Charlottesville, VA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Under Charlottesville Development Code Sec. 1, fence and wall standards apply to every lot in the city, and the actual height, material and design standards are cross-referenced through Article 2, Zoning Districts, and the frontage-screening rules in Div. 7. Where a required frontage screen calls for a taller wall or fence than the general rule, the screening requirement controls. All fences and walls must be built of durable, low-maintenance material with a long life expectancy: no tires, junk or other discarded material is allowed, and a finished side must face the neighboring property.

Barbed wire and concertina wire are prohibited citywide. Location standards require every wall, fence or screen (including footings) to sit entirely on-site, out of any required drainage or utility easement, and critically, no wall or fence may interfere with visibility at intersections or driveways. Height is measured differently depending on where the fence sits: in front and side-street yards, height runs from the adjacent sidewalk to the top of the fence (or from grade if no sidewalk is within 20 feet); in side and rear yards, it runs from the base on the higher-grade side, or from the alley surface for fences along an alley.

Where a fence sits within 3 feet of a retaining wall 2 feet or taller, height is measured from the fence top to the retaining wall's midpoint. All fences and walls must be kept vertical, structurally sound and protected from deterioration. Violations of Chapter 34 are enforced by the Zoning Administrator.