Richmond, VA Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Long-term rental of a Richmond ADU is permitted to a single household, subject to the city's owner-occupancy requirement (owner must occupy the other unit). Long-term tenancies (30+ days) are governed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA), Va. Code §55.1-1200 et seq., which sets statewide rules on security deposits (capped at two months rent), notice periods (30 days for month-to-month termination, 5 days for nonpayment), maintenance obligations under Va. Code §55.1-1220, and eviction procedures through the General District Court under Va. Code §8.01-126. Short-term rentals (under 30 days) — Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar — require a Richmond Short-Term Rental permit under the Richmond Zoning Ordinance STR provisions and remittance of: (1) the Richmond transient occupancy/lodging tax under Richmond City Code Chapter 30 article on lodging tax (currently 8% city); (2) the 5.3 percent Virginia state sales tax on transient lodging where applicable; (3) Va. Code §58.1-3819 transient occupancy authorization. STR permits are typically annual and may include inspection and primary-residence verification. Rent control: Virginia preempts local rent control under Va. Code §15.2-2208 — Richmond cannot impose rent caps. The Virginia Fair Housing Law (Va. Code §36-96.1 et seq.) prohibits discrimination on the basis of source of income for landlords with 4+ units (since 2020), which can affect Section 8 voucher acceptance and may apply to ADU operators with portfolios.