Virginia Beach's Business Licensing & Operations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles business licensing & operations a little differently. In Virginia Beach, Virginia, there are 8 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Towing Companies

Tow companies that remove vehicles from private property without the owner's consent must hold a city business license, post specific warning signs, and cap fees at rates set by City Code Chapter 21.

Key details: Business license: Required under City Code Ch. 18. Basic tow fee cap: $211 to $606 by weight. Free storage: First 24 hours after towing. Drop fee cap: $25 before vehicle is hooked. Penalty: Class 1 misdemeanor, per day.

Violating any provision of the towing division is a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 21-402(b), with each day of continuing noncompliance treated as a separate offense; a tow service can also lose its business license for operating unlicensed.

Secondhand Dealers

Virginia Beach junk and secondhand dealers must get a police permit before receiving a business license, then file daily electronic transaction reports with the police department.

Key details: Permit required: From chief of police, before licensing. Prohibited hours: 10:00 p.m. to sunrise. Daily reports: Due by noon next business day. ID check: Government photo ID required each time. Records: Book kept open to police inspection.

Operating as a junk or secondhand dealer without the required police permit blocks licensing outright; buying goods without ID verification or during the 10 p.m.-to-sunrise window is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and skipping daily reports is a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Compared to other cities, Virginia Beach takes a harder line on secondhand dealers. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Auto Repair on Residential Property

Virginia Beach's zoning ordinance expressly excludes auto repair shops from the list of permitted home occupations, so residents cannot run a car repair business out of a house, garage, or accessory structure in a residential district.

Key details: Governing provision: City Zoning Ordinance § 234(e). Auto repair shops: Expressly excluded from home occupations. Max home-business floor area: 20% of dwelling & accessory floor area. Signs: Not permitted for home occupations. Enforcement: Zoning violation, Planning Dept..

Operating an auto repair business from a home without zoning approval is a zoning ordinance violation, enforced by Planning & Community Development; the city can order the use stopped and pursue civil penalties for continued noncompliance.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Virginia Beach actively enforces its auto repair on residential property requirements.

Massage Establishments

Virginia Beach requires every massage provider to hold state certification under Code of Virginia § 54.1-3029 and post it at the massage establishment; giving a massage for pay without certification is a Class 3 misdemeanor under City Code § 18.5-2.

Key details: Governing law: City Code Ch. 18.5, §§ 18.5-1: 18.5-6. Certification required: Code of Virginia § 54.1-3029. Posting requirement: Certificate displayed at establishment. Penalty: Class 3 misdemeanor. Advertising: "Massage" restricted to certified providers.

Providing massage without state certification, failing to post the certificate, or advertising as "massage" while uncertified is a Class 3 misdemeanor under § 18.5-6.

Tobacco Retail License

Virginia Beach tobacco retailers must hold a state retail tobacco license and a city Business Professional and Occupational License, sell only to customers 21 or older under Va. Code Section 18.2-371.2, and post required age-restriction signage.

Key details: Minimum age: 21 years. Statute: Va. Code 18.2-371.2. ID required: Under 30 buyers. First-offense fine: $100 to $500.

Sales to underage buyers carry a $100 to $500 civil penalty for first offense, $200 to $1,000 for repeat offenses, plus license suspension and possible revocation by the Virginia Department of Taxation.

Tattoo & Body Modification

Tattoo parlors and body piercing shops need a $1,200 annual permit from the Virginia Beach health department and are allowed only as a conditional use in the B-2 Community Business District.

Key details: Permit fee: $1,200/year, Dept. of Public Health. Zoning: conditional use in B-2 district only. Minors: parental consent required under 18. Records: kept minimum 4 years. Penalty: Class 2 misdemeanor, Class 1 repeat.

First offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor; a second or later violation of the tattoo, piercing, or sanitation rules is a Class 1 misdemeanor, both under City Code § 23-51(h) and § 23-53.1(h).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Virginia Beach actively enforces its tattoo & body modification requirements.

Adult Entertainment

Virginia Beach permits adult bookstores only in the RT-3 Resort Tourist District, and only when the store sits at least 500 feet from any residential or apartment zone, church, park, or school.

Key details: Buffer distance: 500 feet from homes, churches, schools. Where allowed: Only RT-3 Resort Tourist District. Elsewhere: Flat ban in CBC, Western Campus districts. Zoning penalty: Up to $1,000 fine per violation.

Operating within the 500-foot buffer, or opening outside RT-3 without zoning approval, is a misdemeanor under CZO § 104: up to $1,000 per violation, with escalating fines for uncorrected repeat offenses.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Virginia Beach actively enforces its adult entertainment requirements.

Pawnbrokers

Virginia Beach limits the city to fifteen licensed pawnshops at any one time, and won't issue a local license until the operator already holds the state pawnbroker license required by Virginia law.

Key details: Citywide cap: 15 licensed pawnshops. License tax: 0.36% of gross receipts. State license required first: Va. Code § 54.1-4001. Daily reports due: By noon to police chief. Reporting violation penalty: Class 4 misdemeanor.

Operating a pawnshop without the state-prerequisite license or above the 15-shop cap blocks issuance entirely; failing the daily police reporting requirement is a Class 4 misdemeanor, and a pawnbroker convicted under Chapter 25 can also have the license revoked at the court's discretion.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Virginia Beach actively enforces its pawnbrokers requirements.

The Bottom Line

Virginia Beach is tougher than many cities when it comes to business licensing & operations. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 5 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Virginia Beach, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Virginia Beach can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.