Prince William County, VA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height cap, small lots
- 12 inches on any lot under two acres
- Height cap, large lots
- 12 inches within 150 ft of road, 200 ft of dwelling
- Exempt land
- Farm-zoned or actively farmed property
- Excluded growth
- Trees, ornamental shrubbery, flowers, garden vegetables
- Enforcing office
- Director of Public Works, Section 29-18
- Penalty cap
- $3,000.00 total per 12-month period
- Criminal escalation
- Class 3 misdemeanor after three penalties in 24 months
Summary
Prince William County caps weeds and grass at 12 inches on any residential lot under two acres, and within 150 feet of a road or 200 feet of a neighbor's home on larger tracts. Actively farmed land is exempt. The county issues one written notice per growing season before cutting the growth itself and billing the owner.
(a)It shall be unlawful for the owner of any property of less than two acres to permit weeds of more than 12 inches in height to remain standing upon any part of such property.(b)It shall be unlawful for the owner of any property of two acres or more to permit weeds of more than 12 inches in height to remain standing upon any part of such property that is within 150 feet of the pavement edge of a state maintained road or 200 feet of the building or dwelling of another. This section shall not apply to land zoned for or in active farming operation... Weeds shall mean grass, weeds, bushes, vines, poison ivy, poison oak or any other foreign growth, including running bamboo, other than trees, ornamental shrubbery, flowers and garden vegetables.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 46 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Code of Ordinances Section 29-17, in Chapter 29's Article II on Weeds and Grass, sets two standards. Under subsection (a), the owner of any lot smaller than two acres may not let weeds grow past 12 inches anywhere on the property. Under subsection (b), an owner of two acres or more is held to the same 12-inch limit only within 150 feet of the pavement edge of a state-maintained road or within 200 feet of another person's building or dwelling; that subsection does not apply to land that is zoned for farming or in active farming operation.
Section 29-16 defines 'weeds' to mean grass, weeds, bushes, vines, poison ivy, poison oak, running bamboo, or any other foreign growth, but the definition excludes trees, ornamental shrubbery, flowers, and garden vegetables, so ornamental landscaping is not swept into the height cap. Once the director of public works confirms a violation exists, Section 29-18 requires a written notice posted on the property and mailed to the owner's last-known address, and treats one notice per growing season as legally sufficient as long as it tells the owner to keep cutting all season.
If the owner fails to comply, Section 29-19 lets the county cut the growth itself, charge the cost to the owner, collect it like a tax, and record any unpaid balance as a lien on the property on a par with unpaid real estate taxes.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Section 29-17 draws a civil penalty of up to $50.00; a later violation not arising from the same facts, within 12 months, can reach $200.00, and each business day the violation continues counts separately, up to a $3,000.00 cap in any rolling 12-month period under Section 29-20(a). A property owner hit with three civil penalties for the same or similar violation within 24 months faces a Class 3 misdemeanor charge on the next violation under Section 29-20(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass legally get in Prince William County before it's a violation?
Do farms have to follow the 12-inch weed limit?
What counts as a 'weed' under the county's height limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince William County
How Prince William County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Prince William County to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
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