A Resident's Guide to Chesapeake's Local Ordinances

Chesapeake is a mid-sized city in Chesapeake City, Virginia, with about 249000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 99 ordinances across 32 categories that affect daily life in Chesapeake.

Parking Rules

Abandoned Vehicles: Chesapeake defines abandoned vehicles under City Code Section 70-195 as vehicles left on public property over 48 hours or inoperable vehicles on private property over 60 days. Abandoned vehicles are towed and may be sold at auction after 15-day notice..

Also covered: EV Charging (permissive), Loading Zones (moderate), Commercial & Oversized Vehicles (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Delivery Truck Noise: Loading, unloading, or handling containers, boxes, and crates near residential property is banned in Chesapeake between 10 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.

Also covered: Car Alarm Limits (permissive), Low-Frequency Bass Limits (moderate), Generator Noise (limited). See the full noise from specific sources guide for Chesapeake for details.

Noise Ordinances

Vehicle Noise: Vehicle noise in Chesapeake includes restrictions on modified exhaust, squealing tires, and loud car audio. Sound systems audible at 50 feet can be cited under City Code Chapter 38.

Also covered: Leaf Blower Rules (moderate), Decibel Limits (moderate), Aircraft Noise (permissive). See the full noise ordinances guide for Chesapeake for details.

Trash & Recycling

Illegal Dumping: Chesapeake bans dumping garbage or trash anywhere except a lawful solid waste facility, bars hauling waste generated outside the city in to dump it, and even prohibits moving your own trash to another address's curb for pickup. Violations are a class 1 misdemeanor, with each day a separate offense..

Also covered: Collection Schedule (moderate), Recycling Requirements (permissive), Yard Waste Collection (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Chesapeake for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Secondhand Dealers: Pawnbrokers, junk dealers, antique dealers and secondhand-goods dealers in Chesapeake must check every seller's ID, keep daily transaction records, and report to the Chief of Police within 24 hours. Violations are a class 4 misdemeanor and can cost the dealer their license..

Also covered: Pawnbrokers (restrictive), Massage Establishments (restrictive), Tattoo & Body Modification (restrictive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Chesapeake for details.

Public Health Rules

Syringe Disposal: Chesapeake bans possessing a hypodermic syringe or needle for drug use unless a licensed physician has certified the need within the past year, and anyone authorized to hold syringes must dispose of them so they cannot be reused by someone else. City Code Sec.

Also covered: Rodent Control (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Landscaping Rules

Weed Ordinances: Chesapeake caps grass and weed growth at an average height of ten inches on lots one acre or smaller, and within 150 feet of any dwelling or road on larger tracts. Ignore a notice from the city manager and civil penalties start at $50 and climb from there..

Also covered: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate), Water Restrictions (limited), Tree Trimming (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Public Conduct

Public Urination: Urinating or defecating anywhere in public view in Chesapeake, including any street, alley, sidewalk or park, is a Class 4 misdemeanor unless you are inside a public restroom facility. City Code Sec.

Also covered: Loitering Rules (moderate), Public Alcohol Use (strict), Jaywalking (moderate). See the full public conduct guide for Chesapeake for details.

Right to Farm

Farm Nuisance Protection: Chesapeake's noise ordinance protects working farms outright: Sec. 26-141(11)-(12) exempts equipment noise from planting, tending or harvesting on a 'bona fide agricultural business operation' and noise from farm animals kept as part of one, so tractors, threshers and livestock can't be cited under the city's noise article regardless of hour or decibel level..

Curfew Laws

Juvenile Curfew: Chesapeake bars minors 17 and under from public places during set curfew hours under City Code Sec. 46-7: 11:01 p.m.

Also covered: Park Curfew (limited). See the full curfew laws guide for Chesapeake for details.

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Chesapeake caps garage sales at two per location every 12 months and three consecutive days per sale, treating extra sales as evidence of an unlicensed business. City Code Sec.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Any development inside a Chesapeake floodplain, from a new house to fill dirt, needs a permit from the floodplain administrator before work starts. The city maps two overlay districts, the special floodplain (AE zone) and the approximated floodplain (A or A99 zone), under Chesapeake City Code Sec.

Also covered: Boat Dock Permits (restrictive), Stormwater Management (moderate), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Rental Inspections

Tenant Complaint Process: Chesapeake polices rental housing conditions by mapping specific census-tract rental inspection districts, not by fielding one-off tenant complaints: the director of development and permits periodically inspects every leased dwelling inside those districts, and any violation affecting safe, decent and sanitary living triggers mandatory follow-up inspections under City Code Sec. 14-115 and Sec.

Also covered: Inspection Programs (moderate). See the full rental inspections guide for Chesapeake for details.

Local Taxes & Fees

Business Tax Classification: Every business operating in Chesapeake needs an annual license from the assessing official, and City Code Sec. 18-60 sets the baseline: a flat $50.00 fee per licensed activity if gross receipts stay under $200,000.00, or a percentage-of-gross-receipts tax at the rate tied to the business's classification once receipts hit that threshold.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Food Truck Permits: Chesapeake requires every mobile food unit owner to register with the commissioner of the revenue or director of finance before operating in the city under City Code Sec. 18-111(b), regardless of where the truck's home license was issued.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Chesapeake requires a special permit before a private property owner builds an entryway structure or ornamental feature, such as a subdivision guardhouse, monument, wall or trellis, in the public right-of-way. The director of development and permits reviews plans, requires a cash bond covering removal costs, and can revoke the permit at any time on 60 days' notice under Sec.

Also covered: Obstruction Rules (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Chesapeake taxes every hotel stay at 8% of the room charge plus a flat $2 per night, and the code's definition of 'hotel' expressly folds in short-term rentals under Va. Code § 15.2-983.

Building Safety

Lead Paint: Chesapeake follows EPA RRP and Virginia DPOR lead rules for pre-1978 housing. Contractors disturbing painted surfaces must be EPA Lead-Safe Certified.

Also covered: Building Permits (moderate), Elevator Maintenance (moderate), Plumbing Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Chesapeake for details.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Chesapeake doesn't ban electric fences outright, but City Code Sec. 46-10 caps the current any fence controller may deliver: no more than 125 volts, and no more than 500 milliamperes at peak.

Special Events & Permits

Block Party Permits: A Chesapeake block party, defined as a neighborhood gathering confined to a stated area with the streets blocked off for a stated duration, needs a permit from the city manager or designee before residents may close their street. The same permit article that covers parades and public assemblies governs block parties, with processing fees, an application deadline tied to expected turnout, and a hardship waiver..

Also covered: Park Event Permits (moderate), Parade Permits (restrictive). See the full special events & permits guide for Chesapeake for details.

Animal Ordinances

Pet Store Rules: Chesapeake requires every pet shop selling dogs or cats to hold an annual $50 license from Chesapeake Animal Services under City Code Sec. 10-63.1, pass a pre-license property inspection, and submit to annual compliance inspections while it sells dogs or cats.

Also covered: Cat Rules (moderate), Bird Protection (moderate), Dog Leash Laws (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Chesapeake for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Chesapeake's dangerous-building ordinance lets the director of development and permits declare any building, wall or structure a public-safety hazard, order repairs or demolition, and, after notice and a 30-day appeal window, demolish it at the owner's expense under City Code Sec. 14-4.

Rental Property Rules

Rental Registration: Owners of dwelling units inside one of Chesapeake's designated rental inspection districts must notify the director of development and permits in writing that the unit is rented, under City Code Sec. 14-114.

Also covered: Repairs & Habitability (moderate). See the full rental property rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Anyone going door to door in Chesapeake to sell goods, take orders, or solicit information for a future sale needs a police department permit before knocking on a single door. Newspaper carriers and fresh farm product sellers are exempt, but subscription sellers and future-portrait photographers are not automatically excused..

Also covered: No-Knock Registry (moderate). See the full soliciting & door-to-door guide for Chesapeake for details.

Mobility & Curb Rules

Shared E-Scooter Rules: Any company offering e-scooters, e-bikes, or other shareable mobility devices for hire in Chesapeake must hold a shareable mobility device license issued by the city's licensing official before operating. The licensing official cannot issue that license until city council first approves a franchise agreement covering rights-of-way use, service area, sidewalk access, speed limits, insurance, and fees..

Also covered: Red-Light Cameras (moderate). See the full mobility & curb rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Water Use Rules

Leak Reporting Duty: Chesapeake's water conservation ordinance puts the repair burden on property owners: if the director of public utilities determines a residential, commercial, or industrial premises is using excessive water because of a leaking line or plumbing fixture, the owner must repair and stop the leak once the department gives notice..

Tree Protection

Heritage & Protected Trees: Chesapeake's subdivision code directs developers to protect "irreplaceable and beneficial" natural features, giving special consideration to trees the city council has formally designated historic and to specimen trees rated exceptional for their circumference, height or location. Sec.

Also covered: Parkway Planting (moderate). See the full tree protection guide for Chesapeake for details.

HOA Rules

Assessment & Dues: Virginia's Property Owners' Association Act sets the assessment rules Chesapeake HOAs must follow: boards may charge a late fee capped at the tax-penalty rate in Sec. 58.1-3915 once a payment is 60 days overdue, may levy additional assessments beyond the declaration's stated amount for common-area upkeep, and must share the annual budget, or a summary of it, with lot owners before each fiscal year begins..

Also covered: Board Governance (moderate), Board Procedures (moderate), CC&R Enforcement (moderate). See the full hoa rules guide for Chesapeake for details.

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Permits: Chesapeake regulates short-term rentals through its Zoning Ordinance. Operators must obtain a conditional use permit or administrative zoning approval depending on district, plus a city business license and transient occupancy registration..

Home Business

Cottage Food Operations: Virginia Cottage Food Law (VA Code 3.2-5130) allows home production of non-hazardous foods like baked goods and jams for direct sale without a food permit. Chesapeake residents still need a city business license..

Fire Regulations

Outdoor Burning: Chesapeake outdoor burning follows the Virginia 4 PM Burn Law (VA Code 10.1-1142). From Feb 15 to April 30, open burning within 300 feet of woodland is prohibited before 4 PM.

Also covered: Fireworks (strict). See the full fire regulations guide for Chesapeake for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Home Cultivation: Virginia legalized adult possession and home cultivation of cannabis in 2021. Chesapeake residents 21 and older may grow up to 4 plants per household for personal use, out of public view, with tags identifying the grower.

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to Chesapeake, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with Chesapeake's city hall or code enforcement office.