Fence Installation Permits in Chesapeake

Local Rule

City of Chesapeake Department of Development and Permits;

Chesapeake requires a permit for fence construction, applied for with a Building Permit Application and a survey/site plan showing the proposed fence location; the fee is $75 plus a $10 technology fee for the first $1,000 of construction value, increasing $15 per additional $1,000. Residential fences on interior property lines may reach 6 feet; fences between a house and any street cannot exceed 4 feet, except that a fence, wall, or hedge in the secondary front yard of a corner lot or through lot may reach 6 feet if it is set back at least 10 feet (corner lots) or 5 feet (through lots), has its finished side facing the street, and meets a required landscape buffer. If proposed in a City Public Drainage and/or Impoundment Easement, an Owner Acknowledgment form must be submitted with the permit application. Barbed wire is prohibited on residential property except RE-1 (Residential Estate) lots with permitted animals. Chesapeake is an independent city with no surrounding county.

Source · Verified September 2026

Chesapeake Building Department

Hours and procedures can change — call ahead to confirm.

How This Compares to Virginia Statewide

Virginia has no county government, so there is no county-level rule to compare against. Here is what applies at the state level instead:

Fences are governed mainly by local zoning, not a statewide building permit. Cities set height limits (commonly 3-4 ft in front yards and 6 ft in back and side yards), setbacks, and corner sight-line rules, and many require a zoning permit for any fence. Most jurisdictions exempt fences up to 7 ft from a building permit (IRC R105.2) and require one above that. Replacing a fence at the same height, material, and location usually needs no permit; a fence used as a pool barrier always does.

See the full state guide

Nearby Cities with Verified Rules

Other cities near Chesapeake with a confirmed fence installation rule:

FAQs

Building It Yourself? Here's What You'll Need

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