Fences and walls across the DC area
How tall can a fence or wall be? 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 | Fences along a street or alley, or within 10 ft of a property line, are capped at 7 ft. Fences in public space, which covers many DC front yards, are limited to 42 in and must be at least half open. |
| Montgomery County, MD | Every new fence needs a DPS permit. Fences up to 6.5 ft (8 ft next to commercial or industrial zones) are exempt from setbacks, and height is measured from the lowest grade under the fence. |
| Prince George's County, MD | Fences and walls: 4 ft in a front yard and in a corner side yard in front of the house. 6 ft elsewhere. Up to 8 ft for community gardens and urban agriculture. Fences must be outside the public right-of-way. |
| 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. |
| Arlington County, VA | Fence height limits come from ACZO § 3.2.6. No building permit is needed for a fence unless it is a pool barrier, but an RPA lot needs county review for any new or replaced fence. |
| Fairfax County, VA | Fences and walls are limited to 4 ft in a front yard and 7 ft in side and rear yards. Up to 7 ft anywhere on lots of 2 acres or more in R-A, R-C, R-E and R-1. No building permit is needed for a fence unless it is a pool barrier. |
Towns and cities inside these counties (for example, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Bowie, Laurel, Herndon, Vienna, and Falls Church) have their own rules.