Freestanding Accessory Structures

Do you know about Fairfax County’s Zoning Regulations for

Freestanding Accessory Structures on Residential Lots?

Article 10-104 of the Zoning Ordinance regulates the type, size and location of freestanding

accessory structures.

What is a Freestanding Accessory Structure?

Any decorative and/or functional structure that is subordinate to, customarily found in association

with, and is located on the same lot as a principal use (such as a dwelling unit).

Front Yard Regulations

Most accessory structures are prohibited in the front yard of any lot less than 36,000 square feet

in area. Exceptions include:

Trellises: Up to two (2) are allowed, not to exceed eight (8) feet in height or four (4) feet in

width.

Gates and gate posts: Up to two (2) gates are allowed, not to exceed eight (8) feet in height; and

up to four (4) gate posts with no limit to height or width are allowed. Gates and posts

exceeding four (4) feet shall not exceed in maximum width more than fifteen (15) percent of the

lot width.

Basketball standards: Shall not be located closer than fifteen (15) feet to a front lot line and

twelve (12) feet to a side lot line, and shall not be used after 8:00 PM or before 8:00 AM.

Solid waste and recycling containers: Can be located in any yard, but shall not be stored closer

than fifteen (15) feet to a front lot line and when in the minimum required front yard, shall be

screened from view from the abutting street. This does not apply to containers placed at the

curb during collection periods.

Fences and walls: May not exceed four (4) feet in height, but:

An increase in fence height in the front yard up to six (6) feet may be permitted with the

approval of a special permit.

• Flagpoles: There is no regulation on the location of flagpoles.

Turn Over

Side Yard Regulations

An accessory structure, which does not exceed seven (7) feet in height, may be located in any

part of any side yard.

An accessory structure, which exceeds seven (7) feet in height, may not be located in any

minimum required side yard and shall not be located closer than a distance equal to the

minimum required side yard to the side lot line.

Fences/walls not exceeding seven (7) feet in height are permitted, except up to eight (8) feet

may be permitted on a reverse frontage lot or for lots within 150 feet of a major thoroughfare.

Rear Yard Regulations

An accessory structure or use, which does not exceed seven (7) feet in height, may be located in

any part of any rear yard.

No accessory structure or use which exceeds seven (7) feet in height shall be located closer than

a distance equal to its height to the rear lot line.

All uses and structures accessory to a single family detached dwelling shall cover no more than

thirty (30) percent of the area of the minimum required rear yard.

Fences/walls not exceeding seven (7) feet in height is permitted, except up to eight (8) feet may

be permitted on a reverse frontage lot or when the lot is within 150 feet of a major thoroughfare.

Corner Lot Regulations

On a corner lot, the rear lot line of which adjoins a side lot line of a lot to the rear, no accessory

structure or use which exceeds seven (7) feet in height shall be located:

Nearer to any part of the rear lot line that adjoins the side yard on the lot to the rear than

a distance equal to the minimum required side yard on such lot to the rear, or

Nearer to the side street line than a distance equal to the minimum required front yard on

the lot to the rear.

Fences or Walls may be up to eight (8) feet in height in a front yard on a residential corner lot

that abuts a major thoroughfare if (1) both the driveway entrance to the lot and the principal

entrance of the dwelling faces a street other than the major thoroughfare, or (2) the lot is not

contiguous to a lot which has its only driveway entrance from the major thoroughfare.

For more information on minimum required yard footage or other questions

about accessory structures, call the Planner of the Day, 703– 324-1314.

Fairfax County Department of Code Compliance 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035

Phone: 703-324-1300, TTY 711 Web: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/code

To report a possible violation contact:

To request this information in an alternate format, call the Department of Code Compliance.

This Fairfax County, VA Publication (published August 2016) summarizes a few regulations. See relevant codes for specific requirements.