8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Washington County, Arkansas.
Verified from official government sources
Overgrown grass is a city matter in Washington County. Fayetteville, Springdale, and Prairie Grove order weeds cut under Ark. Code §14-54-901, then bill the owner. The unincorporated county acts on nuisance lots, not routine lawn height.
Ark. Code § 14-54-901
Incorporated towns and cities of the first and second class are empowered to order the owner of lots and other real property within their towns or cities to cut weeds; to remove garbage, rubbish, and other unsightly and unsanitary articles and things upon the property; and to eliminate, fill up, or remove stagnant pools of water or any other unsanitary thing, place, or condition which might bec...
You can prune trees on your own land freely across Washington County; no permit is needed. Arkansas has no tree-trimming law. Only Fayetteville's development rules, city right-of-way trees, and HOA covenants add limits.
Removing a yard tree is generally free in Washington County; there is no statewide or county tree-removal permit. Fayetteville is the exception, requiring canopy preservation during development under UDC Ch. 167, though single-family homes are exempt.
Fayetteville, AR, Unified Development Code § 167.04(C)
In all new Subdivisions, Large Scale Developments, Industrial and Commercial Developments, and all other improvements listed above, trees shall be preserved as outlined in Table 1 under Percent Minimum Canopy, unless the Applicant has been approved for On-Site Mitigation or Off-Site Alternatives as set forth in subsections (I) & (J) below.
Washington County's cities carry the real weed power. Under Ark. Code §14-54-903, Fayetteville and Springdale mow overgrown lots after seven days' notice and bill the owner. The unincorporated county abates weeds only as a nuisance.
Ark. Code § 14-54-903
If the owner or lienholder of any lot or other real property within an incorporated town or city neglects or refuses to remove, abate, or eliminate any condition under an ordinance passed by the city or town as provided in § 14-54-901, after having been given seven (7) days' notice in writing to do so, then the town or city may do whatever is necessary to correct the condition and to charge the...
Arkansas sets no statewide lawn-watering ban, and Northwest Arkansas draws abundant supply from Beaver Lake. Any restriction in Washington County comes from your water provider during drought, not from the county or a fixed schedule.
Rainwater harvesting is legal and unregulated across Washington County. No Arkansas statute limits collecting rain, and the county has no ordinance. Rain barrels and cisterns for the garden are allowed everywhere.
No Arkansas statute or Washington County ordinance restricts native or drought-tolerant landscaping. You may replace lawn with Ozark natives, pollinator beds, or wildflower meadows freely. Only an HOA covenant can require a conventional grass lawn.
No Arkansas statute and no Washington County ordinance governs artificial turf. On private land you may install it freely. Only HOA architectural covenants and, inside cities, drainage and stormwater rules add conditions.
1 cities in Washington County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Washington County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Washington County Ordinance Hub →