Richmond, VA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- R-1 front yard
- 35 feet minimum
- R-1 side/rear yard
- 10 feet minimum
- R-5 front yard
- 25 feet minimum
- R-5 side/rear yard
- 5 feet minimum
- Governing division
- Article VI, Division 4, Yards and Courts
Summary
Richmond sets yard setbacks district by district rather than with one citywide number: the R-1 Single-Family district requires a 35-foot front yard and 10-foot side and rear yards, and the minimums shrink as the district gets denser, down to a 25-foot front yard and 5-foot side and rear yards in R-5. Article VI, Division 4 defines how yards are measured and what may project into them.
Yard regulations in the R-1 Single-Family Residential District shall be as follows: (1)Front yard. There shall be a front yard with a depth of not less than 35 feet (see Article VI, Division 4 of this chapter).(2)Side yards. There shall be side yards of not less than ten feet in width (see Article VI, Division 4 of this chapter).(3)Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard with a depth of not less than ten feet (see Article VI, Division 4 of this chapter).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Richmond's zoning ordinance does not use a single word like "setback" for every district; instead each single-family district's "Yards" provision fixes its own front, side and rear yard minimums, cross-referenced to the general yards-and-courts rules in Article VI, Division 4. 5 requires a 35-foot front yard and 10-foot side and rear yards. 5 keeps the R-5 district's front yard at 25 feet while cutting side and rear yards to 5 feet. 9, let specific features intrude into a required yard, including eaves and chimneys, fences up to 6½ feet in side and rear yards, unenclosed porches up to 10 feet into a front yard, and roof-mounted solar systems that add no more than 12 inches. 1 before the Commissioner of Buildings can issue it, and yard violations are enforced the same way as other zoning violations.
Violations & Fines
Building within a required front, side or rear yard without qualifying for one of § 30-630.9's specific encroachment exceptions is a zoning violation under § 30-1080, a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 for the first offense and $100 to $2,000 for each following ten-day period the encroachment is not removed after a court sets a deadline, plus a $100 administrative fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back from the street does my house have to sit in Richmond?
Do side and rear yard minimums shrink the same way as front yards?
Can anything be built inside my required yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richmond
Compare Richmond to another location·View the Virginia building setbacks & zoning overview
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