Fairfax, VA

The City of Fairfax requires short-term rental operators to register with the City and obtain zoning approval before offering rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days. Operators must…

Fairfax County STR operators must collect Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) of 4% on gross rental receipts, plus Virginia state sales tax of 5.3% and regional transportation tax of 0.7%…

Fairfax County requires anyone operating short-term lodging to be a permanent resident of the property, defined as occupying it at least 185 days a year as a primary residence. The…

Fairfax County bans events and gatherings, including parties, weddings, banquets and fund-raisers, at any short-term lodging property. Subsection 4102.7.O(4)(d) of the Zoning Ordinance…

Fairfax County requires an administrative Zoning Administrator permit before any dwelling can be used for short-term lodging, valid for two years, under the county's short-term lodging…

Fairfax County limits short-term lodging to no more than 60 nights per calendar year per dwelling, capped further at six adult lodgers and one rental contract per night.

Fairfax County short-term lodging hosts must provide one designated off-street parking space reserved for lodgers, and advertisements must state where that space is located.

Fairfax County limits short-term lodging stays to no more than six adult lodgers per night and no more than 60 nights of use per calendar year.

City of Fairfax Code §10-621(b) requires a six-foot-high fence to surround all residential swimming pools. Outdoor pools, spas, and hot tubs must also comply with International…

Licensed Fairfax County home child care facilities must lock or store the ladder on any above-ground pool so children in care cannot reach the water unsupervised.

The City of Fairfax requires grass, weeds, and rank vegetation on residential and commercial properties be kept under 12 inches in height under its property maintenance code…

The City of Fairfax has a strong tree preservation program under its tree conservation ordinance. Removal of significant trees on private property requires evaluation and, in many…

Fairfax County zoning bars residential composting from the front yard entirely, even on the large lots where other accessory structures are allowed there. Subsection 4102.7.A(6)(a)…

Fairfax County's stormwater ordinance encourages rainwater and stormwater harvesting for irrigation, fire protection and toilet flushing, so long as systems meet applicable regulations.

Fairfax County sets no routine lawn-watering schedule. Chapter 113 of the County Code restricts outdoor watering only after the County Executive determines a water shortage emergency…

Modified exhaust, loud car stereos audible at 50 feet, sustained horn use, and revving engines in residential zones are prohibited under City of Fairfax Code Chapter 62 and Chapter 82…

Fairfax County's noise ordinance makes it a violation for an owner to let a dog or other animal bark loud enough to be heard in a neighbor's closed home at night.

Outdoor loudspeakers and instruments on recreational grounds must stop by 10 p.m. and stay within the county's daytime sound-level table.

Fairfax County bars outdoor construction, repair, demolition or grading noise between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and…

Fairfax County caps sound from industrial-district sources at 72 dBA by day and 65 dBA at night, measured at the property boundary.

Fairfax County restricts land use and mandates soundproofing near airports through its Airport Noise Impact Overlay District, covering three DNL noise-impact zones.

Fairfax County's Noise Ordinance limits when power lawn equipment can run, and it singles out leaf blowers and chain saws for the strictest rule: never between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. on any…

Fairfax County bars any sound plainly audible inside a neighbor's closed dwelling between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weeknights, extending an hour later on weekends.

Beekeeping is allowed in the City of Fairfax subject to state registration with the Virginia State Apiarist and zoning setbacks in the local code. Hives typically must be set back 10…

Dogs in the City of Fairfax must be on a leash or under direct physical control whenever off their owner property, per Chapter 14 of the City Code and the broader state…

The City of Fairfax does not restrict any specific breed of dog. Virginia Code 3.2-6540.1 preempts breed-specific local legislation statewide, so pit bulls, Rottweilers, and other…

Fairfax County regulates pet shops through Health Department oversight rather than sales restrictions. Chapter 41.1, Article 3 requires plan approval from the Director of Health before…

Fairfax County Code Section 41.1-2-19 prohibits feeding mallard ducks and Canada geese, including any crossbreeds or hybrids, on parcels of land contiguous to Little Hunting Creek, and…

Fairfax County bans keeping any wild, exotic, or vicious animal as a pet, with narrow exceptions for a single certified service animal, zoological parks, circuses, and federally or…

Fairfax County zoning allows livestock and poultry, except roosters, only as an accessory use on lots of two acres or more, capped at one animal unit per acre.

Fairfax County allows veterinary hospitals only where the Zoning Ordinance permits them by right or special exception, and every one needs Health Department sign-off before a building…

Fairfax County zoning caps the number of dogs per lot, from two dogs with no lot-size minimum up to 25,000 square feet or more for keeping more than six dogs six months or older.

Fairfax County requires every cat 4 months or older to be currently vaccinated against rabies; unlike dogs, cats need no county license or tag.

The City of Fairfax prohibits the sale, possession, and use of all consumer fireworks within city limits despite Virginia's 2021 statewide legalization. Only permissible items are…

The City of Fairfax follows Virginia's 4 PM Burning Law during spring fire season (February 15 through April 30), which prohibits open burning before 4 PM within 300 feet of woodland…

Fairfax County requires smoke detectors in every building containing one or more dwelling units and in hotels, motels, rooming houses, dormitories, juvenile homes, and licensed adult…

Fairfax County requires a Fire Marshal operational permit for outdoor LP-gas storage or use over 10 gallons aggregate per event, but single- and two-family dwellings are exempt from…

Fairfax County bars fire pits, chimineas, outdoor fireplaces and other portable solid-fuel devices from balconies or decks, and from within 15 feet of combustible construction or a…

Virginia lets the Governor, on the State Forester's recommendation, ban all open burning when serious fire hazards exist, and makes anyone whose negligence causes a wildfire liable to…

Fairfax County can bar watercraft, boat trailers, motor homes, and camping trailers from street parking inside designated Community Parking Districts under Article 5B. The ban also…

Fairfax County spells out exactly how fire lanes must be painted: yellow, highway-grade paint on every curb or paved space designated as a fire lane, a 6-inch yellow stripe where there…

Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors can designate specific secondary-road blocks as restricted-parking zones under Appendix R when long-term parking eats up on-street capacity…

Fairfax County police can tow any vehicle left unattended over 15 days without moving 300 feet, or lacking current plates or inspection, as presumptively abandoned under Section…

Fairfax County bars parking commercial vehicles, trailers and semitrailers on residential streets under Section 82-5-7(b), covering trucks over 21 feet long, 8 feet tall, or…

Fairfax County bans parking on sidewalks, within 10 feet of driveways, 20 feet of intersections and crosswalks, and 15 feet of fire hydrants under Section 82-5-1, with exceptions only…

Fairfax County restricts marked curb loading zones to active loading and unloading during posted hours, and requires delivery vehicles other than regular trucks to display three-inch…

Single-family homes in the R-1 through R-4 districts must park in the front yard on a surfaced area capped at 25% to 30% lot coverage under the zoning code.

Fairfax County lets residents petition for Residential Permit Parking Districts that require a county decal to park on-street during posted hours, under Article 5A of the traffic code.

Fairfax County allows EV charging stations as an accessory use, but residential chargers are limited to residents and guests and capped at Level 1 or Level 2 unless placed inside a…

Fairfax County caps a trespass tow at $210.00 hookup for a passenger car and $610.00 for anything over 10,000 pounds GVWR, gives the first 24 hours of storage free, holds the drop fee…

Anyone running a home-based business in Fairfax County needs an administrative permit under Zoning Ordinance § 4102.7.H, and the permit is tied to one person, one primary residence…

Fairfax County bars walk-in customers at home businesses without a special permit.

Operating a home child care facility in Fairfax County without a permit is unlawful under County Code Section 30-3-1. The Director of Early Childhood Programs and Services issues…

Fairfax County bars home-business signs except yard signs on residential lots.

Virginia lets a resident make and sell a specific list of shelf-stable foods out of a private home with no Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services permit, no…

Virginia does not issue a microenterprise home kitchen permit, and it cannot: the Board of Health food regulation at 12VAC5-421-2990 says a private home shall not be used for…

Fairfax County regulates retaining wall construction as a permitted building activity under Chapter 61, not as a zoning setback issue. Appendix Q, Section I.B(L) sets the permit fee as…

Fairfax County bans barbed wire fences countywide except on rural five-plus-acre lots, and bars electric fences on smaller subdivided lots.

A regular Fairfax County fence within Table 4102.4's height limit needs no permit, but exceeding that height in a front yard requires Board or BZA special-permit approval.

Fairfax County's zoning ordinance caps residential fences and walls at 7 feet in side and rear yards and 4 feet in front yards, with taller limits allowed for large lots and corner…

Under Code of Virginia § 55.1-2821, adjoining landowners must build and maintain division fences between their lands at joint and equal expense, unless one leaves his land open or the…

Fairfax County zoning requires that either the accessory living unit or the main house be owner-occupied, preventing owners from renting out both the ADU and the principal dwelling to…

An accessory living unit in Fairfax County needs a recorded administrative permit, issued for an initial two-year term and renewable in five-year increments by the Zoning Administrator.

Fairfax County's Zoning Ordinance classifies a tiny house as a recreational vehicle or travel trailer unless it sits on a permanent foundation and is meant for continuous occupancy, in…

Fairfax County caps freestanding sheds on typical lots at 20 feet tall and sets side/rear setbacks that scale with height under the zoning ordinance's accessory-structure standards.

Illegal dumping of trash, debris, tires, or yard waste on public or private property in Fairfax City is prohibited and prosecuted under both city code and Virginia Code section…

Fairfax County requires single-family homes and townhouses to source-separate glass, metal cans, plastic bottles, cardboard, mixed paper, yard waste and scrap metal for recycling…

Fairfax County mandates weekly trash collection for every single-family home and townhouse, with the same minimum frequency required for most other customers under Section 109.1-5-4.

Fairfax County requires residential trash and recycling containers to be stored on the property they serve, not left in the street or right-of-way. Section 109.1-5-5 lets closed-top…

Fairfax County requires commercial dumpsters, compactors, and roll-off containers to be watertight, reflectorized, and marked with the owner's name under Section 109.1-5-6.

Fairfax County requires weekly curbside yard waste and brush pickup from March 1 through December 24, capped at ten bags, containers, or bundles under 50 pounds each.

Fairfax County requires permitted collectors to pick up trash from single-family homes and townhouses at least once a week, and the same weekly floor applies to other properties unless…

Fairfax County caps curbside bulk items at four feet in length and 50 pounds per bundle or container. Dead animals, tree stumps, dirt, rock, brick, containerized liquids, friable…

Fairfax County caps pawnbrokers at 12 licensed locations countywide and makes the license hard to get: circuit court authorization must come before the Director of Cable and Consumer…

Tobacco and vape retailers in Fairfax County need a BPOL plus a Virginia tobacco retail certificate. State law sets minimum sale age at 21 under VA Code Section 18.2-371.2 and preempts…

Operating a massage establishment in Fairfax County without a valid, unsuspended permit from the Department is unlawful, with permits issued per business location and expiring every…

Buying secondhand precious metals or gems in Fairfax County without a Chapter 33 dealer permit is unlawful under Section 33-1-2. The Department of Cable and Consumer Services issues…

Fairfax County's home-business rules give a closed list of allowed uses that excludes auto and vehicle repair entirely.

Fairfax County requires a $50 Operator Permit from Cable and Consumer Services before any company can trespass-tow or immobilize vehicles from private lots, renewed annually by January…

Adult entertainment establishments in Fairfax County need a special permit and can only operate in a regional shopping center within the C-7 District.

Fairfax County requires every tattoo establishment to get Director of Health Services approval and a permit before opening, under the county's Tattoo Establishments Ordinance.

Fairfax County's loitering ordinance, County Code § 5-1-2, does not punish simply hanging around. It targets loitering in a public place only when it blocks pedestrian or vehicular…

Smoking is unlawful in any bus shelter owned by Fairfax County under Code § 44-1-2.1, the county's only outdoor smoking prohibition. Shelters must be posted with warning signs, and a…

Drinking alcohol in Fairfax County parks, sidewalks, and most public spaces is prohibited under VA Code Section 4.1-308, except at licensed venues like Reston Town Center designated…

Fairfax County's mid-block crossing rule, County Code § 82-9-3, makes it unlawful to step into a highway open to moving traffic between intersections at any point where a vehicle or…

Fairfax County's Noise Ordinance makes it a violation for any person, motor vehicle, or instrument to permit, operate, or cause sound that is plainly audible inside another person's…

Fairfax County's noise ordinance carves out backup generators in § 108.1-5-1(g). Running one during a power outage caused by a storm or other emergency is exempt at any hour, while…

Residential heat pumps, AC units and pool pumps are exempt from Fairfax County's noise ordinance if run to manufacturer specs.

Fairfax County stops outdoor truck loading and unloading within 100 yards of a home between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. under the Noise Ordinance.

In Fairfax County the permit holder, not the county, is responsible for calling for inspections. Section 61-1-5 requires notice to the Building Official at every construction stage…

Licensed home child care facilities in Fairfax County must install an operable carbon monoxide alarm wherever appliances could produce CO, test it monthly and keep the test records for…

Fairfax County requires a Building Official permit before any plumbing or gas work begins, issued under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and enforced through County Chapter…

No building in Fairfax County may be used, in whole or in part, as a private school, nursery school, or child care center until the Director of Health grants an annual occupancy…

Fairfax County Code § 66-2-1 bars starting any electrical work until the Building Official issues an electrical permit. Only licensed Virginia Class A, B, or C contractors or licensed…

Fairfax County requires a building permit to construct, improve, or alter single-family dwellings, multi-family dwelling units, shopping-center spaces, warehouse bays, condo units, and…

Landlords renting five or more units in one multifamily building must fit code-compliant deadbolt locks and peepholes on every exterior swing entrance door, with glass-paneled doors…

Fairfax County requires a land-disturbance permit from Land Development Services before regulated land-disturbing activity begins. Applicants must submit a soil erosion control and…

Fairfax County's Air Pollution Control Ordinance bars leaving any car, truck, generator or other mobile source idling more than three minutes once it stops doing its job. The same…

Fairfax County requires an approved grading plan for soil disturbance over 2,500 square feet; smaller disturbances may proceed without one, but larger areas need Director approval…

Fairfax County exempts noncommercial piers, boathouses and similar dock structures from Wetlands Board permitting if they're built on pilings that preserve tidal flow; any other…

Fairfax County restricts floodplain development to a specific list of permitted uses determined by the Director; any other use or topography change needs Board approval of a special…

New and substantially improved homes in or near a Fairfax County floodplain must sit at least 18 inches above the calculated 100-year flood elevation, a freeboard standard set in the…

The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act mandates 100-foot vegetated buffers along tidal waters and tributaries in 84 covered Tidewater localities, with state-set criteria local ordinances…

Fairfax County's R-1 District requires a 40-foot front setback, a 20-foot minimum side setback (40 feet total on both sides) and a 25-foot rear setback for conventional single-family…

Fairfax County's Zoning Ordinance caps lot coverage at 30 percent in the I-I Industrial Institutional District, the only zoning district where the code sets an explicit lot coverage…

Fairfax County caps building height at 35 feet in the R-1 District under conventional subdivision standards, rising to 60 feet for structures in an approved cluster subdivision. Table…

Fairfax County charges a five-cent tax on disposable plastic bags at grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies. Authorized by Virginia Code 58.1-1745, effective in Fairfax…

Virginia Code § 10.1-1424.3 phases out expanded polystyrene single-use food service containers: food vendors with 20 or more locations had to comply by July 1, 2025, and all food…

Virginia Code Section 18.2-371.2 prohibits sales of tobacco, hemp, and vape products to anyone under 21. Fairfax County retailers must verify ID and face state criminal penalties for…

Bed bug infestations in Fairfax rentals fall under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act habitability duty. Landlords generally must treat infestations not caused by tenant…

Fairfax County makes it unlawful to operate a food establishment without a certified food protection manager in immediate control. The manager must pass an accredited-program exam or a…

Buildings used as a private school, nursery school or child care center in Fairfax County must be kept free of insects and rodents under the County's child care facility standards.

Fairfax County treats improper disposal of syringes, needles, scalpels, and other medical sharps that could be retrieved and reused as a public health or safety menace the Health…

Virginia law allows residents 21 and older to cultivate up to four cannabis plants per household for personal use. Plants must be tagged, hidden from public view, and inaccessible to…

Virginia bars anyone from operating a medical cannabis dispensing facility or pharmaceutical processor without a permit from the Cannabis Control Authority Board. Permits are capped by…

Virginia law allows adults 21 and older to cultivate up to four marijuana plants per household for personal use, with statewide rules localities cannot prohibit but may regulate via…

Anyone canvassing, peddling, or soliciting goods on Fairfax County streets, including from a temporary stand, must first obtain a license from the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Fairfax County requires a food establishment permit specifically for Mobile Food Vending from VDOT rights-of-way, valid for one year and displayed in the vehicle at all times.

Mobile food trucks may vend only inside County-designated zones, Tysons, Dranesville, and Mount Vernon, on commercially or industrially zoned streets, never near residential areas.

Fairfax County Code Section 31-1-2 makes it unlawful for any canvasser, peddler, or solicitor to ring the bell, knock, or otherwise try to gain admittance at any residence, dwelling…

Canvassing, peddling or soliciting door-to-door in Fairfax County without a license is unlawful under County Code Section 31-2-1. The Department of Cable and Consumer Services issues…

Fairfax County's Noise Ordinance bars flying drones outdoors between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., since drones are defined as powered model vehicles under the code.

Commercial drone operators in Virginia follow FAA Part 107 rules and are shielded from most local regulation under state preemption, with limited exceptions for locality-owned property…

Fairfax County runs red-light cameras at up to 25 intersections, imposing a $50 civil penalty, plus photo speed cameras in school crossing and highway work zones with graduated…

Fairfax County bars riding shared e-scooters and bikes on any sidewalk or crosswalk the county has posted as off-limits, requires parked devices to stay clear of pedestrian and vehicle…

Virginia runs two separate schemes. A golf cart or utility vehicle is barred from every public highway in the Commonwealth unless the county, city, or town has designated that road by…

Fairfax County's Health Department can order owners to repair, secure, or remove deteriorated, structurally unsafe, or collapse-risk buildings as a public health or safety menace, then…

Fairfax County applies its 12-inch grass and lawn cap to undeveloped residential lots inside mostly built-out subdivisions and to vacant commercial or industrial parcels, not just…

Fairfax County protects 14 named Historic Overlay Districts, adding zoning-level review for sites of special historical, cultural, architectural, or archaeological significance…

Street fairs and festivals in Fairfax County need a Tier-One or Tier-Two administrative zoning permit, capped at 12 hours for a one-day event or 60 days for longer events.

Fairfax County Code Section 82-1-17 bars any funeral procession or parade from occupying, marching, or proceeding along any highway in the county without a permit issued by the County…

Fairfax County zoning lets restaurants and similar food establishments add outdoor dining areas by right, capped at 50 percent of indoor dining floor area and subject to fire-code and…

Special events held on County, Park Authority, or Fairfax County Public Schools property are exempt from the zoning special event permit and don't need an administrative permit at all.

Fairfax County requires owners of running bamboo to keep it from spreading onto neighboring property or the public right-of-way, backing the containment duty with escalating civil…

All new or replacement outdoor lighting fixtures in the county must be full cut-off, horizontally mounted fixtures that shield the light source, with limited exceptions.

Motion-activated security lights are exempt from the county's outdoor lighting standards only if aimed so illumination stays within the property line, with tighter limits on…

Fairfax County requires every illuminated sign, including electronic and billboard-style displays, to meet the same outdoor lighting performance standards the zoning code sets for all…

Fairfax County lets owners of farm and forest land petition the Board of Supervisors to create a Local Agricultural and Forestal District under Chapter 115. Once a district ordinance…

New development along public and private streets must plant a ten-foot landscaping strip with at least one shade tree per 30 feet of street frontage, per county zoning code.

Fairfax County's Urban Forester can recommend individual trees for official heritage, memorial, specimen or street tree status, which the Board of Supervisors adopts by ordinance after…

Fairfax County's zoning code excludes temporary, seasonal decorations from the definition of a sign entirely, so holiday displays are exempt from sign permits, size limits, and the…

Nonresidential window signs in Fairfax County cannot cover more than 30 percent of a window's total area, and only one illuminated or electronic window sign up to four square feet is…

Fairfax County allows one changeable-copy or electronic display sign per lot, capped at 50 percent of the freestanding sign's allowed area, with message changes no more than once every…

Virginia law prohibits all signs, including garage sale and yard sale notices, placed within the limits of any state highway right-of-way, with a $100 civil penalty per occurrence.

Virginia state law creates a 40-foot prohibited area around polling place entrances on election day where political signs and electioneering are forbidden statewide.

Fairfax County grants a 20 percent density bonus for single-family rezoning and special exception applications, and a 10 to 20 percent bonus for multifamily projects, in exchange for…

Fairfax County levies an annual Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) tax on every business, profession, trade or calling with a taxable situs in the county. The tax…

Fairfax County bans charcoal burners, smokers and other open-flame cooking devices on balconies or decks, or within 15 feet of combustible construction or residential occupancy, except…

Fairfax County limits garage and yard sales to two per calendar year per lot in residential zoning districts, under the zoning ordinance's accessory-use rules.

Installing solar energy equipment in Fairfax County requires a building permit from the Building Official, though the county charges no permit fee for the installation itself.

Virginia's solar covenant statute is a default rule, not a covenant-voiding right. Va. Code § 55.1-1820.1 B says no association shall prohibit an owner from installing a solar energy…

Fairfax County allows data centers by right up to 40,000 square feet in C-3 and C-4 districts and 80,000 square feet in I-2 through I-4; larger buildings need a special exception…

Fairfax County caps continuous data center noise at the property line: 55 dBA at night (10 p.m.-7 a.m.) and 60 dBA daytime where it reaches residential property. Every data center must…

Virginia authorizes localities to enact juvenile curfew ordinances under specific enabling statutes, with state law setting maximum penalties and constitutional safeguards uniformly.

Virginia's minimum wage under Code § 40.1-28.10 is $12.77 per hour in 2026, rising to $13.75 on January 1, 2027 and $15.00 on January 1, 2028. The state rate preempts localities from…

Virginia Code 40.1-33.3 et seq. requires paid sick leave only for certain home health workers; no general statewide paid leave mandate exists, and broad local paid leave ordinances…

Virginia issues concealed handgun permits under Code 18.2-308.01 through 18.2-308.014, with shall-issue standards administered by circuit courts; localities cannot impose additional…

Virginia preempts most local firearm regulation under Code 15.2-915, but a 2020 amendment lets localities restrict firearms in specific public buildings, parks, recreation centers, and…

Virginia generally permits open carry of firearms by adults without a permit, though Code 18.2-287.4 restricts certain loaded high-capacity weapons in named public areas of larger…

Virginia Code 18.2-308 lets adults transport firearms in personal vehicles, with concealed handguns in a closed compartment lawful without a permit; localities are preempted by Code…

Virginia confines casino gaming to a short list of statutorily defined 'eligible host cities' that meet strict poverty, unemployment, or tax-exempt-property thresholds under Va. Code §…

Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services controls all charitable gaming under Code § 18.2-340.15, treating it as a revocable privilege rather than a right. A…

Virginia's general gambling ban does not reach a private game of chance held in someone's home. Code § 18.2-334 exempts games of chance in a private residence from prosecution under…

Virginia legalized online sports betting in 2020 under Code § 58.1-4032, but caps competition: the Virginia Lottery's Director issues no fewer than four and no more than 12 permits…

Under the Virginia Property Owners' Association Act, § 55.1-1833, an association may perfect a lien for unpaid assessments by recording a memorandum of lien, but only if it does so…

Virginia's § 55.1-1816 requires HOA board meetings to be open to all members of record, with published notice and a member right to record open portions; closed executive sessions are…

Virginia's § 55.1-1819 empowers a property owners' association to adopt and enforce rules governing the development, including architectural and use restrictions in the recorded…

Virginia's Property Owners' Association Act protects one flag and one flag only: the flag of the United States. Under Va. Code § 55.1-1820 no association may prohibit a lot owner from…

Virginia caps association fines by statute. Under Va. Code § 55.1-1819 D a charge may not exceed $50 for a single offense or $10 per day for a continuing offense, and a continuing…

Virginia does not stop a community association from restricting or even prohibiting leasing, because Va. Code § 55.1-1806 opens with an exception for anything expressly authorized in…

Virginia law enforcement runs sobriety checkpoints, and the General Assembly legislated on that fact in 2023, but no section of the Code of Virginia authorizes or regulates them. Va…

Virginia has no statute granting an express right to record police, and it does not need one, because Virginia is a one-party consent state. Va. Code § 19.2-62(B)(2) makes it no…

Virginia is not a stop-and-identify state. No section of the Code of Virginia requires a person stopped or detained on the street to give a name, and the General Assembly has never…

Virginia is one of the few states that answered the consent question by statute rather than leaving it to the courts. Va. Code § 4.1-1302 bars an officer from stopping, searching or…

Va. Code § 55.1-1220 requires landlords to keep rentals fit and habitable: comply with building codes, make needed repairs, maintain electrical, plumbing, heating and HVAC systems…

The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act sets uniform eviction grounds and notice periods statewide, preempting local just-cause ordinances under Dillon's Rule.

Under Va. Code § 55.1-1229, a landlord must give the tenant notice of intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times, except in an emergency. For routine maintenance the tenant…

Va. Code § 55.1-1204 lets a landlord charge a late fee only if the written lease provides for it, capped at the lesser of 10 percent of the periodic rent or 10 percent of the remaining…

Under Va. Code § 55.1-1253, either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date, and a week-to-week tenancy with at least…

Virginia limits municipal rental inspection programs to designated blighted districts and requires specific procedural standards, preempting blanket rental registration ordinances.

Under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a landlord may not demand a security deposit exceeding two months' rent. After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the…

Under Va. Code § 8.01-236, a person must take action to recover land within 15 years after the right accrues, so an occupant claiming title by adverse possession must hold the property…

Virginia runs a closed list. Va. Code 46.2-1020 names the extra lights a private vehicle may carry, and anything not on that list, not permitted elsewhere in the lighting article, and…

Virginia is one of the few states with a dash camera provision written into the vehicle code by name. Since 2023, subsection C of Va. Code 46.2-1054 says the obstructed-view law does…

Virginia does not permit lane splitting, and it does not treat the offense as a simple traffic ticket. Va. Code § 46.2-857 makes it reckless driving to drive any motor vehicle so as to…

Virginia bans any cover, frame, bracket, holder, mounting, or colored glass or plastic placed on, around, or over a license plate if it in any way alters or obscures the plate…

Virginia prohibits radar and laser detectors outright in every private vehicle. Va. Code 46.2-1079 makes it unlawful to operate a car equipped with any passive or active device that…

Virginia permits studded snow tires only between October 15 and April 15, and only on a vehicle whose gross weight does not exceed 10,000 pounds. The studs must project no more than…

Virginia lets you tint front side windows down to 50 percent light transmittance and rear side and rear windows down to 35 percent, and no window film anywhere on the car may reflect…