The Fence On The Line
Minn. Stat. 344.03 — equal shares of a partition fence when both lands keep livestock
In Minnesota, if two adjoining lands are both used in whole or in part to produce or maintain livestock for agricultural or commercial purposes and one or both owners want the land fenced, the owners or occupants build and maintain a partition fence between them in equal shares.
The state as a neighbor. The requirement also applies to the Department of Natural Resources where it owns land next to privately owned land and the private owner wants it fenced to restrain livestock.
What counts as a legal and sufficient fence is set out in another section of the same chapter. Where the line actually runs is a boundary question this page does not answer. Whether a particular fence must be shared, and what either neighbor can recover, are questions for a licensed Minnesota attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Minn. Stat. 344.03 — Expense; equal shares
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.