Fire Regulations in Spotsylvania County, VA (2026)
4 rules for unincorporated Spotsylvania County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Fire Pits & Backyard Fires
Spotsylvania County exempts backyard bonfires and campfires from its open burning permit under County Code Sec. 9-102(b), but only if the fire qualifies as a "recreational fire" under Sec. 9-101: a total fuel area no larger than three feet in diameter and two feet in height, kept outside an incinerator, fireplace or barbeque pit, for cooking, warmth or similar purposes.
Spotsylvania County Recreational Fire Rules
Light RestrictionsSpotsylvania County Code §§ 9-101, 9-102(b)
Recreational fire means an outdoor fire, burning materials other than rubbish where the fuel being burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, portable outdoor fireplace, barbeque grill, or barbeque pit and has a total fuel area of three (3) feet or less in diameter and two (2) feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth, or similar purposes. .....
Fireworks
Spotsylvania County bans fireworks displays without a fire marshal permit under Article II of Chapter 9, requiring a 30-day-advance application, a certified pyrotechnician, and $1 million in liability insurance; only sparklers, fountains, and similar 'permissible fireworks' can be used without a permit, on private property with the owner's consent.
Spotsylvania County Fireworks Display Permits
Significant RestrictionsSpotsylvania County Code § 9-48(a), (f), (g)
Written application for a permit to display fireworks shall be made in triplicate to the fire marshal, at least thirty (30) days prior to the intended date of the display, stating the time, place, type of fireworks, and circumstances under which they are proposed to be displayed. ... The applicant shall furnish a certificate of insurance in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00). Thi...
Outdoor Burning
Spotsylvania County requires a county open air incineration permit and a 1,000-foot setback from any occupied dwelling to burn debris waste in residential, office or mixed-use zoning districts, or a 750-foot setback in commercial and industrial districts, under County Code Sec. 9-102. All land-clearing burning is banned outright from May 1 through October 1.
Spotsylvania County Open Burning Permit Rules
Significant RestrictionsSpotsylvania County Code § 9-102(a), (c)
(a)The Commonwealth of Virginia State Air Pollution Control Board Regulations for Open Burning, 9 VAC 5 Chapter 130 in current form and as amended in the future, are hereby adopted and incorporated by reference; provided, however, any county regulation specified in this article more restrictive than such state regulations shall apply and take precedence over the state regulations. ... (c)No lan...
Smoke Detectors
Spotsylvania County requires smoke detectors in every dwelling unit, hotel, motel, rooming house, group home and dormitory built before the state's Uniform Statewide Building Code took effect, under County Code Sec. 9-109. Violating the article is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $1,000 under Sec. 9-108.
Spotsylvania County Smoke Detector Requirements
Some RestrictionsSpotsylvania County Code §§ 9-108, 9-109
Any violation of this article shall be deemed to be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). ... Smoke detectors shall be installed in the following buildings or structures constructed prior to the adoption of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code: (1)Any building containing one or more dwelling units, whether occupied by the owner or a tenant...
All Spotsylvania County ordinances
See every category we cover for Spotsylvania County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Spotsylvania County Ordinance Hub →