Stafford County, VA Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)

Section 28-39(a) of the Zoning Ordinance regulates fence, wall and hedge height district by district. In the Agricultural (A-1) district, fences may run up to eight feet along rear and side yards within the required setbacks, but drop to a five-foot maximum along any front yard or the portion of a side yard that sits in front of the front setback line. In the county's rural and residential districts, A-2, R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4, the side and rear yard cap is also eight feet, while the front yard and street-facing side yard limit falls to four feet, with A-2 exempted from the street-facing side yard limit.

Commercial districts B-1, B-2, B-3, RC and SC and the industrial districts M-1 and M-2 carry their own eight-foot side/rear and four-foot front-yard caps. Planned development districts PD-1 and PD-2 follow whichever residential or commercial standard matches the character of the specific parcel. Regardless of district, Section 28-39(a) closes with a blanket sight-line rule: no fence, wall or hedge may obstruct the clear sight line for vehicular traffic at any entrance onto a public road, and Section 28-38(b) separately requires corner lots to keep a clear sighting area between three and ten feet above grade at intersections.

Planning & Zoning reviews fence height as part of the building permit process, and the zoning administrator can order a noncompliant fence lowered or removed.