Business Licensing & Operations in Charlottesville, VA (2026)
5 verified business licensing & operations rules for Charlottesville, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Massage Establishments
Massage businesses in Charlottesville are licensed as Class IV services under City Code § 14-19(e), grouped with barbers, health clubs and dry cleaners. The Commissioner of the Revenue collects an annual license tax of $0.25 per $100 of gross receipts before the business may open its doors.
Charlottesville Massage Business License
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code § 14-19(e)
(e)Subclassification D. Persons engaged in the following types of businesses shall obtain a city business license and shall pay an annual license tax of twenty-five cents ($0.25) per hundred dollars ($100.00) of gross receipts:(1)Barbers and beauticians.(2)Exterminators.(3)Health clubs, gymnasiums, reducing salons, spas and sauna, steam or whirlpool baths.(4)Laundries (including coin-operated),...
Secondhand Dealers
Charlottesville licenses secondhand and junk dealers as retail merchants under the city's BPOL ordinance. City Code § 14-17(b) places junk dealers in Subclassification A alongside general retailers, opticians and restaurants, all taxed at $0.20 per $100 of gross receipts, and every such dealer must hold a current city business license before opening.
Charlottesville Junk Dealer Business License
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code § 14-17(b)
(b)Subclassification A. Retail merchants shall obtain a city business license and shall pay an annual license tax at the rate of twenty cents ($0.20) per hundred dollars ($100.00) of gross receipts. This subclassification shall include, but not be limited to:(1)General retailers, including short-term rental businesses, as defined in section 30-316 of this Code.(2)Junk dealers.(3)Opticians.(4)Re...
Pawnbrokers
Pawnbrokers in Charlottesville are licensed under City Code § 14-19(i), Subclassification H of the Class IV BPOL tax, alongside auctioneers, detective agencies and billboard rentals. The Commissioner of the Revenue collects an annual license tax of $0.36 per $100 of gross receipts before a pawnshop may operate.
Charlottesville Pawnbroker Business License
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code § 14-19(i)
(i)Subclassification H. The following types of businesses shall obtain a city business license and shall pay an annual license tax of thirty-six cents ($0.36) per one hundred dollars ($100.00) of gross receipts:(1)Advertising distributors. ... (11)Pawnbrokers.(12)Any other repair, personal or business service, or other business or occupation not specifically included in any other subclassificat...
Auto Repair on Residential Property
In the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, motor vehicle repair is one of the uses the Development Code specifically bars from ever qualifying as a home occupation. Light auto detailing is allowed only up to two vehicles being serviced at once; anything beyond that, or true repair work, has to move to a commercially zoned shop.
Charlottesville Home Auto Repair Ban
Heavy RestrictionsCharlottesville Development Code § 3.5.2.D.17.a, e
17. The following are specifically prohibited, and cannot be deemed or construed as activities constituting a home occupation: a. Auto detailing, where more than 2 vehicles being serviced are present on the property at any given time; ... ... e. Motor vehicle sales, repair, equipment installation, and similar activities;
Towing Companies
In the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, City Code §§ 15-420 through 15-427 require any operator who tows or immobilizes a vehicle from private property without the owner's consent to register annually with the city, carry a copy of that registration and a Virginia DCJS tow-truck authorization, and notify Charlottesville police within fifteen minutes of every tow.
Charlottesville Non-Consent Towing Operator Rules
Significant RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code § 15-420
Sec. 15-420. - Registration by operators. (a)All operators engaged in immobilizing or towing vehicles without the consent of the vehicle owner shall register with the City of Charlottesville prior to the initiation of any such operations and during January of each subsequent year. To obtain a registration certificate, the following information and documents must be provided to the department:(1...