Virginia Beach, VA Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 8-91
- Administered by
- Dept. of Planning
- Decision body
- Historic Preservation Commission
- Review timeline
- 120 days from application
- Minimum age
- 50 years (absent exceptional value)
Summary
Owners can list historic buildings and sites on the voluntary Virginia Beach Historical Register, which carries no mandatory restrictions on the property.
There is hereby established the Virginia Beach Historical Register (the "register") of buildings, other structures and sites located within the city. The register shall be maintained by the department of planning. Inclusion on the register shall be voluntary and shall impose no mandatory requirements upon the property or the owners thereof. The removal of a property from the register shall be granted upon request of the owner of such property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 8-91 creates the Virginia Beach Historical Register, maintained by the Department of Planning, for buildings, structures and sites at least 50 years old with significant historic, architectural, archaeological or cultural value. Owners apply to the Director of Planning; the Historic Preservation Commission decides within 120 days, weighing the property's association with significant events, notable persons or a distinctive architectural style. Listing is entirely voluntary and imposes no mandatory requirements on the owner, and a listed property comes off the register on the owner's request. This differs from the separate, zoning-based Historic and Cultural District (City Zoning Ordinance Art. XIII), which does impose a certificate-of-appropriateness review on exterior changes within its boundaries.
Violations & Fines
None: listing is voluntary and imposes no code requirements or penalties on the owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does listing on the Virginia Beach Historical Register restrict what I can do to my property?
How do I remove my property from the register?
Is this the same as Virginia Beach's Historic and Cultural District?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Virginia Beach
Compare Virginia Beach to another location·View the Virginia historic preservation overview
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