Arlington County, VA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Indoor LP-gas storage/use, any amount
- Residential exemption
- 1-2 family homes, townhouses
- Outdoor event permit
- 30-day permit, any amount
- MFU exception
- Valid Mobile Food Unit permit
- Enforcing agency
- Arlington County Fire Prevention Office
- Standard permit fee
- $175 plus $200/hr inspection
Summary
Arlington County's Fire Prevention Code requires a permit for storing or using LP-gas (propane) inside any structure, and for outdoor storage or use per event or per year, in any amount. One- and two-family detached dwellings and townhouses are exempt.
LP-Gas: Storage and/or use inside any structure – any amount Exception: One and two-family detached single family dwellings and townhouses. LP-Gas: Storage and/or use outside, per event - any amount (30-day permit) Exception: 1. Mobile Food Units (MFU) with a valid MFU permit 2. One and two-family detached single family dwellings and townhouses. LP-Gas: Storage and/or use outside, per year – any amount Exception: 1. Mobile Food Units (MFU) with a valid MFU permit 2. One and two-family detached single family dwellings and townhouses.
Full Breakdown
1, lists LP-Gas storage and/or use as a permitted activity in three separate categories: inside any structure in any amount, outside per event in any amount (issued as a 30-day permit), and outside per year in any amount. Each category carries the same carve-out: one- and two-family detached single-family dwellings and townhouses do not need a Fire Prevention Office permit for ordinary residential propane storage or use, such as a home propane tank or grill cylinder. The outdoor, per-event exception also covers Mobile Food Units operating under a valid MFU permit, so a food truck running on propane at a licensed vendor spot does not need a separate LP-gas permit on top of its MFU permit.
Everyone outside those exceptions, including apartment buildings, restaurants, retailers, and commercial sites, must obtain a Fire Prevention Office permit before storing or using LP-gas, whether the propane sits inside a building or outdoors. 2 fee table.
Violations & Fines
Storing, using, or exchanging LP-gas without the required Fire Prevention Office permit is a Fire Prevention Code violation enforced by the Arlington County Fire Marshal's Office. The fee schedule in Table 107.2 sets standard permit and hourly inspection fees at $175 for the permit and $200 per inspection hour for most activity categories, and inspectors may require corrective action or permit application before allowing continued LP-gas storage or use at a non-compliant site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my house need a permit to keep a propane tank?
Does a food truck need a separate LP-gas permit?
Who enforces LP-gas storage permits in Arlington County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington County
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