Virginia Beach, VA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration deadline
- 60 days after district designation
- Civil penalty
- $50 for willful non-notification
- Enforced by
- Dept. of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation
- Applies to
- Only designated rental inspection districts
- Inspection fee
- $50 initial, $50 per follow-up
Summary
Owners of rental units inside a city council-designated rental inspection district must notify the code enforcement administrator in writing within 60 days of designation, or face a $50 civil penalty.
The owner of any residential rental dwelling unit located within an inspection district shall, no later than sixty (60) days after the date of adoption of the ordinance, notify the code enforcement administrator in writing of any property that is used as a residential rental dwelling unit. Such notice and information shall be submitted on a form provided by the code enforcement administrator. Any owner who willfully fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection after having been given notice pursuant to subsection (a) hereof shall be subject to a civil penalty in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00). Such civil penalty shall be in lieu of all other penalties. (Ord. No. 2884, 6-14-05)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Virginia Beach doesn't require city-wide rental registration. Instead, city council may designate specific rental inspection districts (or individual units) after a public hearing, finding blight or deterioration risk. Once a district is designated, owners of residential rental dwelling units inside it have 60 days to notify the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation's code enforcement administrator, in writing on a city-provided form, that the property is rented. The administrator then inspects and issues a compliance certificate; exemptions run 4 years if no code violations are found.
Violations & Fines
Willful failure to register after notice brings a $50 civil penalty (in lieu of other penalties); unregistered units also remain subject to inspection, and units failing Uniform Statewide Building Code standards can trigger the chapter's misdemeanor penalties up to $2,500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every rental property in Virginia Beach have to register?
What happens if I don't register my rental unit on time?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Virginia Beach
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