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Short-Term Rentals in Charlottesville, VA (2026)

5 verified short-term rentals rules for Charlottesville, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

Operating a short-term rental (called a Homestay) in Charlottesville requires an Accessory Use Permit. Applicants must prove they own and permanently live at the property and must identify a responsible party, and the city can inspect the home once a year to confirm compliance.

Charlottesville Homestay Accessory Use Permit

Significant Restrictions

Charlottesville Development Code § 3.5.2.E.5

5. An individual who applies for an Accessory Use Permit to authorize the operation of a homestay must present proof of the following: a. The individual's ownership and permanent residence of the property that is the subject of the application. Acceptable proof of permanent residence includes: applicant's drivers license, voter registration card or U.S. passport, or other documents showing the ...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Charlottesville caps every homestay at 6 adult overnight guests per lot per day, a numeric limit set specifically for short-term rentals rather than the smaller customer cap that applies to ordinary home businesses.

Charlottesville Homestay Guest Cap

Some Restrictions

Charlottesville Development Code § 3.5.2.E.3

3. No more than 6 adult overnight guests are allowed on each lot per day.
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

A Charlottesville homestay is only legal if the owner actually lives there: the Accessory Use Permit requires the owner to occupy the dwelling as a permanent residence for at least 185 days during the permit's one-year term, ruling out pure investment-property rentals.

Charlottesville Homestay Owner-Occupancy Rule

Significant Restrictions

Charlottesville Development Code § 3.5.2.E.9

9. Each Accessory Use Permit for a homestay will be valid from the date on which the permit is issued through December 31 of the calendar year in which the permit is issued. During this period of validity, the owner of the homestay must occupy the dwelling unit as their permanent residence for a minimum of 185 days.
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Extended Home Share

Charlottesville's Homestay rule lets an owner-occupant hire out lodging in the whole dwelling or in just a portion of it, such as a single room, under the same Accessory Use Permit framework, but the owner may never prepare or serve food to the guests.

Renting Part of Your Home in Charlottesville

Some Restrictions

Charlottesville Development Code § 3.5.2.E.1, .6

1. Allows for an individual who owns a dwelling unit and uses it as their permanent residence to hire out as lodging the dwelling unit or any portion of the dwelling unit. ... ... 6. Food cannot be prepared for or served to the guests of the homestay by the owner or the owner's agents or contractors.
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Repeat Violator Strikes

Charlottesville can revoke a homestay's Accessory Use Permit once the city gets 3 or more substantiated complaints in a calendar year, or for any other noncompliance, and a revoked owner is locked out of new homestay permits for the rest of that year and all of the next.

Charlottesville Homestay Permit Revocation Rule

Significant Restrictions

Charlottesville Development Code § 3.5.2.E.10, .11

10. An Accessory Use Permit for a homestay may be revoked by the Administrator for the following reasons: a. In the event that 3 or more substantiated complaints are received by the City within a calendar year; or ... ... b. For failure to maintain compliance with any of the requirements of this Section. 11. A property owner whose Accessory Use Permit has been revoked is not eligible to receive...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗