Before a new fence goes up in Ashland or anywhere in Ashland County, four things are worth checking: local permit and height rules, any HOA or deed rules, where the property lines are, and where buried utilities run. This guide covers what the local offices say, checked in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the office before you build.
Do you need a fence permit in Ashland, OH?
- The City of Ashland has its own fence permit. The application needs a completed form, a site plan or sketch showing where the fence goes on the property, and a $40.00 fee (City of Ashland Permits and Plan Approvals).
- Outside city limits, the property falls under Ashland County or the township, so ask them about their rules.
Who to ask: City of Ashland (in the city) or Ashland County and your township (outside it). If the property is in an HOA, check its rules too; they’re often stricter than the town’s about height, style and color.
Call OHIO811 before any post hole
Ohio law requires anyone digging, including for fence posts, to contact OHIO811 at least 2 working days, not counting the day you call, and no more than 16 calendar days before you dig. It’s free: call 811 or submit a request online (OHIO811). Utilities mark their lines with paint or flags. Private lines, like a line to a shop or a well, aren’t marked, so point those out to the installer.
Know your property lines
Fences are usually set a little inside the property line, not on it. If you aren’t sure where the line is, look for the corner pins from your survey, or check the county’s GIS map as a rough guide. A new survey is the only way to be certain on a close call with a neighbor.
Clay soil and deep frost
Ashland County clay holds water, and Ohio winters freeze deep. Posts set too shallow are the ones that heave and lean by spring, so footings need to go below the frost line.
For the permit sketch, it helps to mark the property lines, the house, driveway, and where each gate goes. The same sketch is what an installer needs to quote.
What to have ready for an estimate
- Roughly how many feet of fence, and where it starts and stops
- How many gates, and how wide (a mower or truck gate is wider than a walk gate)
- What the fence is for: privacy, pets, a pool, livestock or looks
- The material you lean toward: wood, vinyl, chain link, or farm and field fence
- Any slope, rock, trees or brush along the line
- Your permit or HOA answer, if you already have one
Get a fence estimate in Ashland
We cover Ashland, Hayesville, Jeromesville, Polk, Loudonville and Perrysville and the rest of Ashland County. See fence installation, privacy fences, farm and field fence and fence repair, or request a free estimate.
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