Fairfax, VA Fence Regulations: Neighbor Fence Rules (2026)

Unlike California and several other states, Virginia has never enacted a statewide Good Neighbor Fence Act that automatically shares the cost of a common boundary fence between adjoining owners. In the City of Fairfax, each owner is responsible for the fences they install on their own property, including any shared boundary fence, unless the neighbors enter into a private written agreement that allocates cost and maintenance obligations. Verbal handshake agreements can be difficult to enforce and are a common source of neighbor disputes. When a fence is clearly on one owner property, that owner controls it and has no obligation to consult the neighbor, though a survey-based layout is strongly encouraged. When a fence straddles the property line, it is typically owned in common and neither owner can unilaterally remove or replace it without consent. HOA covenants in subdivisions such as Mosby Woods or Country Club Hills can impose additional rules on shared fence appearance and maintenance that supplement the absence of state law. City staff do not mediate neighbor fence disputes, and residents are referred to private civil remedies such as Fairfax General District Court for small claims up to 5,000 dollars.