Loudoun County, VA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)

Virginia is a non-just-cause state. Landlords may terminate a month-to-month tenancy for any reason (or no reason) with 30 days written notice per VRLTA §55.1-1253. Fixed-term leases end on their natural expiration date; non-renewal requires no justification. Loudoun County has not enacted just-cause eviction requirements and cannot under Dillon's Rule without state authorization. For-cause eviction procedures (VRLTA): (1) Non-payment: 5-Day Pay or Quit Notice (§55.1-1245), unpaid rent or vacate within 5 days; if unpaid, landlord files Unlawful Detainer in Loudoun General District Court (20 S King St, Leesburg). (2) Material lease violation (noise, unauthorized occupants, property damage): 21/30 Notice (§55.1-1245) — 21 days to cure, or 30 days to vacate if not cured. (3) Non-curable lease violation: 30-day termination. (4) Criminal activity on premises: immediate termination (§55.1-1245(D)). Virginia abolished pay-and-stay for chronic late payers in 2023 reforms but preserved most tenant protections. Self-help evictions prohibited (§55.1-1243) — changing locks, shutting off utilities, removing belongings without a court writ are illegal, with statutory damages + attorney fees to tenant. Retaliatory evictions prohibited (§55.1-1258). Discriminatory evictions prohibited under federal Fair Housing Act and Virginia Fair Housing Law (VA Code §36-96.1+). Loudoun evictions proceed through General District Court (Judicial Center, Leesburg); writ of possession executed by Loudoun County Sheriff. Total eviction timeline in Loudoun: 30-60 days typical for non-payment. Loudoun County has eviction diversion programs through Legal Services of Northern Virginia.