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HOA fence approval in St. Louis County often means getting written permission from your subdivision trustees before you order a fence or dig a post hole. The short answer: get their approval first, because it is separate from any city permit. Ask for the trustees’ answer in writing before you spend money on materials.
Building without it puts you in a dispute with your own association. Jump straight to the packet checklist, the letter to copy, the height checker or the date planner. If you are still choosing a fence, start with our residential fence installation in St. Louis page.
Get written approval before you order a fence or dig.If you order first, you may be holding a fence your trustees refuse.
Two Approvals, One Fence
Most people think of one yes. In many St. Louis County subdivisions you need two.
- Your trustees. St. Louis County says a subdivision trust indenture is a private, contractual agreement between the subdivision association and each owner. It can limit the use, type and size of fences.
- Your city or county building office. This is the public side. Ask them whether your fence needs a permit, because rules differ from city to city.
One does not stand in for the other. St. Louis County states that government authorities do not enforce subdivision trust indentures.
The City of Wildwood says an indenture sets the subdivision’s boundaries, the association’s powers and the rules it runs by. Trustees oversee the yearly and special assessments and the upkeep of the subdivision.
So a city permit tells you the city is fine with the fence. It tells you nothing about what your trustees will allow.
Nothing here is legal advice. What this cannot do is read your indenture for you or predict how your trustees will vote.
If your home has no trust indenture or association, you do not need the trustee steps; ask your city about a permit. If you are already in a dispute with your association, talk to an attorney.
The Order to Follow
Do these in this order.
- Get your indenture. Indentures are recorded documents. The City of Wildwood says you can get copies from the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds at 314-615-2500. That holds whether your subdivision is in a city or not. The county’s own Recorder of Deeds page lists 314-615-7100 and the office at 41 South Central Avenue in Clayton, and says all recorded documents are available for public research. Your trustees may also have a copy.
- Find the fence rules. The county says an indenture often covers fences, building materials and an architectural control committee. Look for height, material, style, color, setback from the lot line and gates.
- Build your packet. Use the checklist below so the trustees can say yes on the first read.
- Send it to the trustees and ask for a date. Ask when they will meet and when you will get a written answer.
- Ask about a city permit. Call your city or county building office with the same drawing.
- Call Missouri 811 before the digging starts. The Missouri Public Service Commission says Missouri law requires notice before you dig, and a fence is its own example. Call at least 3 days and up to 10 days ahead. The call is free. Dial 811 or use Missouri 811. The Commission explains the rule on its Call Before You Dig page.
- Order the fence and book the install. Only now, with the written answer in hand.
The county lists these indenture topics on its page about what to expect in a trust indenture.
What to Put in Your Approval Packet
A complete packet is easy for trustees to approve. A vague one draws a request for more and a delay. Include all ten:
- Your survey or plot plan, marked with the fence line and the distance from it to each property line.
- Any utility easements shown on the survey, and the fence kept off them.
- The fence height, in feet.
- The material, the style name and the color name.
- The maker’s spec page or a photo of the exact style.
- Gate locations and widths, and which way each gate swings.
- Which side faces out toward the street and the neighbors.
- The installer’s name and phone number.
- The indenture section you read, so the trustees see you checked.
- Any application form your trustees or architectural control committee use, filled in. Ask them whether there is one.
Tick each item as you finish it. Your ticks stay in this browser. The printout also has a sheet for the rules you find in your indenture.
Ask the trustees these seven things
- Is there an application form, or does a committee review fence requests?
- What does the review cost, if anything?
- Does the approval expire if I do not build within a year?
- Do you want the packet by email or on paper?
- When is the next meeting, and what is the last day my packet can arrive to be on it?
- On what date will I get your answer in writing?
- If part of my plan is refused, how do I ask for a change or an appeal?
Each fence line has its own page with its sizes and colors: vinyl, aluminum, ornamental steel and composite.
A Request Letter You Can Copy
Dear Trustees,
I am asking for your written approval to build a fence at [your address]. The plan:
Location: [back lot line / around the back yard / both side yards]. A survey with the fence line drawn is attached.
Height: [number] feet.
Material and style: [material], [style name]. The maker’s spec page is attached.
Color: [color name].
Gates: [number], [width] each, swinging [direction].
Finished side: facing out toward the street and neighbors.
Installer: [company name and phone].
I read Section [number] of the indenture on fences, and this plan stays within it. If any part does not, please tell me which section and what change would meet it.
Please tell me the date of your next meeting and the date I can expect a written answer. I will not order materials or dig until I have your approval in writing.
Thank you,
[Your name]
[Address, phone and email]
Fill in the boxes. The letter below updates as you type, and anything still in yellow brackets is not filled in yet.
The email button opens your own email app with the subject and letter filled in. Attach your survey and the maker spec page before you send.
Will My Fence Clear the Rules?
Pick the tallest fence your indenture allows and the look it asks for. The checker shows which of our four fence lines come in a height at or under your limit. Heights below come from each line’s own page.
| Fence line | Heights we list | Look | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 3 to 6 feet for homes | Open, see-through | Beige, Black, Hartford Green, Quaker Bronze, Walnut Brown, White |
| Vinyl | 4, 5 or 6 feet in most styles; 7 or 8 feet in a tall privacy style | Solid privacy, or spaced picket | White and almond; clay in some styles |
| Composite | 4, 6 or 8 feet | Solid molded panels, stone or wood look | Dark Gray Oak, Nantucket Gray, Red Cedar, Walnut Brown and granite tones |
| Ornamental steel | Not listed on that page. Ask us. | Open, see-through | Ask us |
A match on height is not an approval. Your trustees decide, and your indenture may also name materials or colors. Put the exact style in your packet.
Two Yards Where the Rules Shaped the Fence
Eureka, Windswept Farms, August 2026
The subdivision allowed only certain fence styles. We recommended a matte black Elite aluminum fence that closely matched the neighbor’s. The job was 122 linear feet at 4 feet high, with one gate, finished in 2 days.
On the Eureka job, the homeowner had questions about her property lines. We reviewed the layout with her before digging, and that step took a little longer than usual. Read the Eureka fence project.
Wildwood, Ashford Oaks, August 2026
The homeowner added a pool and wanted a taller, 6-foot white vinyl fence in place of the 4-foot privacy fence. What we found: the fence runs along a main road and a sidewalk, so the city had to approve the extra height first.
The job was 104 linear feet, finished in 2 working days. Read the Wildwood fence project.
Who to Call About the City Permit
A city permit is its own step, apart from the trustees. Find your city below and call before you apply. We read each number and rule from the city’s own website on 10 October 2026, so confirm them when you call.
| City or county | Who to call | Phone | What its own page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold | Community Development, building | 636-282-2378 | Requires construction permits, and its list includes fences. |
| Ballwin | Building Inspections | 636-227-2129 | Building permits are required for all kinds of construction, and fences are on its list. It has a fence permit application. |
| Chesterfield | City Hall main line, ask for Planning | 636-537-4000 | Its permit page lists no fence rule, so ask what applies to your lot. |
| De Soto | Building Inspectors Office | 636-586-3326 | A fence requires a building permit. |
| Des Peres | City Hall main line, ask for the Building Division | 314-835-6100 | Has its own fence permit application. Its fence page lists 314-835-6130 for the final inspection. |
| Eureka | Building Department | 636-938-5233 | Permits are required for fences. |
| Fenton | Community Development | 636-349-8110 | Has its own fence permit application. |
| Festus | City Hall main line, ask for Building and Planning | 636-937-4694 | A fence does not need a building permit, but zoning rules apply: 7 feet at most in the rear yard, 4 feet at most in the front yard. |
| Florissant | Public Works | 314-839-7648 | Requires permits for most remodeling, and fences are on its list. |
| Hazelwood | Inspections and Permits | 314-513-5034 | Publishes its own fence regulations and installation guide (a PDF). |
| Kirkwood | Building Division | 314-822-5823 | A permit is required for a new or rebuilt fence. The fee is $48. Apply on its online portal with a site plan. |
| Maryland Heights | Planning and Zoning | 314-738-2234 | A fence that does not enclose a pool needs a free zoning permit and no inspection. A fence around a pool needs a building permit. |
| O’Fallon | Building Division main line | 636-379-5660 | Its page sends building questions to this line, so ask what a fence needs. |
| St. Charles | Community Development | 636-949-3222 | A fence under 6 feet needs a zoning permit. A fence over 6 feet needs a building permit. |
| Wildwood | Planning Department | 636-458-0440 | A fence under 6 feet needs a zoning authorization from the city, not a building permit. |
| St. Louis County, unincorporated areas | County Public Works | 314-615-2559 | Wildwood’s page names County Public Works for the county building permit process and lists this number. |
| Jefferson County, unincorporated areas | Code Enforcement, permits | 636-797-5310 | Its FAQ says a building permit is not required for fences not over 8 feet high. |
Not on the list? Call your city hall and ask for the building or planning office, or the county if your home is in an unincorporated area.
How Long Approval Takes
Guides online print ranges such as one to four weeks. None of them shows a source, so we do not repeat one. The real answer is the next date your trustees meet, plus the time they need to write you back.
So ask for both dates in your letter, then count backward. Start from the day you want the fence and subtract the 811 notice of up to 10 days, then any city permit time, then the trustee answer. If the dates do not fit, move the install date, not the order of the steps.
The planner counts calendar days and uses the longest 811 notice, 10 days. Confirm the notice rules when you call.
If the Trustees Say No
A no is often a no to one part of the plan. Do three things:
- Ask for the reason in writing. Ask which indenture section the plan broke and what change would meet it.
- Change only that part. If the problem is height, drop a size. If it is color or style, pick another from the same fence line and send a new packet.
- Ask about an appeal or an amendment. The county says an indenture often has provisions for amendments or appeals. Yours may spell out how.
Do not build first. The county notes the trustees can decide when to bring in an attorney, and the dispute is between you and your association, not the city.
The Fences We Install
We install vinyl, aluminum, ornamental steel and composite fences across the St. Louis area. We leave wood and chain link to other companies.
We are a listed Catalyst fence installer; see our Catalyst fence page. Gates come with a full fence installation, not on their own.
You can meet Tim Kelley and the team before you book.
To see panels, gates and picket spacing up close before you write your packet, visit our showroom in Arnold. A spaced picket or an open aluminum style is often the easiest style to match to a short height limit.
Ready for the next step? Bring us your indenture’s fence section and book an on-site estimate. We walk the yard with you and show you styles that fit the limits.
Book an on-site estimate or call 636-464-1144
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need HOA approval to build a fence in St. Louis?
If your subdivision has a trust indenture with fence rules, yes, get written approval from the trustees first. A city permit is a separate step, so ask your building office as well.
Where do I get a copy of my subdivision indenture?
Copies come from the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds, at 41 South Central Avenue in Clayton. The City of Wildwood lists 314-615-2500 and the county’s own page lists 314-615-7100. Your trustees may also have a copy.
Does a city permit replace trustee approval?
No. St. Louis County says government authorities do not enforce subdivision trust indentures. A city permit and trustee approval answer two different questions.
What if I build the fence before I get approval?
Do not. The county says trustees can decide when to bring in an attorney, and the dispute is between you and your association. Get the written answer first.
Which fence suits a short height limit?
Residential aluminum fences come in heights from 3 to 6 feet, so aluminum fits the lowest limits. Our vinyl and composite lines start at 4 feet. Check your indenture for color and material rules too.
Can I ask the trustees to change a fence rule?
Maybe. St. Louis County says an indenture often has provisions for amendments or appeals. Read yours, then ask the trustees how the process works.
How long does HOA fence approval take?
HOA fence approval takes as long as your trustees need: the wait runs from their next meeting date to the day they write back. Ask for both dates in your request. Add any city permit time and a Missouri 811 notice of up to 10 days, then work backward from your install date.
What goes in an HOA fence request?
Send a survey with the fence line drawn, plus the height, material, style and color. Add the maker spec page, gate locations, the finished side, the installer name and the indenture section you read.
