A landscaping retaining wall under three feet tall that supports no surcharge needs no permit. Walls over three feet require zoning approval, and walls supporting three feet or more of unbalanced fill or a structure above require a building permit with engineered plans.
Prince William County follows the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Retaining walls under three feet in height that support no surcharge from structures above do not require a permit. Retaining walls greater than three feet in height, as measured by the building code, require zoning approval. Construction of any retaining wall supporting three feet or more of unbalanced fill, or any surcharge from a structure above, requires a building permit and plans certified by a Professional Engineer, except systems supporting four feet or less of unbalanced fill with no surcharge.
Building an over-height or surcharge-bearing retaining wall without required zoning approval and building permit is a code violation; stop-work orders and required engineered corrections may follow.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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