City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Staunton, VA
How Staunton regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- STR-specific registration required (Ch. 3.37): register within 30 days, annual re-registration by March 1, $50 per-property fee
- Zoning homestay use standards (Ch. 18.152): 30-day max stay, two adults per bedroom, annual inspection right, no signage/meals
- No numeric cap on short-term rentals and no in-force moratorium
- Whole dwelling-unit STR permitted; owner-occupancy not present in the operative homestay definition
Based on: Staunton City Code Ch. 3.37 (Registration for Short-Term Rental) + Ch. 18.152 (Homestay, zoning) + Ch. 3.35 (Transient
Summary of the rule
Short-term rental operators must register with the Commissioner of the Revenue; initial registration within 30 days of holding out as offering lodging, annual re-registration no later than March 1, providing operator name and legal/street address (and parcel ID) of each property; annual registration fee $50.00 per property.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 20, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Staunton · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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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.