Montague is a small city on the north side of White Lake, with 2,417 residents at the 2020 census. It is separate from Montague Township, which surrounds it on three sides, and from Whitehall across the lake. The city's fence rules are in Section 3.90 of its zoning ordinance, and a fence needs a permit and fee.
Permit
The ordinance says the erection of a fence requires a fence permit and payment of the fee. The city's zoning permit application, a form marked July 2016, lists "Fence / Wall / Deck" at $50, and says work must start within six months or the permit is void. Confirm the current fee with the zoning office.
Height
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| Front yard, residential and commercial districts | 4 ft, and no more than 50% solid |
| Front yard, industrial districts | 6 ft, and no more than 50% solid |
| Side and rear yards | 6 ft |
Height is measured from the ground under the fence. You can't raise the grade by more than 10 percent to gain height, and a fence set on a retaining wall or berm counts the wall toward the total, except where the zoning administrator allows extra height to stabilize a bank.
Placement
- Right-of-way and sidewalks: no fence in a public right-of-way without council approval, and none closer than 2 feet to a public sidewalk without it.
- Property line: a fence can sit on the common line, but can't encroach on a neighbor's parcel unless the neighbor gives written consent filed with the zoning administrator.
- Corners: within a 25-foot clear-vision triangle at street intersections, nothing taller than 36 inches. At alleys the distance is 10 feet.
- Posts: posts and supports go on the interior side of the fence.
Materials and what's banned
Fences must use new, durable, weather-resistant, rustproof and easily maintainable materials. Used materials need the zoning administrator's approval. Farm, commercial and industrial styles are banned in residential districts, including barbed wire, livestock fencing, chicken wire, woven wire and razor blades. Electric fences are prohibited, and a buried electronic dog fence has to sit at least 3 feet from lot lines. A dog pen goes in the rear yard, at least 3 feet from lot lines, and may be cyclone or woven wire.
Pool fences
Pool enclosures must be at least 48 inches tall with a self-locking gate. That's a safety floor, not a limit on style, so a 4-foot picket fence can meet it where the ordinance otherwise allows it.
Waterfront lots
The same zoning code has a waterfront overlay zone, and we didn't read it. If you're on White Lake, ask the zoning office whether the overlay changes anything for your lot.
A wood fence in Montague
A 6-foot wood privacy fence is fine in a side or rear yard, with the posts on your side. In front, a 4-foot picket with gaps meets the 50 percent rule, and a solid board fence does not. HomeGuide's national average for wood is $20 to $50 per linear foot installed; see our wood fence guide for species and Michigan frost advice. Nearby Whitehall has different numbers, 42 inches in front and 8 feet in back, so see our Whitehall page if your lot is across the water.
What to confirm
We read the city's zoning ordinance PDF dated January 1, 2018 and its zoning permit form. The city's current online code is on a site we couldn't read, so check for later changes. Whitehall Township and Montague Township are separate jurisdictions we haven't summarized.
Sources, checked October 26, 2026: City of Montague Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 3.90 (PDF dated Jan. 1, 2018); City of Montague Zoning Permit Application (form marked 7.1.2016); HomeGuide wood fence cost guide (Dec. 22, 2025); Wikipedia, Montague, Michigan (2020 census).