Hanover County, VA Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration
- Annual, with the Planning Department
- Registration fee
- Set by the Board of Supervisors (Sec. 26-300.1(k)(2))
- Penalty for not registering
- Up to $500 per violation (Sec. 26-300.1(k)(4))
- Repeat-violation consequence
- Property can be barred after 3+ violations (Sec. 26-300.1(k)(5))
- Exempt operators
- Licensed real estate agents, VA Time-Share Act registrants, DOH-licensed lodging
Summary
Every Hanover County short-term rental operator, owner-occupied, accessory detached or non-owner-occupied, outside the Town of Ashland, must register annually with the planning department and pay the registration fee the Board of Supervisors sets under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 26-300.1(k). Skipping registration draws a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation and bars further rentals until the fee is paid.
(2)All operators must register annually with the planning department by paying the registration fee established by the board and completing a registration form providing the following information:(i)The complete name of the operator,(ii)The address of each property in the locality offered for short-term rental by the operator, and(iii)An attestation that the property owner has granted permission for use of such property as a short-term rental if the operator is a lessee or sublessee. ... (4)Any operator who fails to register as required by this subsection is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) per violation. Unless and until such operator pays the penalty and registers such property, the operator may not continue to offer such property for short-term rental.
Full Breakdown
The Zoning Ordinance (chapter 26), Sec. 1(k), requires every short-term rental 'operator', defined broadly to include an owner, lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession or licensee, to register annually with the planning department, pay the registration fee the Board of Supervisors has established, and complete a form giving the operator's full name, the address of every property offered as a short-term rental, and, for a lessee or sublessee, an attestation that the property owner has permitted the short-term-rental use. Sec. 1(k)(3) exempts several categories from the registration duty: persons licensed by the Real Estate Board or represented by a licensed real estate agent, those registered under the Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act, those licensed or registered with the Department of Health for lodging, and those already licensed or registered with the county for rental or property management, including hotels, motels, campgrounds and bed and breakfasts.
Registration is layered on top of, not a substitute for, the general short-term-rental standards in Sec. , and a two-year rental record kept for planning-director inspection.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 26-300.1(k)(4) subjects an operator who fails to register to a civil penalty of up to $500 per violation, and the operator cannot keep offering the property as a short-term rental until the penalty is paid and the property is registered. Sec. 26-300.1(k)(5) lets the county bar a specific property from short-term rental altogether after more than three violations of applicable state or local law tied to the rental.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Hanover County short-term rental host have to register?
How much is Hanover County's short-term rental registration fee?
What happens if I rent short-term without registering in Hanover County?
Can a property lose its ability to be a short-term rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanover County
How Hanover County compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·Compare Hanover County to another location·View the Virginia short-term rentals overview
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