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Fences and walls in Alexandria, VA

Open fences up to 4 ft may go in any yard. Open or closed fences up to 6 ft in any yard except the front. Next to a nonresidential lot, side and rear fences may reach 10 ft. The BAR can waive heights in the historic districts.

A person last checked these rules on October 20, 2026. This is guidance only, so confirm with Alexandria before you build.

The details

  • Walls up to 2 ft are allowed in any yard.High confidence
  • A fence over 4 ft must stay 5 ft from a shared line along a neighbor's low windows (outside the historic districts).High confidence

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SetbackIQ reads the zoning, flood zone, historic district, and environmental maps for your lot. Then it applies these rules.

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Common questions

How tall can a fence or wall be in Alexandria?
Open fences up to 4 ft may go in any yard. Open or closed fences up to 6 ft in any yard except the front. Next to a nonresidential lot, side and rear fences may reach 10 ft. The BAR can waive heights in the historic districts.

Sources

  1. City of Alexandria Zoning Ordinance § 7-103, accessory building limitations (Municode, Supp. 103). Checked 2026-10-20
    (B) No accessory building, use or structure shall be located in a required front, rear, or side yard, except as provided in section 7-202... (E) Outside of the Old and Historic Alexandria and the Parker-Gray Districts, if a principal dwelling on an abutting…

Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal or professional advice for any one property. Codes change. SetbackIQ is not a zoning determination, a permit, or a survey, and it does not replace an architect, engineer, or lawyer. Confirm with your building and zoning offices before you build, buy, or sign a contract.