Short-term rental permit rules in Chesterfield County, VA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Chesterfield permits short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) as a regulated use under the 2026 Zoning Ordinance. Operators must meet the short-term rental use standards in Zoning Ordinance section 19.2-32-40 and register with the county before advertising.
The modernized Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 19.2, effective January 1, 2026) treats short-term rental as a defined use with its own standards in section 19.2-32-40. The rental must be operated by the property owner, and only one short-term rental is allowed per lot. Before the 2026 ordinance, county practice generally required conditional-use approval; the new ordinance sets by-right use standards instead. Operators must also obtain a Certificate of Registration and collect transient occupancy tax. Confirm your zoning district and the current standards with the Planning Department before listing.
Operating outside the zoning standards is a zoning violation subject to correction notices, civil penalties, and enforcement by Community Development.
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