Virginia BeachShort-term rental rules
Largest 50 cities / Virginia
In Virginia Beach, new whole-home short-term rentals are barred outside Sandbridge, the Oceanfront Resort District, and neighborhoods that win a 75% owner petition for overlay status. Grandfathered pre-2018 rentals keep operating under looser citywide rules.
Research reviewed . Original city review.
- Does the operating permit transfer?
- New application
Grandfathered land-use status can pass to a buyer, subject to conditions. The operator’s annual city registration does not carry over. Read the separate land-use finding below.
- Can the land-use approval continue?
- Grandfathered status can continue
The original review identifies grandfathered status that runs with the land, subject to enlargement and discontinued-use limits. This is separate from the operator’s annual registration; conditional-use permits need their own review.
- Can this buyer obtain approval?
- Non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed in Sandbridge and the Oceanfront Resort District by right or CUP; elsewhere only if 75% of a neighborhood's owners petition for an overlay.
- License or registration
- Planning Department issues a 5-year Conditional Use Permit for new STRs; the Commissioner of the Revenue issues a $50 annual operator registration.
- Application availability
- Confirm current availability
Application availability was not separately reverified for this explorer. Check the city’s current program, cap, lottery or waitlist before relying on the seller’s rental history.
- Timing to verify
- No sale-specific deadline was established in this summary. Ask the issuing office about filing, renewal and any interruption in operation.
- Changes and uncertainty
- The ordinance has been amended at least three times since 2018, most recently in August 2025.
What this means for the appraisal
- Obtain the buyer application requirements and confirm the earliest approved operating date before assuming continuity of rental income.
- Verify the property’s land-use approval and continuation conditions. Research finding: Grandfathered status can continue.
- Check the proposed buyer against the recorded requirements: Non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed in Sandbridge and the Oceanfront Resort District by right or CUP; elsewhere only if 75% of a neighborhood's owners petition for an overlay.
- In the assignment analysis, identify the evidence supporting the proposed rental use, any operating interruption and any unresolved assumptions.
Use these prompts to plan the property review. The appraiser must evaluate the evidence and reach the assignment-specific conclusions.
Record the property evidence in a worksheetRequest documents from the owner or agent
Copy this market-specific request, add the property address and edit it for the assignment.
Read or select the document request
Subject: STR property document request | Virginia Beach, VA Please provide the following documents for the property under review. Identify any item that is unavailable or does not apply. 1. Property address, parcel ID and confirmation of the governing jurisdiction. 2. Current operating permit or registration, named holder, expiration date and renewal history, if applicable. 3. Written ownership-change instructions from the issuing office. Guide finding: Grandfathered land-use status can pass to a buyer, subject to conditions. The operator’s annual city registration does not carry over. Read the separate land-use finding below. 4. Zoning approval, conditional-use permit, variance or grandfathering record, including conditions and evidence of continued use. Guide finding: The original review identifies grandfathered status that runs with the land, subject to enlargement and discontinued-use limits. This is separate from the operator’s annual registration; conditional-use permits need their own review. 5. Documents addressing the proposed buyer and property requirements: Non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed in Sandbridge and the Oceanfront Resort District by right or CUP; elsewhere only if 75% of a neighborhood's owners petition for an overlay. 6. Current confirmation of application availability, including any cap, waitlist, lottery or separation rule. Guide finding: Application availability was not separately reverified for this explorer. Check the city’s current program, cap, lottery or waitlist before relying on the seller’s rental history. 7. Recorded covenants, HOA or condominium rental restrictions and applicable lease restrictions. 8. Rental operating statements and booking records, with the periods covered and any anticipated interruption at closing. Market research reviewed: 2026-10-18. These requests need property-specific verification. Official research sources: Virginia Beach City Zoning Ordinance Sec. 241.2 (Short-term rental): https://library.municode.com/va/virginia_beach/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CO_APXAZOOR_ART2GEREPRAPALDI_CCOUSST_S241.2SHRMRE Virginia Code § 15.2-983 (short-term rental registries): https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter9/section15.2-983/
Research and guide updates
- Research record: Research recorded for this market. Original city review. See the findings, open questions and official sources below.
- Guide tools: Added assignment prompts, a document request and consistent research questions. This tool update does not change the market research date.
Changes and uncertainty to verify
The ordinance has been amended at least three times since 2018, most recently in August 2025.
Sources and research limits
Carried forward from the October 18, 2026 city research. The explorer separates the operating permit from land-use rights; this is not a new verification of all current city rules.
Use this summary to identify the documents and questions for a property review. A seller's rental history alone does not establish a buyer's permission to operate.