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

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

Short-term rental permit rules in Suffolk, VA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.

Key Facts

STR permit
None; regulated as B&B
Governing use
Bed & breakfast, UDO Sec. 31-703
Residential districts
Conditional use permit
Owner-occupied
Required
Business license
Required

Summary

Suffolk has no standalone short-term rental permit. Its zoning ordinance never lists a short-term rental use; transient lodging under 30 days is regulated as a Bed and Breakfast under UDO Section 31-703, which must be owner-occupied and needs a conditional use permit in most residential districts.

The owner shall reside on the premises or adjacent premises. ... No long term rental of rooms shall be permitted. The maximum length of stay shall be thirty (30) days.

Source: Suffolk Code of OrdinancesView official code

Full Breakdown

Suffolk's Unified Development Ordinance does not recognize a distinct short-term rental use in its Table 406-1 use chart. The governing use for renting rooms to transients is Bed and Breakfast under Section 31-703, permitted by right only in the RU, RU-12, RU-18, and business districts and requiring a conditional use permit in the RR, RE, RL, RLM, RM, and RC residential districts. A bed and breakfast must be owner-occupied under Section 31-703(h), keep all guest rooms within the principal dwelling, and cap stays at 30 days. Operators also need a city business license and must collect the transient occupancy tax.

Violations & Fines

Operating transient lodging without the required conditional use permit or business license is a zoning and licensing violation enforced by Suffolk Community Development. Unpaid occupancy tax is separately a Class 1 misdemeanor under Section 82-525.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run an Airbnb in Suffolk?
Only as an owner-occupied bed and breakfast under Section 31-703. Most residential zones require a conditional use permit; a whole-house, non-owner-occupied rental is not a listed use.
Does Suffolk have a short-term rental registry?
No. Suffolk's zoning code has no short-term rental use or registry. Transient lodging runs through the bed-and-breakfast rules, a business license, and the occupancy tax.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Suffolk

Animal Ordinances: Chickens & LivestockHeavy RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise RulesSome RestrictionsTaxes & FeesHeavy RestrictionsShort-Term Rental Parking RulesSome RestrictionsOccupancy LimitsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Neighbor Fence RulesSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Exotic PetsSome Restrictions

All Suffolk rules

How Suffolk compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Suffolk to another location·View the Virginia short-term rentals overview

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