City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Charlottesville, VA
How Charlottesville regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- primary-residence-only: owner must occupy as permanent residence >=185 days/yr
- no non-owner-occupied whole-home STR permitted in residential zones
- annual owner-occupied Homestay permit required, reapply each January
- STR ('Homestay') allowed only as an owner-occupied use in residential districts
Based on: City of Charlottesville Development Code (new zoning code, effective 2024) Sec. 3.5.2.E (Homestays)
Summary of the rule
The Property Owner must occupy the property as their permanent residence for at least 185 days per calendar year.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Charlottesville · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.