Short-Term Rentals in Montgomery County, VA (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated Montgomery County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
Operating a short term tourist rental in Montgomery County's unincorporated area requires a zoning permit plus a Planning Department-approved property management plan, and HOA-governed subdivisions must submit a written recommendation under Sec 10-41(6).
STR Permit Rules in Montgomery County
Significant RestrictionsMontgomery County Code § 10-41(6)
Short Term Tourist Rentals. ... Short Term Tourist Rentals are permitted subject to all applicable district regulations of this chapter and the issuance of a zoning permit: ... A property management plan demonstrating how the short-term tourist rental will be managed and how the impact on neighboring properties will be minimized shall be submitted for review and approval as part of the permitti...
Noise Rules
Montgomery County requires every short term tourist rental to have a copy of the county's noise ordinance, Section 7, Article 4, physically posted at the rental, so guests can see the noise rules that apply to them under Sec 10-41(6).
STR Noise Posting Rule in the County
Light RestrictionsMontgomery County Code § 10-41(6)
A copy of Section 7, Article 4 of the Montgomery County Code relative to noise must be provided at the short-term tourist rental.
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Guests at a Montgomery County short term tourist rental must park in driveways or other designated, approved parking areas; Sec 10-41(6) bans parking in rights-of-way or in yards outside those areas.
STR Parking Rules in Montgomery County
Some RestrictionsMontgomery County Code § 10-41(6)
Parking for the short-term tourist rental shall be located in driveways and other designated approved parking areas. The parking of vehicles is prohibited in or along all rights-of-way and in yards.
Occupancy Limits
Montgomery County ties the maximum number of guests allowed at a short term tourist rental to whatever the Virginia Department of Health approves on the property's permit, rather than setting its own head count in Sec 10-41(6).
STR Occupancy Cap in Montgomery County
Some RestrictionsMontgomery County Code § 10-41(6)
The maximum number of occupants in the dwelling unit shall be determined according to permit approval received by the Virginia Department of Health.
Host Presence Rule
Outside Blacksburg and Christiansburg, a Short Term Tourist Rental does not require the owner to live on site: Sec 10-61 defines it as a rental where "the operator does not live on the same parcel or an adjacent parcel," the opposite of the Bed and Breakfast Inn, which Sec 10-41 requires an owner or manager to staff full-time whenever a guest is present.
Short-Term Rental Host Presence Rule in Montgomery County, VA
Some RestrictionsMontgomery County Code §§ 10-41, 10-61
The owner or manager shall provide full-time management of the establishment at all times when the facility is occupied by one (1) or more guests. ... Short Term Tourist Rentals. Short Term Tourist Rentals are permitted subject to all applicable district regulations of this chapter and the issuance of a zoning permit: The maximum number of occupants in the dwelling unit shall be determined acco...
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