Fire pit rules in Prince William County, VA — also called outdoor burning, recreational fire, or open flame ordinances — cover fuel types, clearances, and when burning is allowed.
Small recreational fires (three feet or less across, two feet or less high) in a backyard fire pit need no permit but must stay 25 feet from any structure. Larger bonfires (up to 5x5x5 feet) require a Fire Marshal permit.
Prince William County's Fire Marshal's Office follows the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (adopted from the International Fire Code) for recreational and open fires. A "recreational fire" is defined as an outdoor fire with a total fuel area of three feet or less in diameter and two feet or less in height — typical backyard fire-pit size — and needs no permit. A "bonfire" larger than that, up to 5 feet by 5 feet by 5 feet burning no longer than three hours, does require an open-burning permit. Only clean, dry firewood may be burned; trash, leaves, and yard debris are not permitted fuels.
The fire code official may order any noncompliant or hazardous fire extinguished; unpermitted open burning and burn-ban violations can result in fines and permit revocation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
prince-william-county-va
Backyard composting is allowed in Prince William County. There is no permit for a residential compost pile, but it must be kept so it does not create odor, a...
prince-william-county-va
Prince William County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating residential artificial turf. Synthetic lawns are generally allowed, but they cannot...
prince-william-county-va
Prince William County actively favors native trees and woodland conservation in its landscaping standards. Development landscape plans must preserve native w...
prince-william-county-va
Rainwater harvesting is legal in Prince William County and, as a riparian state, Virginia places no ownership limit on captured rain. Rain barrels are unregu...
prince-william-county-va
Prince William County sets no permanent lawn-watering schedule. Virginia is a riparian (not scheduled-irrigation) water state, so day-of-week limits appear o...
prince-william-county-va
Weeds over 12 inches tall are prohibited on developed residential and commercial lots of two acres or less. The rule is enforced by Neighborhood Services und...
See how Prince William County's fire pit rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.