FENCE RULES – BOSSIER (PARISH), LOUISIANA
OVERVIEW
Residential fences are permitted on private property within Bossier Parish, subject to local regulations.
This page applies to properties in the unincorporated areas of Bossier Parish; incorporated municipalities regulate fences under their own ordinances.
Bossier Parish does not publish one consolidated parishwide residential fence chapter. Instead, fence-related requirements appear through a combination of the parish code, the parish building permit administration materials, and the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission materials that apply in the unincorporated area within five miles of Benton.
This page focuses on typical single-family residential fencing. If the jurisdiction’s adopted materials do not state a specific limit or requirement, this page notes that the code does not specify one.
Compiled From the Code of Ordinances, Bossier Parish, Louisiana; Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission materials; Bossier Parish Property Standards materials; Bossier Parish Recent Ordinances materials; and Bossier Parish building permit materials as of March 2026.
GOVERNANCE
Bossier Parish is governed by the Bossier Parish Police Jury.
Residential fence administration in the unincorporated parish is split across current permit administration and zoning review materials. The parish building permits page states that fence applications are handled through Code Inspections Plus, Inc.
For the unincorporated area within five miles of Benton, zoning and fence-related review is administered through the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission.
The principal codified materials reviewed for this page are Chapter 19, Building Codes and Permits and Chapter 126, Zoning of the Code of Ordinances, Bossier Parish, Louisiana. Current administrative direction also appears on the parish building permits page and the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission zoning compliance materials.
PERMIT AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS
• Building Permit Administration: The Bossier Parish building permits page states that fence applications are made through Code Inspections Plus, Inc.
• Metropolitan Planning Commission Review: The parish building permits page states that properties within 5 miles of incorporated municipalities may require approval from the applicable metropolitan planning commission before permit issuance.
• Benton-Parish MPC Area: Within the unincorporated area inside the jurisdiction of the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission, fences require zoning compliance or site-sketch plan review before permit issuance.
• Fence Plan Content in Benton MPC Area: The published fence review materials require a site-sketch or site plan showing boundary lines, rights-of-way, easements, structures, and distances to lot lines, rights-of-way, and easements.
• Other Unincorporated Areas: The official materials reviewed for this page do not publish a separate residential fence zoning approval standard for all other unincorporated areas of Bossier Parish.
FENCE PLACEMENT RULES
• Property Lines: The ordinance does not state a setback requirement for standard residential fences from property lines; however, fences must be located entirely on the owner’s property and must not encroach into rights-of-way or easements or servitudes.
• Benton-Parish MPC Area: In the unincorporated area within five miles of Benton, published fence review materials require lot lines, rights-of-way, easements, structures, and distances to those features to be shown as part of fence review.
• Corner Visibility: In the Benton-area zoning code, on a corner building site where a building setback line is required, nothing may be erected, planted, or allowed to grow so as to materially impede vision between 30 inches and 10 feet above the centerline grades of intersecting streets within the defined corner area.
• Other Placement Standards: The official materials reviewed for this page do not specify standard residential fence rules for gate swing, drainage, or other parishwide fence placement details beyond the items noted above.
• Utility Safety: Louisiana’s Underground Utilities and Facilities Damage Prevention Law requires the person responsible for excavation or demolition to provide notice to the regional notification center (Louisiana 811) before digging. Notice must be provided at least two (2) full business days before the proposed commencement date of the excavation or demolition. Markings are considered valid up to 20 calendar days from the “mark-by” time, as long as the marks remain visible.
FENCE HEIGHT AND VISIBILITY RULES
• Benton-Parish MPC Area, Front Yards: In the unincorporated area within five miles of Benton, front-yard fences and walls may not exceed 4 feet in height.
• Benton-Parish MPC Area, Side and Rear Yards: In the same area, side-yard and rear-yard fences and walls may not exceed 7 feet in height.
• Corner Visibility: In the same zoning area, nothing may be erected, planted, or allowed to grow so as to materially impede vision between 30 inches and 10 feet in the corner-visibility area where a building setback line is required.
• Other Unincorporated Areas: The code does not specify a parishwide maximum height for standard residential fences outside the unincorporated area within five miles of Benton.
MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION LIMITS
• Residential Fence Materials: The code does not specify permitted or prohibited materials for standard single-family residential fences.
• Other Construction Limits: The code does not specify residential opacity, finished-side, or similar construction standards for standard residential fences.
PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS
Private covenants, subdivision restrictions, servitudes, and homeowners’ association rules operate independently of parish regulations and may be more restrictive than Bossier Parish requirements.
REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT CONTEXT
Fence issues are typically reviewed during permit or approval review when required, and through complaint-based code enforcement. Examples include:
• Permit Intake: Fence applications listed on the parish building permits page are routed through Code Inspections Plus, Inc.
• Zoning Review in Benton MPC Area: Fence submittals in the unincorporated area within five miles of Benton are reviewed through the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission for zoning compliance and site-sketch plan requirements.
• Rights-of-Way and Easements: Fence review in the Benton MPC area includes lot lines, rights-of-way, easements, and distances to those features.
• Visibility Hazards: Corner-lot visibility conflicts are addressed through the Benton-area zoning visibility rule.
• Complaint-Based Property Standards: In the unincorporated parish, property standards enforcement also operates through complaint-based review of safety, appearance, and ordinance compliance issues.
USING THIS INFORMATION
This page provides general orientation on how residential fence rules are structured and applied within Bossier Parish, based on publicly available materials reviewed as of March 2026.
In addition to local fence rules, certain Louisiana laws apply statewide. See Statewide fence laws in Louisiana.
It is not legal advice and does not replace official ordinances, permits, surveys, or professional guidance. Rules and interpretations may change, and application may vary based on zoning district, site conditions, easements, rights-of-way, and private restrictions such as HOA covenants. Before purchasing materials or beginning construction, confirm current requirements and any site-specific limitations with Code Inspections Plus, Inc. and, where applicable, the Benton-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission and any applicable private agreements. If this page conflicts with official ordinances, published guidance, or direction from Bossier Parish staff, the official sources control. For legal advice or legal interpretation, consult a licensed attorney.