Richmond, VA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

1(1) sets Richmond's core short-term rental occupancy cap: the number of short-term renters over 18 occupying or present in a short-term rental at one time cannot exceed the lesser of eight persons or whatever maximum the current Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code allows for that dwelling, so a smaller unit's building-code occupancy limit can push the cap below eight. 1(2) layers on an age requirement: an operator cannot rent to a group of renters unless at least one of them is 18 or older, closing off bookings made up entirely of minors.

Both rules sit within the short-term rental division, Article VI Division 14, which the Council enacted under Ordinance No. 2019-343 and substantially amended by Ordinance No. 2023-235 in September 2023. Section 30-1220 defines a 'short-term rental' as a room or group of rooms within a single dwelling unit rented to the traveling public for at least one but fewer than 30 consecutive nights, and defines the 'short-term rental operator' as the owner of the dwelling unit used as the rental. 1(9), expires 730 days after issuance, with renewal applications accepted no more than 30 days before expiration.

2 layers additional occupancy structure onto R-district rentals: the short-term rental must sit on the same lot as the operator's primary residence, verified against DMV or voter registration records, and only one short-term rental is permitted per lot in those districts. 1(12) separately caps the number of units used as short-term rentals at the lesser of ten units or one-third of the building's total dwelling units.