Virginia Short-Term Rental Rules by Locality: State Law 15.2-983 and Local Permits Compared
Virginia Short-Term Rental Rules by Locality: State Law 15.2-983 and Local Permits Compared
If you plan to rent a house, condo, or room to guests through Airbnb or VRBO in Virginia, two layers of law apply. The General Assembly set the statewide framework in Va. Code 15.2-983, and each city and county decides how to apply it through zoning, registration, and taxes. A rental that is straightforward in Virginia Beach may need a different permit in Fairfax County, and some localities have no rule we could confirm. This guide covers the state law first, then compares local rules by region.
Terminology warning: “short-term rental business” does not mean an Airbnb. In Virginia’s Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) law, a “short-term rental business” means renting equipment or tangible property for 92 days or less (Va. Code 58.1-3510.4 and 58.1-3706(C)). That business is taxed in the retail class, and some localities add a separate 1 percent “daily rental” tax, including Alexandria, Loudoun, Fairfax County, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, York, and Danville. That definition is not the lodging rule. One source reads the retail class as covering Airbnb-type businesses in Harrisonburg (verify). Lodging operators are still usually required to hold a business license, as Isle of Wight, James City, Richmond, Hampton, and York say.
What state law 15.2-983 allows localities to require
Section 15.2-983, amended in 2024, sets the outer limits of local short-term rental rules. A short-term rental under this section is a dwelling rented for a stay of fewer than 30 consecutive days. A locality may:
- Require annual registration of each short-term rental. The registry may ask only for the operator’s name, the address of each property, and an owner-permission attestation if the operator is a lessee rather than the owner.
- Charge a fee related to the actual cost of running the registry.
- Impose a penalty of no more than $500 per violation.
The amendment also limits zoning. For an ordinance enacted after December 31, 2023, a locality may not require a special exception, special use permit, or conditional use permit where the dwelling is also the owner’s primary residence. Many of the home-sharing rules below reflect this limit.
Several kinds of operators are exempt from the registry: real estate licensees, lodging licensed or registered with the Virginia Department of Health, locally licensed hotels, motels, campgrounds, and bed and breakfasts.
What the state law does not change
Section 15.2-983 does not remove local zoning power. A locality can still decide where short-term rentals are allowed, how many can operate in a district, and what separation or density limits apply. That is why the Williamsburg and Hampton rules below stand. Lodging taxes are also local. Each city or county sets and collects its own transient occupancy tax, and many add a flat amount per night or per bedroom. The state sales tax on lodging is a separate question, covered on our Virginia sales tax registration and rates page.
Business licenses: BPOL is a local tax
Virginia has no general statewide business license. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) forms entities and handles assumed names, but it issues no license to operate a rental. The local license is the Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) tax under Va. Code 58.1-3700 et seq., administered by each city or county, usually through the Commissioner of the Revenue.
Not every locality levies a general BPOL tax. Va. Code 58.1-3704 allows a locality to levy none. Stafford, Rockingham, Bedford County, Washington County, Montgomery County, Louisa, and Fluvanna are examples of counties without a general license. Towns can displace the county tax within their limits, so check the town and the county separately.
Where a BPOL tax exists, state law limits when it can apply by population and gross receipts:
- In a locality over 50,000 people, a license cannot be required for gross receipts under $100,000.
- In a locality of 25,000 to 50,000 people, a license cannot be required for gross receipts under $50,000.
- No statutory floor applies in a locality under 25,000 people.
- A locality over 50,000 people may waive the license for gross receipts up to $200,000 (verify the waiver ceiling with the Commissioner of the Revenue).
Localities set their own rates and filing deadlines, so there is no statewide BPOL rate.
Locality comparison
The tables group localities by region. “Verify” means the figure comes from a secondary source or is still being confirmed. “Check” means the fee is not confirmed. Confirm both with the named office before you rely on them. Where a row says “no rule confirmed,” check with that locality’s zoning office.
Hampton Roads
| Locality | Permits and rules | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | Whole-dwelling rental under 30 nights: annual zoning permit ($500 per address), sworn statement, life-safety inspection (valid 5 years), structural inspection (first, then every 3 years), one 9 by 18 foot off-street space per bedroom, at least $1,000,000 liability insurance, and proof of Commissioner of the Revenue registration. Home sharing with the owner present needs no zoning permit but must register with the Commissioner. The Oceanfront Resort overlay requires a conditional use permit renewed every five years. Responsible party must answer within 30 minutes (verify). | 9% plus $2 a night; guest-facing total 15% plus $2 (Sandbridge 16.5%) |
| Hampton | Overlay zones only, with a 1% density cap and 300 foot separation. Administrative permit $200 plus $50 inspection, effective September 1, 2024. Homestays and bed and breakfasts operate outside the caps. | 8% plus $2 plus 1% district tax (verify) |
| Williamsburg | Board of Zoning Appeals special exception ($300). Owner-occupied single-family detached homes only. One room, two visitors per room, 104 nights a year maximum. | 7% plus $2 from February 1, 2026 |
| Norfolk | Homestay and Vacation Rental under 30 nights. Annual approval from the Treasurer is required before license renewal. Planning fee: check with the city. | 9% plus $3 per bedroom per night |
| Newport News | Home sharing where the home is the primary residence 185 or more days a year. Up to six lodgers, two per bedroom. Business license required. Fee: check with the city. | 8% plus $1 |
| York County | Permitted by right in LB and GB districts. Residential districts require a Special Use Permit, usually $750 (confirm with the county). | 5% plus $2 |
| James City County | Tourist Home up to five rooms. Business license required. | 5% plus $2 |
| Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk | No rule confirmed: check the zoning office. | Check with the city |
Northern Virginia
| Locality | Permits and rules | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | Zoning Administrator permit, valid two years. Permanent resident operator, 60 nights a year maximum, six adults maximum, one contract per night, one off-street space, an authorized local agent, and no events. Permit fee: check with the county. | 9% |
| Alexandria | Permit required for rentals over 10 days a year. Annual fee $350 for owner-unoccupied units and $100 for owner-occupied units. Registered local agent required (verify status). | Check with the city |
| Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William | No rule confirmed: check the zoning office. | Check with the county |
Richmond and Central Virginia
| Locality | Permits and rules | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | Certificate of Zoning Compliance, $600, valid 2 years. Business license required. | Check with the city |
| Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield | No rule confirmed: check the zoning office. | Check with the county |
| Lynchburg | Registration $150 per property. Civil penalty of $500 for not registering. Four unrelated occupants maximum. | 6.5% plus $1 |
| Danville | STR permit with a $300 advertisement fee and notice to neighbors within 300 feet. $50 inspection, then the city license. | 8% plus $3 a night |
| Charlottesville | Annual Homestay Permit with an attestation, plus a business license. | 9% |
| Harrisonburg | Home Occupation Permit or Homestay registration before the license. Call 540-432-7700. | 7% |
Shenandoah Valley and Southwest Virginia
| Locality | Permits and rules | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|
| Winchester | Check with the city. | 8% (verify) |
| Botetourt County | Check with the county. | 7% (verify) |
| Washington County | Check with the county. | 7% (verify) |
| Page County (Luray) | Check with the county. | 10%, remitted monthly, due the 20th |
| Carroll County | Registration $50 (verify). | Check with the county |
Before you list a property
- Confirm the zoning rule for the exact address with the city or county zoning office, not only the locality’s general policy.
- Ask the Commissioner of the Revenue whether a BPOL license applies to you and what gross receipts floor, if any, applies.
- Register with the local registry if one exists. If you lease the property, include the owner-permission attestation.
- Ask how the locality collects transient occupancy tax and how often it must be remitted.
- If you operate under a name other than your own, file an assumed name certificate with the SCC for $10, not with the circuit court.
Where to confirm rules
- State Corporation Commission, Clerk’s Office: https://www.scc.virginia.gov/businesses/ (assumed names and entities; business search and filings at https://cis.scc.virginia.gov/)
- Virginia Department of Taxation: https://www.tax.virginia.gov/
- Your city or county Commissioner of the Revenue and zoning office, found on the locality’s website
- Virginia Small Business Development Center network: https://www.virginiasbdc.org/
Important notice
This guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Local ordinances change often, and several figures above are marked for verification. For a specific property, especially one with a mortgage, HOA rules, or a lease restriction, consult a Virginia attorney who handles land use matters. For lodging tax, BPOL, and income questions, consult a CPA.