Prince William County, VA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Ordinance name
- Unsafe Buildings and Structures Ordinance
- State authority
- Code of Virginia § 15.2-906
- Notice method
- Certified mail plus 2 weeks' newspaper publication
- Wait before county acts
- 30 days (7 days if urgent threat)
- Civil penalty
- $1,000.00 for noncompliance, § 5-76
- Cost recovery
- Lien ranking with real estate tax liens
Summary
Under the county's Unsafe Buildings and Structures Ordinance, the building official, building maintenance official or fire marshal can order an owner to remove, repair or secure a dangerous structure, and the county can do the work itself after 30 days and bill the owner or place a lien, plus a $1,000 civil penalty.
The building official, building maintenance official or fire marshal may order any owner of property in the county to remove, repair or secure any building, wall or other structure which he or she determines might endanger the public health or safety of other residents of the county. The notice shall be mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and sent to the last known address of the property owner. The notice shall also be published once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the county. ... At least 30 days have passed since the later of either the return of the receipt or newspaper publication... except that the locality may take action to prevent unauthorized access to the building within seven days of such notice if the structure is deemed to pose a significant threat to public safety and such fact is stated in the notice. ... If the owner of the property fails to remove, repair or secure the building, well or other structure within the time period specified in the notice the owner shall be liable for a civil penalty of $1,000.00.
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
2-906 and administered alongside the Uniform Statewide Building Code. Section 5-72 defines the officials who can act (the building official, the building maintenance official who enforces the Virginia Maintenance Code, and the fire marshal) and defines "owner" as anyone with a legal or equitable interest of record in the property. Section 5-73 authorizes any of those officials to order an owner to remove, repair or secure a building, wall or structure that endangers public health or safety; the written notice must identify the dangerous condition, state the required corrective measures and a reasonable compliance deadline, and be sent by certified or registered mail plus published once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation.
"Repair" under § 5-73(3) expressly includes exterior maintenance work needed to prevent deterioration of the structure or adjacent buildings. If the owner does not act, § 5-74 lets the official direct the director of public works to remove, repair or secure the structure once at least 30 days have passed since the later of the return receipt or the newspaper publication, though the county may act within just seven days to block unauthorized access if the notice states the structure poses a significant safety threat.
Section 5-75 makes the resulting cost chargeable to the owner, collectible like taxes, and enforceable as a lien on par with delinquent real estate tax liens. 2-1115 and 48-1 et seq.
Violations & Fines
An owner who ignores a § 5-73 order to remove, repair or secure a dangerous structure within the deadline stated in the notice owes a $1,000.00 civil penalty under § 5-76. Beyond that penalty, the county can perform the work itself after the 30-day notice period under § 5-74, charge the full cost to the owner, and record it as a lien on the property ranking with unpaid real estate tax liens under § 5-75, in addition to any building-code or state nuisance remedy preserved by § 5-77.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can order a dangerous building fixed in Prince William County?
How long does an owner have before the county steps in?
What penalty applies if the owner does nothing?
Does the county place a lien if it fixes the building itself?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince William County
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