Driveways and front-yard parking across the DC area
How much of the front yard can I pave or park on? The rules differ at every jurisdiction line. Here is the short answer for each.
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.
| Where | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Washington, DC | DC zoning bars surface parking between the front of the house (extended across the lot) and the front lot line, and between a building restriction line and the front lot line (11-C DCMR § 710). A new curb cut needs a DDOT public space permit. Replacing an existing driveway in kind needs no building permit. |
| Montgomery County, MD | Any vehicle or trailer parked in front of the house must be on a surfaced area, capped at 30% of the area or 320 sq ft in R-200 and R-90 and 35% or 320 sq ft in R-60 and R-40. The driveway apron in the right-of-way needs a permit. |
| Prince George's County, MD | A driveway or parking pad needs a permit at any size. Off-street parking must be surfaced (asphalt, concrete, pavers and similar). |
| Alexandria, VA | No more than 50% of any front, side or rear yard may be used for car parking, driveways included, paved or not (§ 7-1005). |
| Arlington County, VA | Driveways and parking pads, paved or gravel, count fully toward lot coverage, including any area regularly used to park or turn cars. In an RPA any new paving needs county review. |
| Fairfax County, VA | Front-yard paving at a single-family house on a lot of 36,000 sq ft or less is capped at 25% of the front yard in R-1 and R-2 and 30% in R-3 and R-4. A two-car pad up to 18 by 25 ft is always allowed. |
Towns and cities inside these counties (for example, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Bowie, Laurel, Herndon, Vienna, and Falls Church) have their own rules.