Hanover County, VA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Section 26-280(a)(7) states plainly that at no time may a detached accessory housing unit be used as a short-term rental without appropriate zoning approvals. The prohibition sits within the general standards that apply to every accessory housing unit countywide, alongside the one-unit-per-lot limit, the twenty-five percent size cap tied to the main dwelling's living area, the two-bedroom maximum, and the two-space off-street parking requirement. Because the rule targets detached units specifically, it closes off what would otherwise be an obvious use for a standalone accessory structure, a nightly or weekly rental listing, unless the owner first obtains zoning approval for that use.

This restriction operates independently of the family-member occupancy track under subsection (b), which caps occupancy at renewable three-year special exceptions, and the medical-hardship track under subsection (c), which runs up to two years with extensions; short-term rental use is not one of the purposes those subsections authorize. Site compliance with this and every other subsection (a) standard is a prerequisite under subsection (a)(8) before the county issues, renews, or extends a permit or special exception for the unit. The rule was retained through the most recent amendment to Section 26-280, Ord. No. 25-10, Section 6, effective August 27, 2025, and enforcement runs through the Zoning Administrator in the Planning Department.