Frederick County, VA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height trigger
- more than 18 inches
- Required cut height
- 3 inches or less
- Applies within
- 100 feet of a dwelling or building
- Zoning districts
- RP, R4, R5, MH1 platted subdivisions
- Notice period
- 10 days after written notice
- Enforcing office
- Zoning Administrator
- Nonpayment remedy
- County cuts growth, bills owner, files lien
Summary
In Frederick County outside Winchester, Stephens City and Middletown, Section 122-5 bans grass, weeds and foreign growth over 18 inches tall within 100 feet of a dwelling on developed or undeveloped lots in platted residential subdivisions zoned RP, R4, R5 or MH1. Owners get 10 days' written notice from the Zoning Administrator to cut it to 3 inches or less.
§ 122-5. Cutting of grass, weeds, and foreign growth required; notice. ... It shall be unlawful for the owners of developed or undeveloped property located in a platted residential subdivision, within a residentially zoned district (RP Residential Performance, R4 Residential Planned Community, R5 Residential Recreational Community, and MH1 Mobile Home Community) to permit grass, weeds and other foreign growth standing more than 18 inches in height to remain on property which lies within 100 feet of any dwelling or building. Any person who fails, refuses or neglects to cut or remove such grass, weeds and other foreign growth to a height not to exceed three inches, within 10 days after receiving written notice to do so from the Zoning Administrator or other properly designated official, shall be guilty of a violation.
Full Breakdown
The height rule applies only inside platted residential subdivisions zoned RP Residential Performance, R4 Residential Planned Community, R5 Residential Recreational Community or MH1 Mobile Home Community, and only to growth within 100 feet of a dwelling or building, whether the lot itself is developed or still vacant. Once grass, weeds or other foreign growth passes 18 inches, the Zoning Administrator or another designated official sends written notice, and the owner has 10 days to cut it back to no more than 3 inches; missing that window is a violation in its own right.
Unlike the Sheriff-and-Health-Officer enforcement that covers the rest of Chapter 122, Section 122-9 carves out Section 122-5 specifically for the Zoning Administrator, so weed complaints in Frederick County route through the Department of Planning and Development rather than the Sheriff's Office. 1 lets the County send its own agents or employees to do the work, bill the reasonable cost to the property owner, collect it the same way as delinquent taxes and levies, and record it as a lien against the property until paid. That lien mechanism, added in 1999 alongside the notice-and-cure structure, means an ignored weed complaint can end with the County filing a claim against the property itself, not just a criminal charge against the owner.
Violations & Fines
Failing to cut the growth to 3 inches within the 10-day notice period is a violation of Section 122-5, punishable under Section 122-10 by a fine of up to $2,500, up to 12 months in jail, or both. The County can also cut the growth itself and place a tax-collectible lien on the property for the cost under Section 122-5.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass and weeds get on my property in Frederick County?
Does this apply to vacant lots too?
What happens if I ignore the notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frederick County
How Frederick County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Frederick County to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.