Loudoun County, VA Fence Regulations: Neighbor Fence Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- 618.01, Chapter 618 (Fences)
- State authority invoked
- Va. Code § 55-310
- Effect
- boundary line = lawful fence vs. livestock
- Physical fence required?
- no, boundary line alone suffices
- County fence cost-sharing rule
- none: left to private/common law
Summary
Loudoun County's only adopted fence ordinance, Section 618.01, invokes Virginia's local-option fence law: it declares the boundary line of every lot or tract in the county a lawful fence against livestock, so no physical fence is legally required along a shared line for livestock-trespass purposes.
Pursuant to Section 55-310 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, the boundary line of each lot or tract of land located in the County is hereby declared to be a lawful fence as to any and all livestock domesticated by man.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 618 (Fences) contains a single operative section. 01 states that, pursuant to Va. Code § 55-310, the boundary line of each lot or tract of land in the county is declared to be a lawful fence as to any and all livestock domesticated by man. The chapter's cross-references point to Va. Code § 55-298 on electric fences, Va. 15 on dogs killing, injuring or chasing livestock or poultry. In practice, Virginia gives localities the option to adopt this fence-law declaration so that the boundary line itself, without any physical fence being built, counts as an adequate enclosure for livestock-trespass purposes; Loudoun has exercised that option countywide.
The general code does not contain a separate ordinance requiring adjoining owners to share the cost of building or maintaining a partition or boundary fence for ordinary residential purposes, that kind of dispute is left to private agreement, applicable HOA covenants, or Virginia common law rather than a county rule.
Violations & Fines
Section 618.01 is a declaratory adoption of state fence law rather than a prohibition, so it carries no standalone county fine schedule. Disputes over livestock crossing a declared boundary line are pursued as trespass or property-damage claims under state law, while a dog that chases, injures or kills livestock crossing that boundary falls under Chapter 612's separate dog-livestock provisions rather than a Chapter 618 citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Loudoun County require neighbors to split the cost of a shared fence?
What does it mean that a boundary line is "a lawful fence" for livestock?
Can I hold my neighbor responsible if their cattle keep crossing onto my land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loudoun County
Compare Loudoun County to another location·View the Virginia fence regulations overview
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