City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Richmond, VA
How Richmond 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 requirement forecloses whole-home/absentee STR in residential zones
- Only one STR permitted per lot in residential zoning districts
- STR operator must be the property owner (owner-operator requirement)
- Biennial permit required with $600 fee; residency proven via DMV or voter records
- 185-day-per-year primary-residence occupancy standard
Based on: City Code Ch. 30 (Zoning), Art. VI (STR use standards, incl. sec. 30-697.1/30-697.2 residential-district provisions)
Summary of the rule
The short-term rental shall be on the lot of the operator's primary residence, as determined by the records of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles or the Office of the Registrar of the City of Richmond.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Richmond · 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.