Alexandria, VA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max fence height, secondary front yard
- 6 feet
- Minimum sidewalk setback
- 2 feet
- Alternative setback rule
- Halfway to owner's front wall
- Vision-clearance obstruction limit
- 4 feet above curb grade
- Vision triangle radius
- 30 feet from curb intersection
- Governing law
- Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1701, 7-1702
Summary
On corner and through lots, Alexandria allows open and closed fences up to six feet in the secondary front yard only if they sit behind the front building wall and are set back at least two feet from the sidewalk edge (or the lot line), per Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1701 and 7-1702.
7-1701 - Open and closed fences less than six feet in height. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this ordinance save the permitted obstructions listed in section 7-200 and vision clearance requirements of section 7-800, open and closed fences not exceeding six feet in height shall be permitted on corner and through lots in required secondary front yards when in compliance with this section 7-1700. 7-1702 - Corner lots. On corner lots, open and closed fences not exceeding six feet in height shall be located behind the front building wall facing the primary front yard... (A)Except for cases governed by section 7-1702(B) fences shall be setback from the edge of the sidewalk by two feet or if there is no sidewalk at least two feet from the secondary front lot line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 156 | Zoning: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
Alexandria's general fence standards get overridden on corner and through lots by Sec. 7-1700's special secondary-yard rules. Sec. 7-1701 permits open and closed fences not exceeding six feet in height in the required secondary front yard of corner and through lots, subject to the permitted obstructions listed in Sec. 7-200 and the vision-clearance requirements of Sec. 7-800, which bans anything over four feet tall within the sight triangle formed by points 30 feet from the intersecting curb lines. Sec. 7-1702 governs corner lots specifically: fences up to six feet must be located behind the front building wall facing the primary front yard, and set back from the secondary front lot line by one of two methods.
Under Sec. 7-1702(A), the default rule requires the fence to sit at least two feet back from the edge of the sidewalk, or at least two feet from the secondary front lot line if there is no sidewalk. Under Sec. 7-1702(B), where neighboring principal structures on the same block face the street, the fence may instead be built no closer to the secondary front lot line than halfway between that lot line and the fence-owner's own front building wall facing the secondary yard. Sec. 7-1703 applies a parallel, block-face-dependent setback formula to through lots. These fence rules were most recently amended by Ordinance No. 5300 in October 2020.
Violations & Fines
A fence that exceeds six feet in the secondary front yard, or that fails to meet the two-foot sidewalk setback (or the block-face alternative) under Sec. 7-1702, is a zoning ordinance violation subject to the city's standard zoning enforcement process, including a stop-work or removal order from the Department of Planning and Zoning; a fence within the vision-clearance triangle of Sec. 7-800 is enforced under that section's four-foot obstruction limit regardless of the corner-lot fence allowance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a fence be on an Alexandria corner lot?
How far back from the sidewalk must an Alexandria corner-lot fence be?
Do Alexandria's corner-lot fence rules apply to through lots too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alexandria
How Alexandria compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Compare Alexandria to another location·View the Virginia fence regulations overview
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