title 20, the zoning code, because location, maximum height, and design are zoning issues.
• Fixed items in boulevards and the public right-of-way can require separate right-of-way permits (Use of City property or right of way permits).
• Fence requirements are separate from property-maintenance rules; a legal fence still has to be maintained.

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What Minneapolis Actually Regulates

The City separates the building-permit question from the zoning question. A fence of 7 feet or less does not go through building-plan review, but it still has to satisfy zoning rules for placement, maximum height and design — so “no permit” is never permission to build anywhere on the lot. Over 7 feet, both apply: a building permit and zoning compliance. The over-7-foot submittal is not a formality either — the City requires a site plan drawn from found property monuments or a survey, and says in as many words that “online images (from Hennepin County, Google maps, etc.) are NOT sufficient as site plans and cannot be submitted in place of a proper site plan or survey.”

Boulevards and right-of-way are a common trap. The City says fixed items in the boulevard may need a permit, and its right-of-way pages explain that private structures or encroachments on City-owned right-of-way require separate approval. If the fence is close to a sidewalk, boulevard, alley, or street, verify the property line before building.

What to Check Before You Build

• Confirm the true property lines.
• Review the City's fence handout for height, location, and design rules.
• Check whether the fence is in the boulevard or right-of-way.
• Confirm whether the property is in a historic district or has private covenants.
• Measure the planned height before you order materials — it is the fact that decides whether you file a building permit at all.
• Contact 311 if the fence is taller than typical residential height, near a corner, or in a complicated side yard.

For general fence principles, see Fence Permit Rules. For the citywide permit framework, see Getting a Building Permit in Minneapolis.

FAQ

Does Minneapolis require a building permit for fences?

Over 7 feet, yes. At 7 feet and under, no — but zoning review still applies to every fence, and a pool barrier fence needs a building permit at any height.

Is a 7-foot fence exempt from permit?

Yes. The rule is “fences not over seven feet,” so a fence measuring exactly 7 feet is exempt from the building permit; 7 feet 1 inch is not. Zoning compliance applies either way, and no fence may exceed 8 feet.

What if the fence is in the boulevard?

Treat that as a right-of-way question. Fixed items in the boulevard can require separate approval.

Verify Your Address

Use GovCodex's Minneapolis permit catalog or run a permit check before installation if your fence is near a sidewalk, alley, corner, or boulevard.