Hampton, VA Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Districts
- 9 named neighborhoods, § 9-242
- Certificate term
- 12 or 48 months
- Occupancy deadline
- 210 days after district created
- Reinspection fee
- $100 per unit, major violations
Summary
Hampton designates specific neighborhoods as rental inspection districts, where landlords must obtain a Community Development Department inspection and hold a valid certificate of compliance before renting a unit to a tenant.
The owner of each residential rental dwelling unit located in an inspection district shall obtain an initial inspection and subsequent inspections of such residential rental dwelling unit as provided in this section. Inspections under this article shall be conducted by the department that is charged with the enforcement of this article. If the unit to be inspected is occupied at the time of a required inspection, it shall be the duty of the owner to notify the occupants of such inspection.(b)No annual inspection pursuant to this article shall take place more than one time each year, calculated from the date of the first inspection, regardless of whether additional inspections are necessary to achieve compliance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31 | Zoning: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
City Council has established nine rental inspection districts under § 9-241–9-242, including North Phoebus, Shell Road Corridor/South Wythe, South Phoebus, Sussex, Hampton Club/Magruder Heights, Holly Homes/Fordham, Olde Hampton, Old North Hampton/Langley, and Foxhill Townhomes. Owners inside a district must obtain an initial inspection and, per § 9-252, no more than one annual inspection thereafter; a unit with no disqualifying violations earns a 48-month certificate of compliance instead of an annual one. Under § 9-256, it becomes unlawful to let a tenant occupy the unit 210 days after the district is established unless a current certificate is in force. Initial inspections are free; reinspections for major violations cost $100 per unit under § 9-266.
Violations & Fines
Occupying or renting a unit in a district without a valid certificate of compliance is unlawful under § 9-256; willful noncompliance is punished under the general § 9-2 penalty schedule, and reinspections for major violations cost $100 per unit under § 9-266.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out my unit in a district without an inspection?
How often are rental units reinspected?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hampton
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