Independent city, VA

Richmond, VA short-term rental permit

Only a property owner can run a short-term rental in Richmond. In a residential zone it has to be on the lot where that owner lives, as DMV or city registrar records show. The city puts no limit on rental nights.[5]

Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.

Can you rent short term in Richmond?

Get a permit first

What you apply for: Short-Term Rental Permit

Seasonal homes
457
Housing units
114,293
Residents
229,359

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates

  • City rulePermit required
  • City fee$600
  • Tax on each stay14%
  • Seasonal homes4 per 1,000

Richmond short-term rental permit

Richmond requires a Short-Term Rental Permit, renewed every two years for a biennial fee of $600. Apply through the city's Online Permit Portal with an owner affidavit, a dimensioned floor plan and proof of primary residency. An inspection comes before the Certificate of Zoning Compliance is issued. The permit approval number goes on every advertisement for the property. A rental may host eight adults at most, and double bookings are not allowed. Zoning violations rank as Class 1 misdemeanors and can cost up to $2,500 in fines.[5]

What Richmond asks of you

  • Ordinance No. 2023-235, adopted by City Council on September 25, 2023, sets the current short-term rental rules.[5]

  • The operator must be the property owner. In a residential zoning district, the rental must sit on the lot of the operator's primary residence.[5]

  • Only one short-term rental is allowed on any lot in a residential zoning district.[5]

  • In a non-residential district, a multifamily building may rent ten units or one-third of its units short term, whichever is less.[5]

  • The permit stays active for two years from the date of issuance, for a biennial fee of $600.[5]

  • The rules treat hosted and unhosted stays alike. Renting the whole house is permitted in all zones, since the operator does not have to be on site during the stay.[5]

  • Each rental needs smoke detectors and an accessible fire extinguisher. Carbon monoxide detectors go in any room used for sleeping or cooking.[5]

  • No additional parking is required. Events and gatherings of people other than the authorized lodgers are prohibited.[5]

  • A rental takes eight adult renters at most. The number of children is not limited, though the building code may cap occupancy.[5]

  • A zoning violation normally gets 30 days to be corrected. Unresolved, it can lead to a criminal summons, up to a $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail.[5]

Apply on the Richmond site

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]

Virginia short-term rental rules

What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Richmond

Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.

Short-term rental tax layers in Richmond
LayerRateRemitted to
Virginia sales tax[4]6%The state revenue department
Richmond transient occupancy tax[6]8%The city
Total on a taxable stay14%

When an intermediary such as Airbnb handles the booking, it collects, files and remits the city's 8% tax. On direct bookings the provider does, and every provider needs a city business license.[6]

Airbnb taxes for hosts

What the census counts

How much of Richmond is already a second home

The Census Bureau counts 457 of Richmond's 114,293 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 4 out of every 1,000. It ranks Richmond 5th of the 5 Virginia cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.

Rank in the state
5th of 5
Share of housing
4 per 1,000
Median home value
$353,000

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.

Nearby and comparable

Where Richmond sits among its neighbors

Colonial Beach, VA

Permit required

526 seasonal homes, 210 per 1,000 housing units.

Colonial Beach short-term rental rules

Cape Charles, VA

Permit required

398 seasonal homes, 336 per 1,000 housing units.

Cape Charles short-term rental rules

Virginia Beach, VA

Allowed by zone

2,856 seasonal homes, 15 per 1,000 housing units.

Virginia Beach short-term rental rules

Chincoteague, VA

No city ordinance

2,452 seasonal homes, 540 per 1,000 housing units.

Chincoteague short-term rental rules
StatewideEvery Virginia city on this site, in one tableState law, the tax stack and every city we cover in Virginia, with what each one asks of a host.Virginia short-term rental rules

Keep exploring

FAQ

Richmond short-term rental questions

How much does a Richmond short-term rental permit cost?

$600 every two years. The permit stays active for two years from the date the city issues it.[5]

Can I rent out a Richmond house I don't live in?

Not in a residential zoning district. There the rental must sit on the lot of your primary residence, and you must own the property.[5]

What is Richmond's lodging tax on a short-term rental?

The city's transient occupancy tax is 8% of the total room charge. Each monthly return, with its payment, is due by the 20th.[6]
Read nextHow to start an AirbnbThe six steps in order, starting with the permit check.Read the guide

Sources

  1. Code of Virginia § 15.2-983, Creation of registry for short-term rental of property, Virginia Legislative Information System, read on October 1, 2026
  2. Code of Virginia § 58.1-3826, Scope of transient occupancy tax, Virginia Legislative Information System, read on October 1, 2026
  3. Retail Sales Tax on Accommodations, Virginia Department of Taxation, read on October 1, 2026
  4. Retail Sales and Use Tax, rates by locality, Virginia Department of Taxation, read on October 1, 2026
  5. Short-Term Rentals, Planning and Development Review, City of Richmond, read on October 1, 2026
  6. Transient Occupancy Short-Term Rental (S-TR) Tax, City of Richmond, Department of Finance, 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

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