Hampton, VA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Notice deadline
- 60 days after department mailing
- New-owner notice
- within 30 days of transfer
- Enforcing office
- Community Development Department
- Civil penalty
- $50 per property, willful failure
Summary
Hampton requires owners of residential rental dwelling units inside a designated rental inspection district to notify the Community Development Department in writing within 60 days, giving property, owner, and responsible-party details.
The owner of any residential rental dwelling unit located within an inspection district shall notify the department in writing no later than sixty (60) days following the date of the notice referred to in paragraph (a) above that said property is a residential rental dwelling unit. Such notice and information shall be submitted on a form provided by the department.
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
Once the department mails its notice under § 9-251(a), the owner of any residential rental dwelling unit inside an inspection district has 60 days to submit a department form listing the unit's address, each owner's name, home address and phone number, and any responsible party or designee other than the owner. A new owner must give the same notice within 30 days of taking title. Registration applies only inside the nine rental inspection districts created under § 9-241, or to an individual unit City Council separately designates outside a district under § 9-243.
Violations & Fines
Willfully failing to give timely notice is a violation of § 9-251(b) subject to a $50.00 civil penalty per property under § 9-268(b), and the unit cannot receive the certificate of compliance needed to rent it out lawfully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every rental in Hampton have to register?
What happens if I don't notify the city?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hampton
Compare Hampton to another location·View the Virginia rental property rules overview
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