You may be living in a neighborhood where you or your neighbor have a fence or plan to build one.

However, before you do, that you may want to brush up on some Michigan law.

Don't worry I made it easy for you!

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Do I need a permit to build a fence in Michigan?

It truly depends on what city you live in because each city's laws and fence rules are different.

For the city of Grand Rapids, a fence permit is required before you start building.

Luckily you can complete the permit online.

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How tall can a fence be in Grand Rapids?

The maximum fence height is different for every city.

For Kalamazoo, if your fence is in the front of the house, it can only be 4 feet, but if it is on the sides or the back, it can be 7 feet.

As for the city of Grand Rapids, the max that you can go for the fence's height is 6 feet.

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Who is legally responsible for the fence?

Easy question for a simple question.

Whoever uses the fence is legally responsible.

Under the Michigan boundary fence law Act 34 of 1978 section 43.53,

"The owner of the real property who constructs a fence shall pay for the construction and maintenance of that fence."

Can your neighbor build a fence on the property line in Michigan?

According to Home Garden, as of now, there is no law preventing your neighbor from putting up a fence on the property line.

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Crazy, right?

"according to Michigan fence law, property owners can erect fences on property lines and maintain ownership of the said fences until other parties start using the fence. However, local building codes may contain additional offset requirements that prevent your neighbor from placing their fence on the boundary."

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