Virginia Beach generally does not require an STR operator to live onsite, except where overlay districts or conditional-use permit conditions specifically demand owner-occupancy or local agent availability.
CZO Section 209 governs short-term rentals in Virginia Beach. A 24-hour responsible-agent requirement applies citywide so neighbors can reach a live person about complaints, but full host residency is not mandated outside of certain conditional-use permits and the Sandbridge District. Hosts often designate a property manager living within thirty miles. State law VA Code §15.2-983 allows localities to require permits but does not authorize a blanket primary-residence rule, so Virginia Beach uses overlay districts to manage density.
Operating without a designated 24-hour responsible agent can trigger civil penalties, conditional-use permit revocation, and zoning enforcement actions through the Planning Department.
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach requires every short-term rental outside of the Sandbridge Special Service District to obtain a Conditional Use Permit from the City Council a...
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach does not impose a primary-residence-only rule citywide. The Sandbridge Special Service District has long permitted investor-owned vacation ren...
See how Virginia Beach's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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