Arlington County, VA Ordinances (2026)

Arlington County bans stopping, standing or parking on sidewalks, crosswalks, and within intersections, plus fixed buffers around fire hydrants, fire stations and street corners: 15…

Arlington County bans parking commercial vehicles, defined as 12,000+ pound trucks, 16-plus passenger vehicles, hazmat carriers, trailers or three-plus axle rigs, on any street where…

Arlington County's Residential Permit Parking (RPP) Program, County Code §§ 14.2-98 to 14.2-104, lets the County Manager restrict on-street parking to permit holders once occupancy on…

Arlington County police can tow any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer left unattended on public or private property for more than ten days, or presumed abandoned after four days…

Motor homes and camping trailers cannot sit on a residential street in Arlington County for more than 5 consecutive days, and boats or boat trailers cannot be parked on a residential…

Arlington County caps loading zone stops at 30 minutes. Section 14.2-38.3 reserves marked loading zones for commercial vehicles picking up or dropping off passengers or materials, with…

Arlington County fines up to $25 for parking in a marked electric-vehicle charging space if the vehicle isn't a plug-in electric or isn't actually charging. The penalty only applies…

Arlington County requires a $200 annual police-issued license to buy, sell or barter secondhand goods, bars purchases from anyone under 18, and forces dealers to hold every item for 15…

Arlington County caps the number of pawnshops at four countywide and requires anyone lending against pledged property to hold a $200 annual license issued by the County Police…

Arlington County caps non-consent trespass towing fees under Chapter 14.3: $160 for vehicles up to 7,500 pounds, $250 up to 10,000 pounds and $500 above that, plus a $50-per-24-hours…

Arlington County requires a permit from the Inspection Services Division before any plumbing or gas work begins, issued only to a licensed master plumber or master mechanical worker…

Arlington County requires a permit from the Inspection Services Division before any electrical work begins, except minor repairs. Homeowners may pull their own permit for single-family…

Arlington County Code Chapter 52 bars any child care center from opening until the premises pass every required inspection and hold all building, plumbing, electrical permits and a…

Arlington County Code § 29-6 requires exterior doors on multiple-dwelling units to carry a deadbolt with at least a 5/8-inch throw, mandates re-keying whenever a tenant vacates or…

The County Manager or a designee inspects dwellings under Arlington County Code § 29-7 in response to a complaint, as part of a systematic area program, or on the official's own…

Arlington County Code Chapter 29 puts the Building Official in charge of the county's mandatory annual inspection of elevators and boilers, plus a five-year electrical preventive…

Arlington County bans dumping or discarding litter on any public or private property, from streets and sidewalks to vacant lots and waterways, except into a proper litter receptacle…

Commercial and multi-family properties in Arlington County must place exterior trash containers, including dumpsters and roll-offs, on concrete or another impervious surface, keep them…

Arlington County collects yard trimmings weekly as part of its mandatory Residential Collection System. Grass clippings, leaves, brush and tree trimmings go out in the county Organics…

Every one-family and two-family dwelling in Arlington County must participate in the County's Residential Collection System, which picks up Trash, Recycling and Yard Trimmings weekly…

Arlington County requires Trash, Recycling and Organics Carts to go to the curb no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before collection and no later than 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Carts…

Arlington County will collect large household items like furniture, mattresses and box springs at the regular Collection Point as long as each piece weighs 500 pounds or less and fits…

Every Commercial Establishment and Multi-Family Property in Arlington County must run its own weekly Recyclables Collection System under § 10-32, with a labeled Recycling Container…

Arlington County's Residential Collection System sets exact hours for curbside pickup: materials go out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before collection and no later than 6:00 a.m…

Arlington County requires recyclables set out for collection to be kept separate from trash and yard trimmings, and it is unlawful for anyone besides the County's collector to take…

Arlington County requires a permit from the County Manager before a circus can parade on county streets. Under County Code § 11-32, a circus or carnival that performs only on private…

Arlington County Code § 22-5(L) creates the Parklet Program, allowing individuals, businesses, organizations and business improvement districts to convert curbside parking spaces into…

Arlington County treats carnivals, fairs, festivals and similar public gatherings as "special events" under its Fire Prevention Code, requiring advance notice to the fire prevention…

A restaurant that wants tables and chairs on an Arlington County sidewalk needs an annual Outdoor Cafe License from the County Manager under Code Chapter 70. The owner files a detailed…

Arlington County makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to urinate or defecate on any street, alley, sidewalk, park, or other public place, or anywhere within public view, unless the act…

Arlington County has no standalone ban on crossing mid-block. Its only pedestrian-conduct rule, § 14.2-30, requires pedestrians to obey traffic signs, signals and police officers…

Arlington County treats motorized skateboards as vehicles under County Code § 14.2-65, letting riders use most sidewalks and streets but capping speed at fifteen miles per hour on…

Arlington County makes it a misdemeanor to loiter in a public place in a way that blocks pedestrian or vehicle traffic, harasses another person, threatens property, or signals a likely…

Arlington County bans open alcoholic beverage containers in its public parks and playgrounds. Code § 17-2.A states plainly that "the possession of open alcoholic beverage containers is…

Arlington County does not restrict rainwater harvesting; instead it rewards it. Under Code § 26-122, single-family and multi-family property owners who install rainwater collection or…

Arlington County Code Ch. 38.1 lets the County Manager order mandatory watering cutbacks once the County Board declares a water supply emergency. Restrictions can reach lawn and shrub…

Arlington County's grass-cutting law does not reach native plant gardens, meadow vegetation or conservation landscaping. County Code § 10-12 defines "Lawn Area" to exclude intentional…

Arlington County caps grass and lawn growth on occupied residential and commercial lots under half an acre at 12 inches. Once the growth exceeds that height, the owner has 10 days…

Arlington County requires every property owner or occupant to cut back trees, hedges, shrubs, vines and other vegetation that grows over a sidewalk, alley, roadway or street and blocks…

Arlington County Code § 67-5 makes it unlawful to destroy, cut down, or injure a tree or shrub on a public right-of-way, County land, or a County-maintained easement without the County…

Arlington County sorts every licensed business into a rate class under Chapter 11's Gross Receipts Business Tax, Article III. Professionals and specialized occupations such as…

Arlington County bans barbed wire on any fence or wall below six feet, bars sharp or cut mesh prongs below six feet unless placed at the bottom, and prohibits electrically charged…

Arlington County's Fire Prevention Code requires a permit for storing or using LP-gas (propane) inside any structure, and for outdoor storage or use per event or per year, in any…

Arlington County bans manufacturing, transporting, storing, selling, or discharging fireworks anywhere in the county, and prohibits all fireworks use on public property, even for the…

Arlington County's Fire Prevention Code flatly bans burning leaves and yard waste anywhere in the county, and separately prohibits any open burning that produces hazardous smoke or…

Arlington County allows permanently built outdoor fireplaces, bar-b-ques, and recreational fires under the Fire Prevention Code, but limits fuel to seasoned dry firewood, charcoal, or…

Arlington County's Fire Prevention Code requires landlords to certify working smoke alarms to tenants at move-in, at every lease renewal, and at least annually, and to repair or…

Arlington County may run red-light cameras at no more than one intersection per 10,000 residents, with a $50 civil penalty for running the light. Photo speed cameras in school crossing…

Arlington County requires every shared e-scooter and e-bike operator to hold a Micro-Mobility Business Permit under County Code § 14.2-111 et seq., pay a $1,000 application fee, cap…

Arlington County caps electric power-assisted bicycle speeds under County Code § 14.2-65: twenty miles per hour on streets and multi-use trails, six miles per hour on sidewalks. Riders…

Arlington County bars motor vehicles from stopping, standing, parking or driving in a marked bicycle lane under County Code § 14.2-65.E, though a driver may briefly cross one to enter…

Arlington County bars charcoal and gas grills from balconies, rooftops, and decks, and requires them to sit at least 15 feet from combustible construction or a residential building…

Arlington County levies a 5.25% transient occupancy tax on every transient's total room charge under County Code Section 40-2, collected by hotels and remitted to the County Treasurer…

Table II of Arlington County's Noise Control Ordinance caps motor-vehicle noise by class and speed: motorcycles at 80/84 dBA, vehicles under 10,000 lbs GVW at 70/79 dBA, and heavier…

Arlington County's Noise Control Ordinance confines loud construction work to Daytime hours only, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays, and caps…

Arlington County's Noise Control Ordinance defines "Nighttime" as everything outside "Daytime" hours (7 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends and legal holidays), and…

Table I of Arlington County's Noise Control Ordinance sets maximum sound levels by zoning district and time of day: industrial zones cap out at 70 dBA at all hours, commercial zones at…

Section 15-6.F bars playing a radio, stereo, loudspeaker or musical instrument loudly enough to be heard inside another person's dwelling from 20 feet away, or 50 feet across a…

Arlington County treats a persistently noisy pet as a noise violation. Code § 15-6.L makes it unlawful for an owner to let an animal or bird create noise audible at least once a minute…

Arlington County has banned gas-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums outright: Code § 15-6.Q makes it unlawful to operate one "at any time," anywhere in the County. A separate rule, §…

Arlington County requires new construction and substantially improved residential and non-residential structures in the Special Flood Hazard Area to elevate the lowest floor, including…

Arlington County caps how long a commercial truck can sit idling. Code § 15-6.I makes it unlawful for an operator to run a commercial motor vehicle's propulsion engine for more than 10…

Arlington County runs its own Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program (VESMP) under County Code § 60-4, with the Department of Environmental Services Director as…

Arlington County designates a Floodplain District covering all land subject to the one percent annual chance flood, mapped on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Map under County Code § 48-47…

Arlington County treats boat docks and marinas as "water-dependent facilities" under its Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance. Building one inside a Resource Protection Area requires…

Any land-disturbing activity of 2,500 square feet or more in Arlington County needs an LDA Permit and an approved Erosion and Sediment Control Plan before work begins. The Department…

Arlington County exempts emergency backup electric generators from its noise rules outright. Section 15-5.F.6 removes "electricity-generating systems used to provide emergency backup…

Beyond its overall dBA ceiling, Arlington County's Table I sets separate octave-band limits reaching down to 31.5 Hz, the deep bass range that A-weighted meters underrate. Industrial…

Arlington County limits how loud a delivery truck can legally be on county streets. Code § 15-5.B routes all motor vehicle noise, including delivery and box trucks, through Table II…

Bars and restaurants with outdoor seating in Arlington's Mixed Use Districts face a late-night quiet rule. Code § 15-6.O makes the manager on duty responsible for stopping patrons in…

Arlington County's 5.25% transient occupancy tax reaches short-term rentals booked through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. Under County Code Section 40-4, when the accommodation is a…

Arlington County bans transporting, harboring, or selling foxes, skunks, and raccoons during a declared rabies emergency, but exempts a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the Virginia…

Arlington County has no breed-specific ban: § 2-10 expressly states no dog can be found dangerous or vicious solely because of its breed. Instead, a court must find a dog dangerous or…

Arlington County lets residents keep chickens and other fowl but makes it unlawful for an owner, possessor, or manager to let them trespass onto another person's land. Pigs, hogs…

Arlington County requires every dog to be kept on a leash and under an owner's control, or confined to the owner's property, and separately bans letting a dog run at large anywhere in…

Arlington County makes it unlawful to keep a cat six months or older for more than 14 days without a USDA-licensed rabies vaccination. The requirement is tied to a rabies emergency the…

Arlington County requires every constricting snake weighing more than 25 pounds to carry an ISO-standard microchip registered to its owner. The rule sits inside the broader…

Arlington County bans keeping or breeding any live wild or exotic animal, a list that covers primates, raccoons, foxes, big cats, venomous snakes, and several spider and scorpion…

Arlington County Code § 29-4 bars any owner from occupying or leasing a dwelling unit unless it and the premises comply with Chapter 29's Building Maintenance Standards, which adopt…

Arlington County bars anyone from dumping material on a sidewalk, street or other public property that could obstruct travel or injure someone. Code § 17-6.A prohibits placing rubbish…

Arlington County bars anyone from building, maintaining or using any structure in a public street, sidewalk, alley or right-of-way without County Board consent. You need either a…

Arlington County requires a license from the Department of Human Services to operate a family day care home caring for 1 to 12 children for compensation. Operating without a valid…

Arlington County Code § 67-4 puts all planting, pruning, and removal of trees and shrubs in street rights-of-way, parkway strips, and other County-owned land under the County Manager's…

Arlington County does not protect trees by species; it individually designates specific heritage, memorial, specimen, and street trees under Code § 67-6. A County-designated arborist…

Arlington County designates heritage, memorial, specimen, and street trees by County Board ordinance after a public hearing, and once designated a tree cannot be removed or damaged…

Owners of vacant property in Arlington County must cut grass, weeds and other foreign growth whenever it creates a health or safety hazard, even though there's no set height trigger…

Arlington County Code § 29-11 lets the County acquire or repair blighted property, including by eminent domain, once a property meets the blight factors in § 29-12, after the…

Arlington County Code § 30-1 makes it unlawful to peddle, vend, or canvass in the county without a permit. Section 30-3 requires a sworn application with fingerprints and a $20 fee…

Arlington County Code § 30-11 limits all door-to-door sales and canvassing countywide to the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The chapter does not create a do-not-knock registry; it…

Arlington County makes it unlawful to operate a Food Establishment unless a Certified Food Manager is in immediate control, or a Certified Limited Food Manager for Limited Food…

Arlington County Code § 10-14 makes it the joint duty of every property owner and occupant to keep the parcel free of trash, garbage, refuse, litter, and debris that might endanger…

Arlington County requires every mobile food unit and limited-service mobile food unit to hold an annual Food Establishment License from the County Manager before operating, per…