Frederick County, VA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Frederick County requires two separate approvals before a short-term rental can legally operate. 08. Second, the Commissioner of the Revenue must separately approve a business license for the activity, since operating short-term lodging is treated as a taxable business under the County's licensing structure. Both approvals must be in place before any lodging activity takes place on the property, not merely applied for. Once permitted, the dwelling remains subject to ongoing compliance duties: it must be available for County inspection during reasonable hours under Article II of the ordinance, must comply with the applicable Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code or Manufactured Home Safety Regulations as determined by the Building Official, must have a working multipurpose fire extinguisher, smoke detectors and, where a fireplace or gas service is present, carbon monoxide detectors, must post an exit-pathway plan inside each sleeping room's door, and must provide at least two off-street parking spaces reserved for lodgers. An operator running the use without both approvals in hand is unpermitted, regardless of how few guests are hosted.