Often yes. Billings has a fence permit that is handled by the Planning Division, and the same permit is used in the Yellowstone County zoning jurisdiction around the city. Whether your fence needs one depends on its height and location, so we confirm it for your address first.
Do I need a permit to build or replace a fence?
Inside Billings and the county zoning area, ask the Planning Division. Fence heights are a zoning matter under Chapter 27 of the city code, so a like-for-like replacement can still need approval. Laurel, Columbus, Red Lodge, Roundup and Joliet run their own offices. Rural parcels outside any zoning district may have no permit at all, only covenants and easements. Our town pages name the office for each place.
How tall can my fence be? Is 6 feet allowed?
Six feet is the usual back yard privacy height here, and front yards and street corners are held lower so drivers can see. We do not print the exact figures because the zoning code is amended from time to time. The Planning Division gives the current number for your lot, and we build to it.
How close to the property line can I build? Do I need a survey?
Most yard fences go on the line or a few inches inside it. If the boundary is not marked, or the neighbor remembers it differently, get a plot plan or a survey before any post is set. Look for the property pins first. A survey costs far less than moving a finished fence.
I live in a historic district. What can I build?
Ask the planning office whether your address has a design review. Parts of central Billings and downtown Red Lodge are listed historic districts, and a listing does not always carry fence rules. Where it does, wood and ornamental metal are the safer choices facing the street.
Can my condo association or HOA restrict my fence?
Yes. Many West End and Heights subdivisions have recorded covenants that set height, material and color, and they apply on top of city zoning. Get the committee's approval in writing before material is ordered.
We are adding a pool. What fence does code require?
A pool needs a barrier with a set minimum height, limited gaps and gates that close and latch by themselves. The building department that issues your pool permit gives the exact requirements and inspects the barrier, so plan fence and pool together. In the city that is the Billings Building Division.
The inspector failed my existing fence for the pool. Who brings it up to code?
That is fence work. The common corrections are self-closing hinges, a latch at the right height, filling gaps at the bottom and raising or replacing low or climbable sections. Send us the correction notice and we price each item on it.
My association only allows a 4-foot open fence, but I want privacy. What are my options?
Start inside the covenant. A 4-foot open fence with shrubs or trees behind it gives screening in a few seasons. A taller screen close to the patio may be treated differently from a boundary fence. If neither works, ask the board for a written variance. Also check your plat for utility and irrigation ditch easements, since a fence may have to stay out of them or be removable.
Who calls 811 before digging, me or the contractor?
The one doing the digging. Montana811 asks for notice two business days before you dig, and the day you call does not count. The rules are in Montana Code Title 69, chapter 4, part 5. A locate ticket is good for 30 days. When we build the fence we make the request. Private lines such as sprinklers, propane lines and power to a shop are not marked, so point those out to us.
My contractor wants to skip the permit and reuse the old holes. What is the risk?
The risk is yours as the owner. If approval was needed and not obtained, the city or county can require the fence to be changed or removed. It can also surface at a sale. Old holes are a second problem: they are often the shallow ones that caused the old fence to lean.
The city says my existing fence breaks the current rules. Can I just repair it?
Possibly. Many zoning codes let an older fence be maintained but require a rebuilt one to meet today's rules. The Planning Division makes that call, so ask before you decide between repair and replacement.
A free visit to your property is how you get a real number. Call (406) 303-4455 or text us a photo of the fence line.