Building Setbacks & Zoning in Newport News, VA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Newport News, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Newport News sets minimum yard setbacks by zoning district; in the R1 single-family district, homes must sit back 35 feet from the front lot line, 20 feet from the rear, and 10 percent of lot width on each side.
Newport News Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 45-603(b)
(b)Requirements for main building:(1)Minimum setback requirements:a.Front yard: Thirty-five (35) feet.b.Rear yard: Twenty (20) feet.c.Side yard:1.Interior lot: Ten (10) percent of lot width; but no more than twelve (12) feet shall be required.2.Corner lot: Thirty-five (35) feet for the side yard along the street.(2)Maximum height: Thirty-five (35) feet.(c)Requirements for accessory buildings an...
Structure Height Limits
Single-family homes in Newport News's R1 through R4 districts are capped at thirty-five feet, measured from grade to the highest point of the roof; accessory buildings can't exceed the height of the main house and top out at one and a half stories.
Newport News Residential Height Limit
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 45-603(b)(2)
(2)Maximum height: Thirty-five (35) feet. ... Height of building. The vertical distance measured from the established grade to the highest point of the roof surface for low sloped roofs; to the deck line of mansard roofs; and to the average height between eaves and ridge for shed, gable, hip and gambrel roofs.
Lot Coverage Limits
Newport News caps building footprint as a percentage of lot area, computed under Zoning Ordinance §45-2804(e); the cap itself ranges from 30 percent in the O2 Office Park District up to 80 percent in the R9 Mixed Use and O1 Office Districts.
Newport News Maximum Lot Coverage Rules
Some RestrictionsNewport News City Code § 45-2804(e)
(e)For computing lot coverage. The percentage of lot coverage shall be computed by dividing the total ground floor area of proposed buildings or structures by the total area of the developed site as follows: Lot Coverage = (Total Ground Floor Area Division ° Total Site Area) × 100% In determining lot coverage, the following shall be excluded from ground floor area: surface parking lots; und...