Prince William County, VA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum set-aside, low-income tier
- 10% of units for 20% bonus
- Maximum bonus, low-income tier
- 57.5% at 35%+ low-income units
- Maximum bonus, very-low-income tier
- 95% at 35%+ units
- Minimum project size
- 5 affordable units, density over 1/acre
- Review deadline
- 30 days for Zoning Administrator ruling
- Affordability control period
- 15 to 50 years
Summary
Prince William County grants a density bonus of up to 57.5 percent above the maximum allowed residential density to developments that set aside at least 10 percent of units for low-income households, or up to 95 percent for developments reserving 35 percent or more for very-low-income households. The Zoning Administrator must rule on eligibility within 30 days of an application.
In accordance with Virginia Code § 15.2-2305.1, a density bonus shall be approved as set forth below. A density bonus is calculated based on the maximum allowable residential density. To receive a density bonus, an affordable dwelling unit development shall include the following percentage of affordable dwelling units: a.A minimum of ten percent of the total units of an affordable dwelling unit development for low-income households. ... Percentage Low-Income Units / Percentage Density Bonus: 10/20 ... 35 or more/57.5.
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
Adopted under Ord. No. 1, Sec. 03 sets out two sliding-scale density bonus tables tied directly to the share of affordable units a development provides. 5 percent bonus at 35 percent or more low-income units. The very-low-income table is steeper: a minimum 5 percent set-aside earns a 20 percent bonus, and the bonus rises to 95 percent once 35 percent or more of the units are reserved for very-low-income households. To use either table, a project must have a proposed density greater than one dwelling unit per acre of gross land area and include at least five affordable units, per the eligibility rules in Sec.
02; projects that merely redistribute existing affordable units within the same development without increasing the total count do not qualify. Sec. 05 requires the Zoning Administrator to issue a written determination on the bonus amount within 30 days of an application, and allows a density-bonus applicant to separately request a waiver or reduction of county parking ratios or other development standards that would otherwise block building at the bonus density. Affordable units built under the program must match the exterior appearance and average bedroom count of the market-rate units in the same development, under Sec.
04, and are subject to a resale or rent-control restriction lasting between 15 and 50 years, enforced through a deed of trust or regulatory agreement approved by the Director of Housing & Community Development.
Violations & Fines
Denying an eligible applicant a properly calculated density bonus can be appealed to the Board of Zoning Appeals under Sec. 32-290.05(b) and Virginia Code § 15.2-2311. Occupying or selling units built at bonus density without the recorded affordability restriction required by Sec. 32-290.04(e) is a general Zoning Ordinance violation subject to the Zoning Administrator's correction-order and civil-penalty authority under Article X, including a misdemeanor fine of up to $1,000.00 for an uncorrected order under Sec. 32-1000.02.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much extra density can I get for building affordable units in Prince William County?
What's the minimum project size to use the density bonus?
How long do the affordable units have to stay affordable?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince William County
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