Virginia Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 18 jurisdictions across Virginia. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.
Virginia at a glance
- Places tracked
- 18 places: 4 active, 1 conditional, 12 restricted, 1 banned
- License or registration
- Required in all 17 local places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in 14 of 17 local places
- State law
- Virginia state law allows localities to enact ordinances limiting lessees or sublessees to one short-term rental per locality. Statewide rules ›
Virginia short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in Virginia?
In 17 of the 18 places we track in Virginia, short-term rentals are allowed, 13 of them with permit conditions or limits. They are banned in City of Fairfax.
Do I need a license for a short-term rental in Virginia?
All 17 local places we track in Virginia require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a statewide short-term rental law in Virginia?
Virginia state law allows localities to enact ordinances limiting lessees or sublessees to one short-term rental per locality.
Which places in Virginia have the strictest rules?
On our records: City of Fairfax, Virginia Beach, Richmond, Arlington, Norfolk, Charlottesville.
Compare every Virginia market
Status, licensing, fees, taxes, night caps and penalties for all 18 places in one table, with CSV export and full audits.
State Access →Virginia Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Virginia encompasses 18 tracked jurisdictions: 4 with active regulations, 1 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 12 with restrictions, 1 where STRs are banned. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.
17 of 18 tracked jurisdictions in Virginia require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.
Tax obligations apply in 14 of 18 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.
Notable jurisdictions where short-term rentals are currently banned or heavily restricted include City of Fairfax. Hosts should check these listings for details on specific prohibitions and any exceptions that may apply.
LawfulStay monitors Virginia STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.