Alexandria, VA Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)

Sec. 1:1. Sec. 8-1-112 requires city council, after a duly advertised public hearing, to find that units inside a designated district need protection because they are blighted, deteriorating, or otherwise require inspection to prevent deterioration before the district can be created. Sec. 8-1-113 establishes the East and West rental inspection districts by 2000 census tract, covering specific tracts across the city, with a map on file at the code enforcement bureau. Inside those districts, Sec. 8-1-115 lets the code official inspect rental units to check for compliance and for disqualifying violations; owners must arrange and permit the inspection and notify occupants beforehand.

A unit with no disqualifying violations gets a 48-month certificate of compliance; one with only minor, non-disqualifying violations still gets that certificate but with a remediation deadline noted; a unit with disqualifying violations gets no certificate until they are fixed, though a temporary certificate may issue if the code official finds no immediate threat to occupants. Critically, Sec. 8-1-115(f) bars an owner from letting anyone occupy the unit as a tenant unless a current certificate or temporary certificate is in force. Multiple-family developments of more than 10 units are sampled rather than fully inspected, per Sec.

8-1-117, with the code official inspecting at least two units and up to 10 percent, though a fee-capped inspection of no more than 10 units applies regardless of how many are checked.