Colonial Beach, VA short-term rental permit
Colonial Beach permits short-term rentals in any existing, legal dwelling, in every zoning district that allows homes. The lead guest must be at least 21, and no stay may be shorter than overnight.[5]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Colonial Beach?
Get a permit first
What you apply for: Short-term rental zoning permit
- Seasonal homes
- 526
- Housing units
- 2,510
- Residents
- 3,966
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City rulePermit required
- City fee$50
- Tax on each staySet locally
- Seasonal homes210 per 1,000
Colonial Beach short-term rental permit
Each short-term rental unit in Colonial Beach is permitted separately, on its own zoning permit application. The fee is $50 per unit every year. Renewal is due by May 1, since permits expire on April 30. A town business license is also required for each, on the same yearly cycle. A unit's occupancy limit is two people per bedroom, plus two. Without public sewer, you attach the Health Department's septic tank capacity permit. Your designee must answer emergencies around the clock by phone.[6]
What Colonial Beach asks of you
Section 18-6 of the zoning ordinance, amended October 18, 2023, sets the rules. No operator may rent without a permit from the Zoning Administrator.[5]
The annual permit counts only once both the zoning permit and the business license are issued, with every fee paid. Both run from May 1 through April 30.[5]
The application fee is $50 per short-term rental unit each year.[6]
The operator designee has to be local and on call around the clock. The designee must also be able to reach the rental within one hour.[5]
Occupancy is the lesser of two per bedroom plus two, or the septic permit's figure. Children 3 and under are not counted.[5]
The principal guest must be at least 21. Occupancy for less than overnight is not allowed.[5]
Vehicles, tents and trailers cannot be used as short-term rentals.[5]
Operators keep a record of every rental for one year and show it to the town on request.[5]
Events with more guests than the permitted occupancy, such as weddings, are not allowed in the R-1 and R-2 districts.[5]
Guests park on site, in the designated spaces listed on the permit. The address number must be legible from the street.[5]
Three violations within a rolling six-month period can lead to suspension or cancellation of the permit. Unpaid taxes or fees can too.[5]
One wall or blade sign of three square feet at most is permitted, with a separate sign permit.[6]
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 Colonial Beach
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 |
| Colonial Beach transient lodging tax[7] | Not published | The city |
Section 20-31 of the town code, in its August 12, 2026 version on Municode, sets the lodging tax at 6%. The town treasurer must receive the return and payment by the 20th of each month.[7]
Airbnb taxes for hostsWhat the census counts
How much of Colonial Beach is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 526 of Colonial Beach's 2,510 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 210 out of every 1,000. It ranks Colonial Beach 3rd of the 5 Virginia cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 3rd of 5
- Share of housing
- 210 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $268,200
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Colonial Beach sits among its neighbors
Cape Charles, VA
Permit required
398 seasonal homes, 336 per 1,000 housing units.
Cape Charles short-term rental rulesRichmond, VA
Permit required
457 seasonal homes, 4 per 1,000 housing units.
Richmond short-term rental rulesVirginia Beach, VA
Allowed by zone
2,856 seasonal homes, 15 per 1,000 housing units.
Virginia Beach short-term rental rulesChincoteague, VA
No city ordinance
2,452 seasonal homes, 540 per 1,000 housing units.
Chincoteague short-term rental rulesFAQ
Colonial Beach short-term rental questions
How much is a Colonial Beach short-term rental permit?
How many guests can stay in a Colonial Beach rental?
Is the Colonial Beach lodging tax going up?
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
- Zoning Ordinance, Article 18, Section 18-6, Short-Term Rental Permitting and Regulations (amended October 18, 2023), Town of Colonial Beach, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-Term Rental (STR) Zoning Permit Application and Renewal, version of March 6, 2024, Town of Colonial Beach, read on October 1, 2026
- Town Code, Chapter 20, Article III, Transient Lodging Tax, Town of Colonial Beach, read on October 1, 2026
- Town Council regular meeting agenda, May 21, 2025, Ordinance No. 766, Town of Colonial Beach, 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
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