Retaining wall permit checklist — Fairfax County, Virginia
Assembled from Fairfax County’s own published permit rules. Every line below is quoted from a city document and linked to it. Nothing here is generated, estimated, or inferred from another jurisdiction.
Do you need a permit?
Fairfax County requires a permit for a retaining wall.
The county's Does My Project Require a Permit? page exempts retaining walls holding less than three feet of dirt/earth, provided the wall has no additional surcharge or weight (such as supporting a driveway or patio) and is not tiered; it also exempts concrete and masonry walls that do not exceed six feet in height. Depending on the size and location of the project, additional zoning, site-related, or VDOT approvals may be necessary.
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Sources
- retaining wall — permit rules ↗verified August 2026
Other permits Fairfax County publishes rules for
Listed because the city publishes a separate rule for each type — not because this project necessarily triggers one. Whether it does depends on your scope of work.
- Deck permit checklist
- Fence permit checklist
- Shed permit checklist
- Water heater permit checklist
- Re-roof permit checklist
- Electrical work permit checklist
- General building work permit checklist
BuildSpec is a reference, not the authority having jurisdiction. Confirm requirements with Fairfax County before you build.