Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Richmond, VA Short-Term Rentals: Host Platform Liability (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified May 2026

Key Facts

Authority
VA §15.2-983
Platform tax collection
Voluntary agreements
Host duty
Independent of platform
Severity
Moderate

Summary

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 remittance from short-term rental intermediaries.

B. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, general or special, any locality may, by ordinance, establish a short-term rental registry and require operators within the locality to register annually. The registration shall be ministerial in nature and shall require the operator to provide (i) the complete name of the operator, (ii) the address of each property in the locality offered for short-term rental by the operator, and (iii) an attestation that the property owner has granted permission for use of such property as a short-term rental if the operator is a lessee or sublessee. A locality may charge a reasonable fee for such registration related to the actual costs of establishing and maintaining the registry. [...] C. 1. If a locality adopts a registry ordinance pursuant to this section, such ordinance may include a penalty not to exceed $500 per violation for an operator required to register who offers for short-term rental a property that is not registered with the locality. Such ordinance may provide that unless and until an operator pays the penalty and registers such property, the operator may not continue to offer such property for short-term rental. Upon repeated violations of a registry ordinance as it relates to a specific property, an operator may be prohibited from registering and offering that property for short-term rental.

Source: VA Code §15.2-983View official code

Full Breakdown

Under VA §15.2-983, Richmond may require booking platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo to remit transient occupancy tax on behalf of hosts and to share aggregated listing data with the City for enforcement. Platforms partner with the City via voluntary collection agreements covering Richmond's 8% lodging tax plus the 5.3% Virginia transient occupancy tax. Hosts bear the registration duty regardless of whether the platform collects taxes. Platforms removing non-compliant listings remains discretionary; Richmond cannot mandate platform-level delisting under current Virginia law.

Violations & Fines

Platforms failing to remit collected taxes may face civil enforcement; hosts on platforms remain individually liable for permit registration and tax remittance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Airbnb pay my Richmond taxes for me?
Possibly via voluntary collection agreement, but you remain personally liable for registration and any uncollected tax. Verify with the City whether platform remittance covers your specific obligations.
Can Richmond force Airbnb to delist illegal STRs?
Not directly under current Virginia law. Richmond enforces against the host, not the platform, though platforms may voluntarily delist on request.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Richmond

All Richmond rules

Compare Richmond to another location·View the Virginia short-term rentals overview

Get notified when Host Platform Liability in Richmond, VA changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.