Fence Regulations in Fairfax County, VA (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Fairfax County's zoning ordinance caps residential fences and walls at 7 feet in side and rear yards and 4 feet in front yards, with taller limits allowed for large lots and corner properties.
Fairfax County Privacy Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsFairfax County, VA, Zoning Ordinance subsec. 4102.7.A(7)(b)
Unless otherwise allowed by subsection 4102.7.A(7)(c) below, the maximum allowed height for a fence or wall is as established in Table 4102.4: Maximum Allowed Fence or Wall Height. Table 4102.4: Maximum Allowed Fence or Wall Height Yard where Fence Location, Size, or Use of Lot Material Fence or Wall ...
Fence Permit Requirements
A regular Fairfax County fence within Table 4102.4's height limit needs no permit, but exceeding that height in a front yard requires Board or BZA special-permit approval.
Fairfax County Special Permit for Tall Fences
Some RestrictionsFairfax County, VA, Zoning Ordinance § 4102.7.A(7)(c)3
In any front yard, the Board may approve, in conjunction with a proffered rezoning, PRC plan, or another special exception, or the BZA may approve a special permit, to allow a fence or wall height greater than the maximum height allowed by Table 4102.4: Maximum Allowed Fence or Wall Height, if the following requirement...
Retaining Walls
Fairfax County regulates retaining wall construction as a permitted building activity under Chapter 61, not as a zoning setback issue. Appendix Q, Section I.B(L) sets the permit fee as a percentage of estimated construction cost: 5.13% for walls reviewed under the International Building Code (commercial or multi-family) and 3.00% for walls reviewed under the International Residential Code (single-family detached).
Fairfax County Retaining Wall Permit Fee Rule
Some RestrictionsFairfax County, VA, Code of Ordinances, Appendix Q § I.B(L) (Retaining Walls); Section 61-1-3(d)
(L)Retaining Walls: The fee for installation and repair of a retaining wall: • Retaining walls reviewed/inspected under the International Building Code (generally commercial or multi-family) Percentage of the estimated cost of construction 5.13% • Retaining walls reviewed/inspected under the International Residential Code (generally single-family detached dwellings) (The permittee must provide ...
Material Restrictions
Fairfax County bans barbed wire fences countywide except on rural five-plus-acre lots, and bars electric fences on smaller subdivided lots.
Fairfax County Barbed Wire, Electric Fence Rules
Some RestrictionsFairfax County, VA, Zoning Ordinance § 4102.7.A(7)(a)
1. Barbed wire fences are prohibited in all zoning districts except on lots of at least five acres in the R-A, R-C, R-E, and R-1 Districts. However, barbed wire strands may be used to enclose storage yards, other similar industrial or commercial uses, or swimming pools where the s...
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