James City County, VA Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)
Key Facts
- Report to
- county administrator / general services on complaint
- Notice before penalty
- up to 10 days to fix under § 10-5
- First-offense fine
- up to $50
- Annual cap
- $3,000 residential / $6,000 industrial-commercial
- Repeat violator
- Class 3 misdemeanor after 3 penalties/24 months
Summary
James City County enforces its most-reported trash, litter and overgrowth violations through civil penalties rather than automatic criminal charges: up to $50 for a first offense, up to $200 for a later unrelated one within 12 months, and a $3,000 yearly cap per property ($6,000 for industrial or commercial land). Three unrelated penalties within 24 months turn the next violation into a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Violations of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty, not to exceed $50 for the first violation, or violations arising from the same set of operative facts. The civil penalty for subsequent violations not arising from the same set of operative facts within 12 months of the first violation shall not exceed $200. Each business day during which the same violation is found to have existed shall constitute a separate offense. In no event shall a series of specified violations arising from the same set of operative facts result in civil penalties that exceed a total of $3,000 in a 12-month period or, in the case of property that is zoned or utilized for industrial or commercial purposes, $6,000 in a 12-month period. Civil penalties shall be in lieu of criminal penalties and shall preclude prosecution of such violation as a misdemeanor. In the event three civil penalties have previously been imposed on the same defendant for the same or similar violation, not arising from the same set of operative facts, within a 24-month period, such violations shall be a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 10-7 of the garbage and refuse chapter sets the penalty structure that backs up the county's most commonly reported violations: accumulated garbage, trash, litter, refuse and clutter under Sec. 10-4(a), and uncut grass, weeds and running bamboo under Sec. 10-4(b). A first violation, or a group of violations arising from the same set of facts, draws a civil penalty capped at $50; a later violation not tied to those same facts, occurring within 12 months of the first, can run up to $200. Each business day (Monday through Friday, excluding board-adopted holidays) that a violation continues counts as a separate offense, but the total civil penalty on one property is capped at $3,000 in any 12-month period, or $6,000 for property zoned or used for industrial or commercial purposes.
Civil penalties replace criminal prosecution for the same conduct, unless the same defendant has already had three separate, unrelated civil penalties imposed within a 24-month period, in which case the next violation is charged as a Class 3 misdemeanor instead of a civil fine. Before any penalty is imposed, Sec. 10-5 requires the county administrator to investigate a complaint and give the owner up to ten days' written notice to fix the condition.
Violations & Fines
First-time or related trash, litter and overgrowth violations draw a civil fine of up to $50, escalating to $200 for a later unrelated violation within 12 months, capped at $3,000 per property per year ($6,000 for industrial or commercial land). After three unrelated civil penalties within 24 months, the county charges the next violation as a Class 3 misdemeanor instead of issuing another fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common code violations reported in James City County?
Will I be arrested for a first trash or overgrowth violation?
How long do I have to fix a violation once the county notifies me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in James City County
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