Richmond, VA

Richmond permits wood, vinyl, metal, and masonry fencing in most districts. Barbed wire and razor wire are restricted to industrial zones. Historic districts restrict materials to…

Richmond limits fences and walls in side and rear yards to 6½ feet, and to just 4 feet in a front yard, except single-family R-1 lots where a front yard fence can also reach 6½ feet…

Under Code of Virginia § 55.1-2821, adjoining landowners must build and maintain division fences between their lands at joint and equal expense, unless one leaves his land open or the…

Consumer fireworks are prohibited in Richmond. Although Virginia Code 27-97 allows localities to permit fireworks, Richmond City Code prohibits possession, sale, and discharge of…

Open burning is heavily restricted in Richmond. The Virginia 4 PM Burning Law (VA Code 10.1-1142) applies Feb 15 to April 30, prohibiting burning before 4 PM within 300 feet of…

Virginia's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which governs every rental unit in Richmond, requires landlords to certify smoke alarms in writing. The landlord must give tenants a…

Virginia adopts the Statewide Fire Prevention Code applying uniform NFPA 58 propane storage and handling standards across all jurisdictions, regulating tank placement, capacity, and…

Virginia lets the Governor, on the State Forester's recommendation, ban all open burning when serious fire hazards exist, and makes anyone whose negligence causes a wildfire liable to…

Richmond enforces vehicle noise through Virginia Code 46.2-1049 (adequate muffler) and local Chapter 38 rules. Modified exhaust, loud stereos audible at 50 feet, and engine revving are…

Richmond caps outdoor amplified and acoustic music at 75 dBA measured ten feet from the instrument or speaker between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., dropping to 65 dBA overnight, under Sec…

Richmond exempts construction, repair, remodeling, demolition and grading noise from its sound ordinance only between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. under Sec. 11-36(8). Work outside that…

Richmond sets numeric sound ceilings by property type in Sec. 11-37: 65 dBA measured anywhere on a house or duplex lot between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., dropping to 55 dBA overnight…

Richmond exempts domestic power tools such as mowers, chain saws and weed eaters from its sound ordinance only when operated between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. with a standard muffler or…

Richmond bars owners from letting a dog, cat or other animal create sound that is plainly audible inside a neighbor's dwelling, or 50 feet away, at least once a minute for ten straight…

Richmond requires STR operators to obtain a Short-Term Rental Special Use Permit or Zoning Certificate under Ordinance 2020-046. Operators must live on the property as their primary…

Richmond does not impose an annual night cap on owner-occupied STRs. Rentals are unlimited so long as the operator maintains primary residency at least 185 days per year and remains…

Booking platforms operating in Richmond must work within Virginia's STR registry framework under VA §15.2-983, which permits localities to require listing information and tax…

In Richmond's residential zoning districts, a short-term rental may only operate on the same lot as the operator's primary residence. Richmond City Code § 30-697.2 covers every R-1…

Richmond caps short-term rental occupancy at the lesser of eight adult renters or the maximum allowed by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, under Section 30-697.1(1), and…

Richmond STR operators must carry at least 500,000 dollars in liability insurance covering STR use, or use a platform (Airbnb AirCover, Vrbo Liability Insurance) providing equivalent…

Richmond STRs must provide at least 1 on-site parking space per bedroom rented, per §30-692.4. On-street parking cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. Fan District, Museum…

Virginia imposes a state sales tax and authorizes local transient occupancy taxes on short-term rentals, with platform collection responsibilities and accommodations intermediary rules…

Richmond regulates tree trimming for street trees and trees in public rights-of-way. Homeowners may trim branches overhanging their property under Virginia common law self-help rule…

Richmond makes it unlawful for anyone who owns or occupies property to let grass, weeds, or other vegetation grow 12 inches or higher, exempting trees, shrubbery, agricultural plants…

Richmond Chapter 41 (Trees) requires permits to remove trees in the public right-of-way, on city property, and within the Resource Protection Area buffer along the James River, with…

When Richmond declares mandatory water conservation measures under Code Sec. 28-885, established landscape watering is locked to specific days by address: odd-numbered addresses may…

Virginia encourages rainwater harvesting and graywater reuse: outdoor rain-barrel collection is essentially unregulated, while the Board of Health sets standards for reuse systems and…

Richmond classifies vehicles as abandoned after 72 hours on public property or if inoperable, unlicensed, or partially dismantled on private property per VA Code 46.2-1200 and City…

Richmond lets neighborhoods petition for a residential restricted parking district covering at least ten contiguous block faces if a majority of owners or occupants support it and…

Richmond bans parking any motor vehicle over 6,500 pounds empty weight, plus any trailer, semitrailer or motor home, on streets or alleys along residential or mixed…

Richmond curb loading zones cap non-loading parking at 30 minutes; vehicles actively unloading or picking up materials can stay longer during the zone's posted hours. Passenger…

Richmond caps driveways through a front yard at nine feet wide for single- and two-family dwellings, and bars a street-facing driveway altogether wherever the lot already has alley…

Richmond bars parking on sidewalks, in front of driveways, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk, in bicycle lanes, and in 14 other specified locations, with…

Richmond permits residential Level 2 EV charger installation with an electrical permit, and the city operates public charging stations in several garages and curbside locations…

Richmond bars parking or storing any recreational vehicle, a category the zoning code defines to include boats and boat trailers, in the front yard or a required side yard of a lot in…

Virginia puts the ceiling on a nonconsensual tow in the Code itself rather than in an agency tariff. Va. Code § 46.2-1233.1 A caps the hookup and initial towing fee for a passenger car…

Richmond cats over six months old cannot be in a public place unsupervised unless they are sterilized. City Code § 4-306 covers streets, sidewalks, parks and even shopping-center…

No one may offer a dog or cat for sale, adoption, barter or exchange in a public place in Richmond without a breeding permit, unless the animal is sterilized, sold through a permitted…

Richmond bans owning, breeding, buying or selling monkeys, wolves, big cats, bears, venomous reptiles and crocodilians as pets. City Code § 4-401 exempts only licensed zoos, circuses…

Richmond bars any dog from running at large off its owner's property without a fence, tether, lead or leash; electronic collars do not count, and a first offense is a Class 4…

Richmond allows up to six female chickens per residential lot, but only with a Director-issued permit costing $60.00 to apply and $60.00 to renew each year. Roosters are banned…

Richmond bars owning an unspayed or unneutered dog or cat over six months old unless the owner holds an annual $200 breeding permit. City Code § 4-307 applies whether or not the owner…

Richmond cannot declare a dog dangerous or vicious based on breed alone. City Code § 4-241 requires a court finding after a bite or attack, then imposes a $150.00 registration fee…

Beekeeping is allowed in Richmond residential zones with hives set back at least 10 feet from property lines. State Apiarist registration (VA Code 3.2-4400) is required annually.

Feeding birds, animals or aquatic life anywhere in Richmond's Downtown Riverfront Canal Area, the leased canal property running roughly from Sixth Street to 18th Street and including…

Virginia Code Section 3.2-6503 requires every owner to provide adequate care for companion animals, with criminal penalties for neglect that often underpin hoarding cases.

Richmond's zoning code does not let residents place a tiny home in the backyard as an ordinary accessory structure. A tiny home, defined at Richmond City Code § 30-1220 as a structure…

Richmond caps accessory structures like sheds and detached garages at 20 feet in height and limits their combined footprint to no more than the footprint of the main house. Placement…

Richmond permits one accessory dwelling unit per single-family lot, but caps it at one-third of the main house's floor area or 500 square feet, whichever is greater. City Code §…

Home occupations in Richmond cannot draw more than four client, customer or delivery vehicles a day, or host more than two visitors at once, and all such visits must fall between 8:00…

Richmond allows home-based businesses under Section 30-694.1's home occupation rules, but only within the dwelling or an enclosed accessory building, capped at 25 percent of heated…

Section 30-694.1(4) bars any sign for a home-based business beyond what Article V of the zoning code specifically permits, and forbids any exterior display or alteration signaling that…

Richmond follows the Virginia Cottage Food Law under VA Code 3.2-5130 allowing sale of certain non-potentially hazardous foods made in a home kitchen without a food establishment…

Virginia requires a state license for family day homes caring for five to twelve unrelated children under Va. Code 22.1-289.02, setting uniform capacity, training, and background-check…

Virginia does not issue a microenterprise home kitchen permit, and it cannot: the Board of Health food regulation at 12VAC5-421-2990 says a private home shall not be used for…

The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code requires a 48-inch barrier around residential swimming pools and spas, preempting local pool fencing rules statewide.

Virginia prohibits commercial cannabis delivery until the Cannabis Control Authority licenses retail; gifting cannabis with another transaction is treated as illegal sale under…

Adults 21+ in Richmond may grow up to four cannabis plants per household for personal use under Virginia Code Section 4.1-1101, provided plants are tagged, kept from public view, and…

Virginia legalized personal cannabis home cultivation effective July 1, 2021 under VA Code 4.1-1101. Adults 21+ may grow up to 4 plants per household (not per adult). Richmond follows…

Virginia bars anyone from operating a medical cannabis dispensing facility or pharmaceutical processor without a permit from the Cannabis Control Authority Board. Permits are capped by…

Virginia authorizes syringe services programs under Virginia Code Section 32.1-45.4; Richmond participants and households must dispose of used sharps in approved rigid containers…

Richmond property owners and occupants must eliminate rat and rodent harborages under City Code § 15-64: no piling rubbish, boxes, lumber, or scrap metal where rats can nest, and any…

Richmond's nuisance ordinance names bed bug infestation, alongside rats, roaches, fleas, and other vermin, as a declared nuisance condition. Anyone who owns or occupies property in the…

Richmond doesn't run a letter-grade placard system; instead Section 6-318 requires the District Health Department to post a copy of every food establishment's inspection report on an…

HOAs may levy assessments per the recorded declaration under VA Code §55.1-1823. Liens attach automatically for unpaid assessments and may be foreclosed non-judicially after 90 days…

Richmond HOAs enforce recorded covenants through fines up to 50 dollars per violation or 10 dollars per day for continuing violations under VA Code §55.1-1819. Owners must receive…

Richmond HOAs are governed by the Virginia Property Owners Association Act (VA Code §55.1-1800 et seq.). Boards must hold at least one annual meeting, provide 14 days written notice…

Owner complaints against Richmond HOAs may be filed with the Virginia Common Interest Community Ombudsman after exhausting internal processes. Associations must adopt a written…

Virginia's Property Owners' Association Act protects one flag and one flag only: the flag of the United States. Under Va. Code § 55.1-1820 no association may prohibit a lot owner from…

Virginia caps association fines by statute. Under Va. Code § 55.1-1819 D a charge may not exceed $50 for a single offense or $10 per day for a continuing offense, and a continuing…

Virginia does not stop a community association from restricting or even prohibiting leasing, because Va. Code § 55.1-1806 opens with an exception for anything expressly authorized in…

Virginia's Fair Housing Law prohibits Richmond landlords from refusing to rent based on a tenant's lawful source of income, including Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Social…

Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority administers Housing Choice Vouchers locally, and Virginia state law requires landlords to consider voucher holders on equal terms with…

Virginia law protects Richmond tenants from landlord retaliation and harassment for asserting their rights, including filing habitability complaints, joining tenant organizations, or…

Virginia's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act caps security deposits at two months' rent, requires return within 45 days of move-out with itemized deductions, and applies uniformly across…

Richmond cannot impose rent control because Virginia Code 55.1-1204 and Dillon's Rule preempt local rent regulation; landlord-tenant disputes fall under the Virginia Residential…

Va. Code § 55.1-1220 requires landlords to keep rentals fit and habitable: comply with building codes, make needed repairs, maintain electrical, plumbing, heating and HVAC systems…

The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act sets uniform eviction grounds and notice periods statewide, preempting local just-cause ordinances under Dillon's Rule.

Under Va. Code § 55.1-1229, a landlord must give the tenant notice of intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times, except in an emergency. For routine maintenance the tenant…

Va. Code § 55.1-1204 lets a landlord charge a late fee only if the written lease provides for it, capped at the lesser of 10 percent of the periodic rent or 10 percent of the remaining…

Under Va. Code § 55.1-1253, either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date, and a week-to-week tenancy with at least…

Virginia limits municipal rental inspection programs to designated blighted districts and requires specific procedural standards, preempting blanket rental registration ordinances.

Under Va. Code § 8.01-236, a person must take action to recover land within 15 years after the right accrues, so an occupant claiming title by adverse possession must hold the property…

Richmond has expanded protected bike lanes along Franklin Street, Brook Road, and Floyd Avenue under its Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan, with motorists prohibited from…

Richmond regulates shared mobility devices through a city pilot ordinance and operator agreements with companies like Bird and Lime, requiring helmets for riders under 14…

Richmond runs a traffic signal enforcement program using red light cameras under state authority, capping penalties at $50 per violation with no court costs and no license points…

Richmond requires riders 14 and under to wear a CPSC-standard helmet on e-bikes, mobility devices, and scooters on any street, sidewalk, or bike path, and bars operation on sidewalks…

Virginia runs two separate schemes. A golf cart or utility vehicle is barred from every public highway in the Commonwealth unless the county, city, or town has designated that road by…

Richmond Municipal Code Chapter 24 and Virginia Code Section 4.1-308 prohibit possessing open alcohol containers in public places, including sidewalks, parks, and vehicles. Designated…

Virginia legalized personal cannabis possession in 2021, but Virginia Code Section 4.1-1109 still prohibits public consumption. Richmond enforces the statute on sidewalks, parks, and…

Richmond bans aggressive panhandling in any public place, defined as touching someone without consent, blocking their path, or using violent or threatening language while soliciting. A…

Richmond bans loitering that blocks sidewalks, entrances or streets, or that is aimed at engaging drivers stopped in traffic. City Code makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up…

Richmond makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly, voluntarily and intentionally urinate or defecate in public, in a public place, or anywhere open to public view. The only…

Richmond bans skateboarding on the premises of the main branch of the public library, City Hall, Canal Walk and Festival Park. Separate location-specific rules add Festival Park's…

Richmond requires tobacco retailers to hold a city business license under Chapter 6 and comply with Virginia Code Section 18.2-371.2 establishing age 21 as the minimum purchase age…

Richmond's zoning code keeps adult entertainment establishments, adult bookstores, adult motion picture theaters and massage parlors at least 1,000 feet from residential districts…

Richmond bars charging any towing or storage fee for removing a vehicle from private property without the owner's permission unless the lot posts a compliant sign naming the towing…

Richmond caps pawnbroker licenses at 12 citywide and requires a Chief of Police and Circuit Court certificate before one issues. Licensees pay $750 plus $0.36 per $100 of gross…

Before inking anyone, a Richmond tattoo artist must explain the risks under Section 6-97(b) and get the client's written informed consent, and Section 6-92 flatly bars anyone under 18…

Richmond only lets a certified massage therapist give a massage for consideration, and Section 6-62 confines where that can happen to eight named settings, from a massage establishment…

Richmond secondhand dealers must hold a merchant's license plus a Chief of Police permit, keep a permanent purchase ledger, report identifiable items daily, hold goods 15 days before…

Richmond flatly bans vehicle and engine repair as a home occupation. Section 30-694.1(7) prohibits repairing vehicles or internal combustion engines in connection with any home-based…

Although Richmond is inland, the James River floodplain and the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act drive strict development limits along the river corridor, including Resource Protection…

New construction and substantial improvements to commercial, industrial, or other nonresidential buildings inside a Richmond floodplain district must have their lowest floor, including…

Richmond requires anyone who builds a permanent stormwater management facility, from a detention pond to a bioretention cell, to sign and record a maintenance instrument obligating…

Richmond requires a Richmond erosion and stormwater management program permit under City Code § 14-325 before anyone disturbs land here, whether it is a one-acre subdivision or a small…

Virginia coordinates floodplain management statewide through DCR, requiring localities to adopt floodplain ordinances meeting National Flood Insurance Program minimums for residents to…

Richmond allows political signs on private property with owner consent. Under Reed v. Town of Gilbert content-neutral standards, signs cannot be regulated based on message but are…

Richmond caps window and door signage at 25 percent of the glass. Any window sign or combination of signs whose aggregate area on a single window or door exceeds a quarter of that…

Digital and off-premises billboards are banned everywhere in Richmond except the B-3 General Business District, where they must sit within 660 feet of an interstate right-of-way, top…

Virginia law prohibits all signs, including garage sale and yard sale notices, placed within the limits of any state highway right-of-way, with a $100 civil penalty per occurrence.

Richmond levies an 8 percent transient lodging tax on the room charge for any hotel, motel, inn, rooming house or short-term rental stay under 90 consecutive days. Accommodations…

Richmond bars anyone under 18 from remaining in any public place or business establishment between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Parents who knowingly allow it, and business owners who let…

Richmond's public parks, playgrounds and recreation areas close at sunset and reopen at sunrise under City Code § 8-280, with a few carve-outs: lighted athletic facilities stay open…

Richmond's BPOL license tax sorts every business into a classification, contractor, retailer, financial/real estate/professional services, personal and business services, or…

Exclusive use of any Richmond City park, park house, playground, recreation center or public open space requires a written permit from the Director of Parks, Recreation and Community…

Richmond requires a written permit from the Chief of Police for any parade, public assembly of more than ten people, or marathon on public streets or property, applied for at least 15…

Richmond charges tiered hourly fees for street fairs and festivals held on City grounds under Richmond City Code § 8-279(c). A small gathering under 100 people with no vendors costs…

Restaurants that want tables on a Richmond public sidewalk need an approved sidewalk cafe permit from the Directors of Planning and Development Review and Public Works. Applications…

Turning a Richmond parking space into a parklet or bike corral requires a Director of Public Works permit plus Planning Commission approval of its location, character, and extent…

The Chief of Police can approve a temporary street closure in Richmond for a private purpose like a block party, closing connecting alleys too, as long as no advertising is displayed…

Commercial film shoots and drone filming on Richmond park property are not covered by a stand-alone film permit: they run through the same special-event permit and fee schedule as…

Richmond charges building owners an annual elevator routine test fee of $150.00 to $200.00 depending on the number of floors served, plus a separate $125.00 annual routine inspection…

Richmond requires a valid Bureau of Permits and Inspections permit before starting covered work; starting early still costs the full permit fee and can draw prosecution. Inspectors…

Richmond requires a permit before construction, reconstruction, alteration, conversion, repair, maintenance or equipment installation on any building or structure. The Bureau of…

Every Richmond short-term rental must have carbon monoxide detectors installed in compliance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, alongside required smoke detectors and a…

Richmond City Code makes owners of pre-1978 dwellings and child-occupied facilities responsible for keeping painted surfaces free of peeling, chipping, cracking or flaking paint once…

Bars, restaurants and other establishments serving food or drink in Richmond may generate up to 80 dBA between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and 75 dBA overnight, measured from the…

Dumping trash, demolition debris, hazardous waste or other unsightly material on public property, City waters, rights-of-way, or private property without the owner's written consent is…

Richmond charges every eligible residential water customer $2.99 a month for curbside recycling under Richmond City Code § 23-42(b), billed on the water bill alongside a $23.75 monthly…

Any Richmond business using a bulk (dumpster-style) container for its refuse must hire a private contractor to service it; the City does not collect commercial dumpsters. Richmond City…

Richmond City Code § 23-43 puts the Department of Public Works in charge of regular curbside collection for every residential property, covering household waste, bulk items, yard…

Richmond schedules free bulk item collection under Richmond City Code § 23-44(b), but requesting same-day bulk pickup costs $100 and appliance collection costs $50. Landlords or agents…

Richmond issues 90-gallon or 95-gallon City containers for curbside collection under Richmond City Code § 23-72, capped at 180 pounds when full. A container damaged through no fault of…

Richmond collects tree trimmings under four inches thick, shrubbery trimmings, and brush on a Department of Public Works schedule under Richmond City Code § 23-44(c). Loose leaves are…

Richmond City Code § 23-44(a) sets the collection window for curbside refuse and recycling bins: out no earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before pickup, and back off City property by 7:00…

Richmond charges film productions a $100.00 daily staff cost per filming location under Richmond City Code § 8-279(c)(11), on top of the base grounds-use permit process. The fee funds…

Closing a Richmond street for a permitted special event, including a film shoot, costs $50.00 per street under Richmond City Code § 8-279(c)(9). The fee sits in the same Parks…

Richmond City Code § 8-273 makes it unlawful to camp, tent, encamp or quarter on any public grounds, park, playfield, playground, or other city-owned property, and separately bars…

Richmond City Code § 19-110 defines "loiter" to include standing, sitting or lying upon any public street, sidewalk, crosswalk or other public place, and makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor…

Richmond puts sidewalk upkeep on the property next to it. Under Section 24-175, the owner abutting a sidewalk crossing is the presumed responsible party for maintaining and repairing…

Placing anything in a Richmond street, sidewalk, or public way without Public Works' consent is unlawful and automatically counts as a nuisance the city can abate. Encroachments…

Any private use of a Richmond street, sidewalk, or public way beyond ordinary public passage needs sign-off from the Director of Public Works, the Director's designee, or City Council…

Operating a drone for commercial filming on Richmond public grounds requires an FAA-licensed operator and a $125.00 permit under Richmond City Code § 8-279(c)(10). The fee is part of…

Recreational drone operation in Richmond governed by FAA Part 107 and VA Code 15.2-926.3 which preempts most local drone regulation. TRUST certification and drone registration required…

Richmond's Spot Blight Abatement Program (City Code Ch. 5, Art. IV) lets the Mayor formally identify a blighted property and gives the owner of record only 30 days to submit a written…

Richmond prohibits anyone who owns or occupies land within the City, including vacant and unimproved lots, from letting trash, garbage, refuse, junk, demolition materials, or outdoor…

Any mobile food unit operating in Richmond counts as a 'food establishment' under Section 6-267 and needs an annual permit from the District Health Director, posted where customers can…

Vending on a Central Business District sidewalk requires its own permit under Section 6-482, capped at one location per vendor per block face, with a wall of siting rules like staying…

Selling food or merchandise on a Richmond sidewalk outside downtown is legal under Section 6-456, but only if the vendor clears a long list of distance and hours rules, from staying…

Richmond runs its cultural monument and historical marker decisions through the History and Culture Commission, created by Richmond City Code § 2-1377. The nine-member commission…

Richmond requires any accessory outdoor lighting, whether on a home, business, or parking lot, to be positioned, aimed, or shielded so it doesn't shine directly onto a neighbor's…

Richmond sets yard setbacks district by district rather than with one citywide number: the R-1 Single-Family district requires a 35-foot front yard and 10-foot side and rear yards, and…

Richmond caps residential buildings at 35 feet across every single-family zoning district, from the large-lot R-1 district down through R-5, with the identical limit repeated district…

Richmond caps how much of a lot a house and its accessory buildings can cover, with the percentage set district by district in Chapter 30's zoning table. The baseline R-1 Single-Family…

Richmond imposes a five-cent disposable plastic bag tax under Virginia Code Section 58.1-1745, charged at grocery stores, convenience stores and drugstores; revenue funds environmental…

Virginia Code § 10.1-1424.3 phases out expanded polystyrene single-use food service containers: food vendors with 20 or more locations had to comply by July 1, 2025, and all food…

Virginia Code Section 18.2-371.2 sets the minimum age to buy tobacco, nicotine vapor and hemp products at 21 statewide; Richmond retailers must check ID on every sale to anyone…

Richmond Chapter 44 allows discretionary density bonuses through the special use permit process for projects providing affordable housing, exceeding base zoning by up to 50% in density…

Richmond recognizes posted no-soliciting signs as legally binding notice. Solicitors who knock despite a clearly visible No Soliciting sign commit trespass under VA Code 18.2-119. Does…

Richmond regulates door-to-door and street peddling through Article VIII of Chapter 6: anyone who carries goods in a vehicle to sell has to pay a license tax under Chapter 26 and stay…

Richmond's zoning code lets a roof-mounted solar array project into a required yard the same as the roof beneath it, as long as the panels rise no more than 12 inches above the roof…

Virginia's solar covenant statute is a default rule, not a covenant-voiding right. Va. Code § 55.1-1820.1 B says no association shall prohibit an owner from installing a solar energy…

Richmond's water conservation ordinance, Chapter 28 Division 8, carves out recycled water entirely: Code Sec. 28-882(c)(2) states recycled water and water supplied from public or…

Virginia's minimum wage under Code § 40.1-28.10 is $12.77 per hour in 2026, rising to $13.75 on January 1, 2027 and $15.00 on January 1, 2028. The state rate preempts localities from…

Virginia Code 40.1-33.3 et seq. requires paid sick leave only for certain home health workers; no general statewide paid leave mandate exists, and broad local paid leave ordinances…

Virginia issues concealed handgun permits under Code 18.2-308.01 through 18.2-308.014, with shall-issue standards administered by circuit courts; localities cannot impose additional…

Virginia preempts most local firearm regulation under Code 15.2-915, but a 2020 amendment lets localities restrict firearms in specific public buildings, parks, recreation centers, and…

Virginia generally permits open carry of firearms by adults without a permit, though Code 18.2-287.4 restricts certain loaded high-capacity weapons in named public areas of larger…

Virginia Code 18.2-308 lets adults transport firearms in personal vehicles, with concealed handguns in a closed compartment lawful without a permit; localities are preempted by Code…

Virginia confines casino gaming to a short list of statutorily defined 'eligible host cities' that meet strict poverty, unemployment, or tax-exempt-property thresholds under Va. Code §…

Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services controls all charitable gaming under Code § 18.2-340.15, treating it as a revocable privilege rather than a right. A…

Virginia's general gambling ban does not reach a private game of chance held in someone's home. Code § 18.2-334 exempts games of chance in a private residence from prosecution under…

Virginia legalized online sports betting in 2020 under Code § 58.1-4032, but caps competition: the Virginia Lottery's Director issues no fewer than four and no more than 12 permits…

Virginia law enforcement runs sobriety checkpoints, and the General Assembly legislated on that fact in 2023, but no section of the Code of Virginia authorizes or regulates them. Va…

Virginia has no statute granting an express right to record police, and it does not need one, because Virginia is a one-party consent state. Va. Code § 19.2-62(B)(2) makes it no…

Virginia is not a stop-and-identify state. No section of the Code of Virginia requires a person stopped or detained on the street to give a name, and the General Assembly has never…

Virginia is one of the few states that answered the consent question by statute rather than leaving it to the courts. Va. Code § 4.1-1302 bars an officer from stopping, searching or…

Virginia Code 15.2-2288 and 15.2-2288.3 limit how localities may zone agricultural land, preserving by-right production and restricting special use permit requirements for bona fide…

Virginia runs a closed list. Va. Code 46.2-1020 names the extra lights a private vehicle may carry, and anything not on that list, not permitted elsewhere in the lighting article, and…

Virginia is one of the few states with a dash camera provision written into the vehicle code by name. Since 2023, subsection C of Va. Code 46.2-1054 says the obstructed-view law does…

Virginia does not permit lane splitting, and it does not treat the offense as a simple traffic ticket. Va. Code § 46.2-857 makes it reckless driving to drive any motor vehicle so as to…

Virginia bans any cover, frame, bracket, holder, mounting, or colored glass or plastic placed on, around, or over a license plate if it in any way alters or obscures the plate…

Virginia prohibits radar and laser detectors outright in every private vehicle. Va. Code 46.2-1079 makes it unlawful to operate a car equipped with any passive or active device that…

Virginia permits studded snow tires only between October 15 and April 15, and only on a vehicle whose gross weight does not exceed 10,000 pounds. The studs must project no more than…

Virginia lets you tint front side windows down to 50 percent light transmittance and rear side and rear windows down to 35 percent, and no window film anywhere on the car may reflect…