Just cause eviction rules in Norfolk, VA — sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances — list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Norfolk follows the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA) for evictions. Virginia is not a just-cause eviction state and Dillons Rule prevents Norfolk from enacting local just-cause protections. Landlords may decline to renew leases without stating a reason.
Evictions in Norfolk are governed by VA Code Title 55.1, Chapter 12 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) and unlawful detainer proceedings in Norfolk General District Court. Under VRLTA, landlords must provide a 5-day pay-or-quit notice for nonpayment of rent, a 30-day notice for nonremediable lease violations, or a 21/30 notice for curable breaches. At lease expiration, landlords may refuse renewal without cause and serve a notice to vacate. Norfolk has no local just-cause eviction ordinance and Dillons Rule blocks the city from creating one without General Assembly authorization. Landlords must go through court for formal eviction; self-help lockouts and utility shutoffs are prohibited under VA Code 55.1-1243. The Norfolk Sheriff executes writs of eviction after judgment. Tenants facing eviction may access Virginia Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia and Norfolks rental assistance programs administered through the Department of Human Services.
Illegal lockouts expose landlords to actual damages plus one months rent under VA Code 55.1-1243. Retaliatory evictions barred under VA Code 55.1-1258.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk prohibits habitual barking that disturbs neighbors under City Code Chapter 6 (Animals). A dog barking continuously for 20 minutes or intermittently f...
Norfolk, VA
Amplified music in Norfolk is prohibited if plainly audible at 50 feet from the source or inside another residence. Granby Street, Waterside District, and Gh...
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk enforces quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM weekdays and 11 PM to 8 AM weekends under City Code Chapter 26. Plainly audible standard applies at 50 feet o...
Norfolk, VA
Virginia has no statutory shared-fence cost law. Norfolk property owners are individually responsible for fences on their own land. Boundary-line fences requ...
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk requires all dogs off their owner's property to be leashed under City Code Chapter 6. Town Point Park, Ocean View Beach, and most city parks require ...
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk limits households to a combined total of 4 dogs and cats over 4 months old without a kennel license. Kennel licenses require zoning approval. Militar...
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