Virginia Beach, VA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger threshold
- More than 4 dogs, 6+ months old
- Permit required
- Conditional use permit in 9 districts
- R-2.5 Townhouse District
- Residential kennels prohibited outright
- Kennel structure setback
- 100 feet from any property line
- Kennel license tax
- $35 (5-20 pets) or $50 (21+)
Summary
Virginia Beach zoning treats any home with more than four dogs over six months old as a 'residential kennel,' requiring a conditional use permit in most residential districts and banned outright in the R-2.5 Townhouse District.
Kennels, residential. Any premises in which, or parcel of land upon which, more than four (4) dogs over six (6) months of age are kept for pets or for hunting, exhibiting, dog shows, field and obedience trials.
Kitchen. An area within a dwelling unit that constitutes a permanent provision for cooking.
Landscaped. Devoted exclusively to plants which are rooted directly in the ground or in permanently fixed planter boxes properly maintained.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Virginia Beach's zoning ordinance defines a 'residential kennel' as any home where more than four dogs over six months old are kept, whether as pets or for hunting, showing, or breeding (CZO § 111). Under the Article 5 use table (§ 501(a)), that classification requires a conditional use permit in the R-40 through R-5S districts, and any structure housing the animals must sit at least 100 feet from the property line (§ 223). In the R-2.5 Residential Townhouse District, residential kennels are barred outright: no permit is available. Cats aren't counted toward the zoning threshold.
Violations & Fines
Keeping five or more dogs without the required conditional use permit, or any residential kennel in the R-2.5 Townhouse District, is a zoning violation: a misdemeanor fine up to $1,000 or civil penalties starting at $200 (CZO § 104).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I keep at home in Virginia Beach without a permit?
Can I keep five or more dogs in a Virginia Beach townhouse?
Does the pet limit apply to cats too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Virginia Beach
Compare Virginia Beach to another location·View the Virginia animal ordinances overview
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