Chapter 90 — FENCES

90.01 Fence viewers. The supervisors in their respective towns, the alderpersons of cities in their respective aldermanic districts, and the trustees of villages in their respective villages shall be fence viewers. History: 1971 c. 304 s. 29 (1); 1993 a. 184. This chapter’s plain…

90.02 Legal fences; space between ground and bottom. (1) In this section, “high tensile wire” means wire with a tensile strength of 1,235 to 1,450 mega pascals or 179,000 to 210,000 pounds per square inch. (1m) The following and none other are legal and sufficient fences: (a) A f…

90.03 Partition fences; when required. The respective occupants of adjoining lands used and occupied for farming or grazing purposes, and the respective owners of adjoining lands when the lands of one of such owners is used and occupied for farming or grazing purposes, shall keep…

90.035 Public fences. Where the 2 parties, one of whom is the state or a subdivision thereof, agree that a fence is reasonably necessary, the duty to erect and maintain partition fences shall apply equally to the state, as provided in s. 90.03, and its subdivisions as occupants o…

90.04 Effect of fences on action for trespass by animals. Owners of lands who do not maintain and keep in repair lawful partition fences may not recover any damages for trespasses by the animals of owners of any adjoining lands with whom partition fences might have been maintaine…

90.05 How partition made. (1) (a) Every partition of a fence or of the line upon which partition fences are to be built between owners of adjoining lands, after being recorded in the town May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 90.05 Updated 23-24 Wis. Stats. F…

90.06 Relocation of fence. (1) When any owner or occupant of land builds a fence before a boundary line has been located between that land and any adjoining land and the location of the boundary line establishes that the fence is located on the adjoining land, the person who buil…

90.07 Division of partition fence. (1) A division of a partition fence, or the line upon which a partition fence between adjoining lands shall be built, may be made by fence viewers in the following cases: (a) When a division of a partition fence, or the line upon which a partiti…

90.08 Partition of fences in water. Where a partition fence running into the water is necessary to be made the same shall be done in equal shares unless otherwise agreed by the parties, and in case either party shall refuse or neglect to make or maintain the share belonging to th…

90.09 Partition when land bounded by water. (1) When the boundary line between enclosed lands owned by different persons is a river, brook, pond or creek, which of itself is not a sufficient fence, and it is impracticable, without unreasonable expense, for a partition fence to be…

90.10 Compulsory repair of fence. If any person neglects to repair or rebuild any partition fence that by law that person is required to maintain, the aggrieved party may complain to 2 or more fence viewers of the town, who, after giving notice as provided in s. 90.07, shall exam…

90.11 Cost of repairs. (1) (a) Whenever any owner or occupant of land has built, repaired or rebuilt any fence, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, that the adjoining owner or occupant has been lawfully directed by fence viewers to build, repair or rebuild but has failed …

90.12 Apportionment of cost of fence. When, in any controversy that may arise between occupants of adjoining lands as to their respective rights in any partition fence, it shall appear to the fence viewers that either of the occupants had, before any complaint made to them, volun…

90.13 Partition fence on newly enclosed land. (1) When any previously unenclosed land is enclosed, the owner or occupant of the newly enclosed land shall pay for 50 percent of each partition fence standing upon the line between that owner’s or occupant’s land and the enclosure of…

90.14 Fence on town line. In all cases where the line upon which a partition fence is to be made or to be divided is the boundary line between towns or partly in one town and partly in another a fence viewer shall be taken from each town; and divisions of such fences by them or b…

90.15 Fees of viewers; neglect of duty. A fence viewer is entitled to the following fees and expenses for services rendered under this chapter: daily employment, mileage, service of notice or process and folios written. The rate of pay for the fees and expenses shall be set by th…

90.16 Record of partition. Every partition of a division fence or line made by fence viewers, signed and recorded as hereinbefore provided, and the record or a certified copy thereof, shall be presumptive evidence of the regularity of all the proceedings prior to the making there…

90.20 Fencing of farm-raised deer that are not whitetailed deer. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Farm-raised deer” has the meaning given in s. 95.001 (1) (ag). (b) “Heavily galvanized” means having a zinc coating weighing 230 grams per square meter or 0.8 ounces per square…

90.21 Fencing of farm-raised deer; white-tailed deer. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Department” means the department of natural resources. (b) “Farm-raised deer” has the meaning given in s. 95.001 (1) (ag). (2) REQUIREMENTS. (a) No person may keep farm-raised deer if any…