Wilmington, DE Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

NCC Code Chapter 9 (property maintenance) establishes weed and vegetation height limits, typically requiring grass and weeds on improved residential and commercial lots to be kept below 10 to 12 inches. The ordinance covers noxious plants listed by the Delaware Department of Agriculture and the federal noxious weed list (e.g., Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed, mile-a-minute vine). Enforcement is handled by NCC Department of Land Use Code Enforcement. The growing season in Delaware runs April through October with active enforcement typically from mid-April through late November. Vacant lots in the Hundreds, foreclosed properties across Wilmington suburbs, and abandoned commercial parcels along US-13 and Route 40 are priority targets. The standard process begins with a violation notice giving typically 7 to 14 days to mow; upon non-compliance the county contracts mowing and bills the owner, attaching a lien for unpaid charges. Properties with repeated season-over-season violations may be placed on a recurring mow schedule. Agricultural land in SR and CR districts is generally exempt when under active cultivation or hay production. Riparian buffers along Brandywine Creek, Christina River, and White Clay Creek have different vegetation standards under DNREC and NCC environmental rules that favor retention of native growth.