Short-term rental rules in Chincoteague, VA
On Chincoteague, the zoning code is what lets you host. The town permits tourist rental homes by right in all four of its residential districts, R-1 through R-4.[5]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Chincoteague?
State and county rules only
- Seasonal homes
- 2,452
- Housing units
- 4,543
- Residents
- 3,296
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleNo city ordinance
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each stay10.3%
- Seasonal homes540 per 1,000
Chincoteague short-term rental rules
No short-term rental permit is in force on Chincoteague. The town levies its business license tax on everyone conducting business there, at $0.13 per $100 of the previous year's gross receipts. It runs from a $50 minimum to a $500 maximum and is due by April 30. Guests pay the town's 5% transient occupancy tax on lodging of less than 30 days. The island's real estate is taxed by both the town and Accomack County, each at its own rate.[6]
What Chincoteague asks of you
The zoning appendix of the town code, in its August 5, 2026 version on Municode, creates no short-term rental permit.[5]
Tourist rental homes are a use permitted by right in the R-1 single family district, alongside single-family dwellings.[5]
The R-2, R-3 and R-4 residential districts permit them by right too. R-3 and R-4 also list vacation rental cottages.[5]
A business license is required before any business starts in town. A new license costs $50. The Building and Zoning office reviews the application first.[7]
In August 2026 the town posted a draft short-term rental ordinance with its Ordinance Committee's edits. The draft sets January 1, 2027 as its effective date.[9]
The draft would require a yearly town license for each rental, with its number in every advertisement. It would also set a two-night minimum stay.[9]
The draft is not law. Until the council adopts it, the zoning code above governs.[9]
What Virginia asks wherever you host
These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.
Virginia hosts need no state license. State law lets each city, county or town keep an annual registry, with a penalty of up to $500 per violation for an unregistered rental.[1]
Every stay owes Virginia sales tax on the total charge. When a guest books through a platform, the platform reports that tax on the entire transaction.[3]
The sales tax rate follows the locality. It runs from 5.3% across most of Virginia to 7% in James City County, Williamsburg and York County.[4]
A platform that facilitates the booking also collects the local transient occupancy tax. Each month it sends the locality the property addresses and gross receipts of the stays it handled.[2]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Chincoteague
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia sales tax[4] | 5.3% | The state revenue department |
| Chincoteague transient occupancy tax[6] | 5% | The city |
| Total on a taxable stay | 10.3% |
Under Section 54-252 of the town code, the council sets the rate each year with the budget. Returns and payment go to the town manager by the 20th of each month.[8]
Airbnb taxes for hostsWhat the census counts
How much of Chincoteague is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 2,452 of Chincoteague's 4,543 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 540 out of every 1,000. It ranks Chincoteague 1st of the 5 Virginia cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 1st of 5
- Share of housing
- 540 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $349,500
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Chincoteague sits among its neighbors
Cape Charles, VA
Permit required
398 seasonal homes, 336 per 1,000 housing units.
Cape Charles short-term rental rulesColonial Beach, VA
Permit required
526 seasonal homes, 210 per 1,000 housing units.
Colonial Beach short-term rental rulesVirginia Beach, VA
Allowed by zone
2,856 seasonal homes, 15 per 1,000 housing units.
Virginia Beach short-term rental rulesRichmond, VA
Permit required
457 seasonal homes, 4 per 1,000 housing units.
Richmond short-term rental rulesFAQ
Chincoteague short-term rental questions
Do I need a license to rent my Chincoteague home short term?
Is Chincoteague changing its short-term rental rules?
What lodging tax applies on Chincoteague?
Sources
- Code of Virginia § 15.2-983, Creation of registry for short-term rental of property, Virginia Legislative Information System, read on October 1, 2026
- Code of Virginia § 58.1-3826, Scope of transient occupancy tax, Virginia Legislative Information System, read on October 1, 2026
- Retail Sales Tax on Accommodations, Virginia Department of Taxation, read on October 1, 2026
- Retail Sales and Use Tax, rates by locality, Virginia Department of Taxation, read on October 1, 2026
- Town Code, Appendix A, Zoning, Article III, Residential Districts, Town of Chincoteague, read on October 1, 2026
- Taxes, Town of Chincoteague, read on October 1, 2026
- Licenses, Town of Chincoteague, read on October 1, 2026
- Town Code, Chapter 54, Article IV, Excise Tax (Transient Occupancy), Town of Chincoteague, read on October 1, 2026
- Draft Short-Term Rental Ordinance, Ordinance Committee edits (August 2026), Town of Chincoteague, read on October 1, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 1, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.