Where Omaha allows solid privacy fences
Omaha city code draws a clear line between the front yard and everywhere else. A fence in a required front yard or street side yard must be at least 50 percent open, which means solid wood panels or vinyl privacy boards are not allowed there. That is why front-yard fences in Omaha are usually picket, ornamental iron, or chain link.
In back and side yards, solid fences are allowed, up to 6 feet tall. There is one specific exception worth knowing: a back yard that faces a major street with no access from it may have a 6-foot solid fence, even though it borders a street. Your contractor should confirm the current rules for your specific lot before work begins.
If your lot has an easement, check your plat and with the city before setting posts in it.
Many Omaha-area subdivisions have covenants or an HOA that set fence style, height, or color. Check yours before you build. City approval and HOA approval are separate.
Omaha permit requirements for a privacy fence
Omaha city code requires a permit to put up or replace any fence anywhere in the city. The permit application asks for fence type, height, percent open, and the distance from the fence to each property line. You can apply at OmahaPermits.com or call Omaha Permits and Inspections at 402-444-5350. A licensed contractor will typically pull the permit as part of the job, but confirm that before work begins.
Rules change at city lines. If your property is in Papillion, La Vista, or another city in the metro, check with your city on height limits and permit requirements. Your contractor should confirm the current rules wherever your project sits.
Wood fence vs vinyl and other options
When homeowners picture a 6-foot privacy fence, they usually imagine wood. A wood privacy fence has a natural look, and it can be painted or stained to match a house or a preference. The trade-off is that wood needs more ongoing upkeep than some other materials.
Vinyl is another common choice for solid privacy fencing, with its own trade-offs.
Other options exist, including composite materials, and a contractor can talk through what makes sense for your yard, your budget, and how much maintenance you want to take on over time.
On any privacy fence, the finished side faces the neighbors and the street. That is Omaha code, and it is also just the neighborly thing to do.
Your yard should feel like yours, not a fishbowl.
Right now you hesitate before stepping onto the patio. The neighbors can see every move, and that quiet evening outside never quite feels relaxed.
A solid privacy fence changes that feeling the moment it goes up. You get your yard back, and a fence that stays straight season after season.
Call About Privacy FencingYour call goes straight to one of the top-rated fence contractors in the Omaha area, free quote, no pressure. Call (402) 999-4636
Wind, winter and a privacy fence
A 6-foot solid fence catches a lot of wind. On June 16, 2017, the National Weather Service logged widespread tree and fence damage in Papillion and fences down near 132nd and Harrison in Omaha. A 96 mph gust hit Eppley Airfield on July 9, 2021. Nebraska weather is not gentle.
Nebraska winters also freeze and thaw the ground repeatedly, and post depth matters. Posts set in the ground need lumber rated for ground contact. Ask your contractor about both.
Installing a privacy fence counts as digging. Nebraska law requires a free Nebraska811 locate request at least two full business days before any digging starts. Call 811 and the locate is free.
What affects the cost of a wood privacy fence
A few factors move the price on any privacy fence project. The length of the fence run is one. Gate count and gate size add to the total. Material choice matters: wood fence installation is priced differently from vinyl, and different wood species carry different costs. Whether the ground is level or sloped affects labor. Removing an old fence adds to the scope. Permit fees are part of the project.
The best way to understand what your specific job will cost is to get at least three written estimates on exactly the same scope of work.
Choosing a contractor for your privacy fence
Omaha licenses fence contractors through a City of Omaha Class E contractor license, with insurance and a bond on file with the city. Ask for the license number and confirm it with Permits and Inspections before signing anything. Nebraska contractors must also register with the Nebraska Department of Labor at dol.nebraska.gov.
Use a written contract that covers the work, materials, finish date, price, and contact information. Negotiate a reasonable down payment and pay in full only when the work is done. The BBB of the Midwest Plains, with an office in Omaha, is a useful place to check a contractor's history.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a 6-foot wood fence along my side yard?
Yes, a 6-foot solid fence is allowed in side yards in Omaha, as long as it sits inside your surveyed lot lines and you have a permit. If the side yard faces a street, the 50 percent openness rule applies there. Your contractor should confirm the current rules for your specific lot.
My back yard faces a busy road. Can I put up a solid fence?
Omaha code allows a 6-foot solid fence on a back yard that faces a major street with no access from it. Your contractor should confirm whether your lot qualifies under the current rules before you apply for a permit.
What does "the finished side faces out" actually mean?
On a board-on-board or standard privacy fence, one side shows the posts and rails and the other shows a clean, smooth face. Omaha code requires that the clean side face the neighbors and the street, not your own yard. Confirm it with your contractor.
Get your backyard back.
Call now or fill out the form and get connected with one of Omaha's top-rated fence contractors.