Fence Regulations in Roanoke County, VA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Roanoke County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Roanoke County caps residential fences at four feet only where they sit in front of the building line; fences elsewhere on the lot have no county height cap, though corner-lot sight triangles still limit anything, fences included, to three feet.
Fence Height Limits in Roanoke County
Light RestrictionsRoanoke County Code §§ 30-100-8(B), 30-100-9(A)-(B)
Within this sight triangle nothing in excess of three (3) feet in height shall be constructed, placed, or permanently parked. In addition, no vegetative plantings within the triangle shall be allowed to grow to a height of greater than three (3) feet. ... Except as provided for in Sections 30-92 and 30-100-8, fences may be constructed in any location, on any lot. ... On any lot occupied by a re...
Fence Permit Requirements
In Roanoke County, Virginia (outside the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem), a zoning permit is normally required before erecting any structure. Fences are specifically exempted under Sec. 30-9(A)(2) as long as their location and design conform to the sight-triangle and fence-placement rules found elsewhere in the zoning ordinance.
Roanoke County Fence Permit Exemption
Light RestrictionsRoanoke County Code §§ 30-9(A)(2), 30-100-9
(A)A zoning permit shall be required for the erection, construction, reconstruction, moving, adding to, or alteration of any structure, or the establishment of any land use, except as listed below:1.Patios.2.Fences, provided their location and design conform to section 30-92, section 30-100-8 and section 30-100-9 of this ordinance. ... (A) Except as provided for in Sections 30-92 and 30-100-8, ...
Retaining Walls
In Roanoke County, Virginia (outside the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem), a retaining wall built inside a required buffer yard on a site plan cannot exceed four feet in height. Roanoke County Code § 30-92-5(B)(3) caps buffer-yard walls at that height and requires a six-foot planting strip between stacked walls.
Roanoke County Retaining Wall Height Limit
Some RestrictionsRoanoke County Code § 30-92-5(B)(3)
3.The maximum slope of any required buffer yard shall be 3:1 (horizontal:vertical). Sufficient vegetation and ground cover shall be established and maintained on any slope to ensure stabilization and re-vegetation. In areas where extreme slopes exist, retaining walls no greater than four (4) feet in height may be used. If more than one (1) retaining wall is used, a planting area at least six (6...
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