The Naperville rule
The City's Guide to Building Permits (revised October 2022, read 26 October 2026) lists "Building or replacing a fence" as permitted work. There is no height or length exemption, so a privacy fence, a pool fence and a short decorative run all need a permit. The Fence Permit page sets the design rules:
| Rule | What the City says |
|---|---|
| Height | "Fences may not exceed six feet in height." Up to nine feet "along major arterial roadways" |
| Front yard | A fence over three feet high "may not extend nearer to a front lot line than the front facade of the principal building" |
| Property line | Fences "may be placed up to the property line" |
| Corner lots | Fences along corner side-yard lot lines "must be set back to the corner side-yard line" |
| Finished side | "must face away from the lot on which it is constructed" |
| Through lots | Double-fronting lots (not corner lots) need a gate to each right-of-way |
| Drainage | Fences "may not interfere with applicable stormwater management standards" |
Transformers and pedestals
Naperville runs its own electric utility, and its equipment sits in many back yards. The fence page requires:
- Transformer: a five-foot clearance on all sides, with a gate or pinned removable section in front of the side that opens (the side with the lock); or a 10-foot clearance in front of that side if there is no gate. Any removable section must come out "without the use of tools".
- Pedestal: a three-foot clearance on all sides.
Questions go to the Electric Utility's Electric Operations Division, 630-420-6181. Call JULIE on 800-892-0123 at least 48 hours before digging post holes.
If you live in the historic district, fence design has its own review; see Naperville historic district rules. Homeowners' associations can add their own limits on top of the City's.
What it costs
From the Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule (effective 1 February 2019, the City's current schedule):
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Clerical fee | $18 |
| Permit fee | $26 |
| Inspection (1 minimum) | $44 |
| Fence permit total | $88 |
| Reinspection | $62, paid before it is scheduled |
"All fees are due at the time of application submittal." Against the usual filed fence value of $6,200, the permit is about 1.4% of the job (our arithmetic).
How to apply
- Draw the fence on your plat of survey. The one document the fence page asks for is "A copy of the Plat of Survey (draw fence placement on copies of the plat)."
- Apply in the City's Civic Access portal. If the fence is part of a pool or patio project, apply for the main feature and describe the fence; the Building Permits page says staff will enter the other permits themselves.
- Review. The City says "a simple project, such as a fence or driveway, may be reviewed in less than one week", longer at the busiest times of year.
- Post the permit where it is visible from the street, and keep the approved plat on site.
- Book the final inspection in the portal or on 630-420-6100 (option 1), at least 72 hours ahead.
Illinois does not license fence contractors, so there is no license to check; the permit history is the record. See the Naperville contractor license lookup and Naperville building permit search.
What 1,331 Naperville fence permits show
| Measure | Naperville fences |
|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,331 |
| Firms | 105 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months | 40 |
| Usual filed value | $6,200 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $5,000 to $9,025 |
| Finaled (permits a year or more old) | 45.3% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 405 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm (10+ permits) | 23.6% / 58.7% |
| Busy firms under 70% finaled | 16 of 18 |
| Five busiest firms' share | 46.4% |
| Busiest / quietest month (100 = average) | April (188) / January (16) |
A fence takes a day or two to build, yet 16 of the 18 fence firms with 10 or more permits finaled under 70% of them, and the usual permit took 405 days to reach final. That points to the one-inspection final not being booked rather than slow work. An open fence permit can come up when you sell, so put "contractor books and passes the final inspection" in the contract and check the portal a month after the crew leaves. Filing runs at 188 in April against 16 in January, so a winter booking can mean a shorter wait for a crew.
See every Naperville fence contractor by permits finaled →
Before you hire
Compare firms on the Naperville fence list; monthly counts are on Naperville permit statistics. The checklist is in hiring a fence contractor, national prices in fence installation cost, and other cities' rules in do I need a permit for a fence.
What this does not tell you
Filed values are the applicant's estimate. Naperville licenses no fence or general contractors, so our pages show no license status. Permits from the City's older system count toward totals but are not timed, and our data stops at September 2026. The fee schedule dates from 2019; the portal invoice is the final word.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from the City of Naperville's Fence Permit and Building Permits pages and its Guide to Building Permits; fees from the Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule; all read 26 October 2026. Counts are City of Naperville fence permits, October 2023 to September 2026; "finaled" uses permits a year or more old in the City's current system.
Numbers come from City of Naperville building permits (the current permit system plus the city's older records), data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to replace a fence in Naperville?
Yes. The City's Guide to Building Permits lists 'Building or replacing a fence' among the projects that need a permit, so a like-for-like replacement needs one as well as a new fence.
- How much is a fence permit in Naperville?
$88 on a single-family lot under the City's residential fee schedule: an $18 clerical fee, a $26 permit fee and one $44 inspection. A reinspection is $62.
- How tall can a fence be in Naperville?
Six feet, or up to nine feet along major arterial roadways. A fence over three feet high may not come closer to the front lot line than the front of the house.
- How long does a fence permit take in Naperville?
The City says a simple project such as a fence may be reviewed in less than one week, longer in the busy season. Closing is slower: the usual Naperville fence permit in our file took 405 days from issue to final, and only 45.3% of those a year or more old had a final.
- Can I put my fence on the property line in Naperville?
Yes, the City allows fences up to the property line, with the finished side facing out. Corner side-yard fences must sit back at the corner side-yard line, and fences cannot interfere with stormwater standards.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need a permit for a fence? The rule in 20 cities, and how many get filed
- Do I need a fence permit in Cape Coral? Height, waterfront and front-yard rules, who can pull it, fee
- Do I need a fence permit in Chicago? Not up to 5 feet; yes for a 6-foot backyard fence
- Do I need a fence permit in Cleveland? Yes: the site plan the City wants, the fee lines and who pulls it
- Do I need a fence permit in Miami? Yes, for every fence: the survey, the 6-foot review line and owner-builders
- Do I need a fence permit in Orlando? Not for most 6-foot wood or vinyl fences, but yes on corner lots, alleys, easements and pools
For one city
- Fence Permit — City of Naperville (accessed 2026-10-26)
- City of Naperville Guide to Building Permits (revised 10/31/2022) (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Single Family/Small Residential Permit Fee Schedule (effective 1 February 2019) — City of Naperville (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Building Permits — City of Naperville (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Permitting, Plans and Licensing (Civic Access) portal — City of Naperville (2026-10-23)