Arlington County, VA · Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO)
RA6-15 (ACZO §6.5) is a multiple-family (apartment) district permitting apartments, townhouses, two-family and one-family dwellings by-right. Multiple-family and townhouse buildings may rise to 60 feet / 6 stories by-right (900 sq ft of lot area per dwelling unit); one- and two-family dwellings are limited to 35 feet. By site plan, buildings may reach 12 stories / 125 feet (as in the RA4.8 district). Common along Columbia Pike and near the county's Metro corridors.
Development standards in RA6-15
Maximum height
60 ft
Maximum stories
6
Rear setback
25 ft
One/two-family 35 ft; up to 12 stories/125 ft by site plan (ACZO §6.5.5.D)
Read from Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO), effective through 2026-06-13.
AllowedRecovery Residence By-right, subject to §12.3.9
AllowedHome Occupation By-right, subject to §12.9.11
ConditionalIndependent / Assisted Living Site plan (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalNursing / Continuing-Care Home Site plan (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalGroup Home / Dormitory Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalChild Care / Day Care Use permit (ACZO §12.4.1)
ConditionalSchool / College Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalCommunity Center / Library Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalHospital Use permit (ACZO §12.4.2)
ConditionalMedical or Dental Office/Clinic Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalBed & Breakfast Use permit (ACZO §12.5.3)
ConditionalMembership Club or Lodge Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2)
ConditionalBoarding / Rooming House Use permit (ACZO §6.1.2; not permitted in RA14-26)
AllowedSTR - Short-Term Rentals By-right (P) in the ACZO accessory use tables, subject to an accessory homestay permit issued by the zoning administrator (ACZO §12.9.12). Host must be the primary resident and present during the guest stay. Entire-home rentals (host absent) are not permitted.
ConditionalElder Care Facility Use permit; up to 70 ft / FAR 2.0 (ACZO §6.5.5)
"Conditional" means the use generally requires a public hearing or special-exception approval — a very different timeline and risk profile from a by-right permit.
This is the zone. What about the parcel?
Zone rules are the starting point — the answer for a specific property also depends on lot
size, overlays, existing improvements and site conditions. Run a free address lookup to see
what applies to one property.
Standards as recorded by ZoneScore: Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO), Effective June 13, 2026
Values are read from the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO). Where a district allows more density through site plan approval than by right, both are shown -- they are very different entitlement paths.