Short-Term Rentals in Alexandria, VA (2026)
5 verified short-term rentals rules for Alexandria, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
Alexandria Ordinance No. 5575 (effective September 1, 2025) requires a Short-Term Residential Rental Permit for any property rented more than 10 days per calendar year. STR hosts must provide a Good Neighbor Guide and maintain a one-hour response window for violations.
Alexandria STR Permit (Ord. 5575, eff. Sept 1, 2025)
Some RestrictionsVa. Code § 15.2-983 (Creation of Registry for Short-Term Rental of Property)
15.2-983 . Creation of registry for short-term rental of property. A. As used in this section: "Operator" means the proprietor of any dwelling, lodging, or sleeping accommodations offered as a short-term rental, whether in the capacity of owner, lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee, or any other possessory capacity. "Short-term rental" means the provision of a room or space that...
Noise Rules
Alexandria short-term rental operators and guests must follow the city noise code and post a written quiet-hours notice: no shouting, loud music, barking dogs, or dragging furniture between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1403(D) and (G).
Alexandria Short-Term Rental Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsAlexandria Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1403(D), (G)
(D)Noise. Operators and occupants shall comply with City Code title 11, chapter 5, noise control. ... (G)Good Neighbor Guide. ... (4)Notice that indoor and outdoor quiet hours are between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily.(5)Notice that noise levels, both indoors and outdoors, must be kept to a minimum at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, shouting, cheering, loud conversations, ampl...
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Alexandria STR operators must supply 0.75 parking spaces per bedroom outside the enhanced transit area, or 0.25 per bedroom inside it. Up to two on-street spaces or on-street visitor permits can count toward that minimum under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1403(C).
Alexandria Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsAlexandria Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1403(C)
(C)Parking.(1)Operators shall provide a minimum of 0.75 spaces per bedroom if the short-term residential rental is located outside the enhanced transit area or 0.25 spaces per bedroom if located within the enhanced transit area.(2)If required parking cannot be provided on-site, no more than two on-street parking spaces may be counted toward the minimum parking requirement. Within parking permit...
Occupancy Limits
Alexandria caps overnight headcount in every short-term rental at two people per legal bedroom plus two more, not counting kids three and under. A five-plus bedroom rental tops out at ten guests, and an accessory dwelling used as an STR is capped at three, per Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1403(A).
Alexandria Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits
Some RestrictionsAlexandria Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1403(A)
(A)Occupancy. Occupancy is limited to two people per legal bedroom, as defined by the Uniform Statewide Building Code, plus two additional people, exclusive of children ages three years and under, at all times. The maximum occupancy for a rental with five or more bedrooms is limited to ten people and three people for an accessory dwelling, exclusive of children ages three years and under, at al...
Repeat Violator Strikes
Two or more permit-requirement violations bar an Alexandria short-term rental property from reapplying for a year. Three violations of the same city law, or five of separate laws, in a permit year is grounds to revoke or deny the STR permit, under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1404(C)-(D).
Alexandria STR Repeat-Violator Permit Bar
Significant RestrictionsAlexandria Zoning Ordinance Sec. 7-1404(C)-(D)
(C)Failure to obtain permit. Failure to obtain a permit shall result in a civil citation pursuant to section 11-200. Upon two or more repeated violations of the permit requirement, and upon notice, the operator shall be prohibited from applying for a permit for said property and from offering that property for short-term residential rental for a period of one year.(D)Revocation or denial of a p...