Arlington County, VA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height trigger
- Grass or lawn exceeding 12 inches
- Lot size covered
- Under one-half acre, occupied property
- Cure period
- 10 days after County notice
- First violation penalty
- $100 (§10-20)
- Subsequent violation penalty
- $150 each
- 12-month/same-facts cap
- $3,000 total
- Appeal window
- 5 working days after notice (§10-18)
Summary
Arlington County caps grass and lawn growth on occupied residential and commercial lots under half an acre at 12 inches. Once the growth exceeds that height, the owner has 10 days after a County notice to cut it, or the County will do it and bill the cost, plus a civil penalty starting at $100.
It shall be the duty of each owner of occupied residential and commercial real property to cut the grass or lawn area of less than one-half (1/2) acre on such property within ten (10) days after notice from the County Manager or designee when the growth on such grass or lawn area exceeds twelve (12) inches in height. The County may, if the grass or lawn is not cut, after thirty (30) days' notice, have such grass or lawn area cut by the County's agents or employees and the cost thereof shall be charged to and paid by the owner of such property and may be collected by the County as taxes and levies are collected.
Full Breakdown
C of the Arlington County Code makes it the duty of every owner of occupied residential and commercial real property to cut the grass or lawn area on a parcel smaller than half an acre within 10 days after receiving notice from the County Manager or a designee, once growth on that grass or lawn area exceeds 12 inches in height. If the owner still hasn't cut it after 30 days' notice, the County can send its own agents or employees to cut the grass and charge the cost to the property owner, collectible the same way as real estate taxes.
Before any of that happens, §10-16 requires the County Manager to serve a notice of violation on the owner or occupant, and §10-18 gives that owner or occupant five working days from service of the notice to file a written appeal and get a hearing before the County Manager or designee, who must issue a written decision within five working days after the hearing. The rule applies specifically to occupied residential and commercial parcels under half an acre; the County defines 'Lawn Area' in §10-12 as land planted predominantly with mowable grasses maintained at three inches or below, distinct from intentionally maintained conservation landscaping, native plant gardens, rain gardens or meadow vegetation, which the ordinance does not target.
Violations & Fines
Section 10-20 makes a §10-13 violation a civil offense: $100 for a first violation after a compliance warning, rising to $150 for each later violation. The County can't cite the same property more than once in any 10-day period, and total penalties from one set of facts can't exceed $3,000. Civil citations are issued by the County Manager or a designee, and the owner has 30 days to pay the Treasurer or appeal to General District Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass legally get in Arlington County?
What's the fine for tall grass in Arlington County?
Can I appeal a tall-grass violation notice in Arlington County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington County
How Arlington County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Arlington County to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
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