Arlington County, VA local landlord rules
State law also applies. See Virginia landlord-tenant law and the Virginia landlord FAQ. State rules: Security deposit limit · Deposit return deadline · Notice to enter · Late fees · Eviction notice (nonpayment) · Rent increase notice.
Quick facts
| Topic | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Short-term rentals (Airbnb) | Allowed only as an accessory homestay, with a permit from the zoning administrator. The resident (an owner or a tenant) must live in the home as their primary residence at least 185 days a year. Rented bedrooms must be in the main building, or in an approved accessory dwelling. The maximum is the greater of 6 lodgers or 2 per bedroom, never more than the Building Code allows, and an accessory dwelling may hold up to 3 lodgers. Fire extinguishers and smoke detectors are required (plus CO detectors where applicable). Commercial events such as parties, weddings and meetings for pay are prohibited. Applications need proof of permanent residence and a responsible party, and the home occupation rules in § 12.9.11 also apply. |
Details & sources
Short-term rentals (Airbnb)
Allowed only as an accessory homestay, with a permit from the zoning administrator. The resident (an owner or a tenant) must live in the home as their primary residence at least 185 days a year. Rented bedrooms must be in the main building, or in an approved accessory dwelling. The maximum is the greater of 6 lodgers or 2 per bedroom, never more than the Building Code allows, and an accessory dwelling may hold up to 3 lodgers. Fire extinguishers and smoke detectors are required (plus CO detectors where applicable). Commercial events such as parties, weddings and meetings for pay are prohibited. Applications need proof of permanent residence and a responsible party, and the home occupation rules in § 12.9.11 also apply.
Verified Source: Arlington County Zoning Ordinance § 12.9.12 (Browser transcription) · last checked 2026-10-16
Back to quick facts ↑Research coverage
0 of 13 topics checked at the local level (state law is covered on the state page). A topic counts as checked only when every subtopic in it is checked or no additional requirement was found after a recorded full read. How coverage works.
| Topic | Status | Subtopics done |
|---|---|---|
| Deposits | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Deposit return deadlines | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Rent increases and rent control | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Late fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Landlord entry | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Repairs and habitability | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Screening and application fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Fair housing and assistance animals | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Disclosures | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Renewal and termination | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Eviction | Not researched | 0 of 3 |
| Registration and licensing | Not researched | 0 of 3 |
| Short-term rentals | Partially researched | 1 of 2 |
Also applies statewide
Virginia rules that also apply in Arlington County:
- Security deposit limit
- Under Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A), no landlord may demand or receive a security deposit, however denominated, in an amount or value in excess of two months' periodic rent. The same section also governs how a deposit may be applied, the 45-day itemized disposition, multi-tenant refunds, utility holdbacks, mid-tenancy deduction notices, recordkeeping, and move-out inspection rights; those rules are not fully restated here. Example: a landlord may not avoid the two-month cap by calling the payment something other than a security deposit, because subsection (A) applies to a security deposit however denominated. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) · last checked 2026-11-12 · Full Virginia security deposit limit page
- Deposit return deadline
- Itemized written notice plus any amount owed within 45 days after the tenancy ends or the tenant moves out, whichever is later. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Virginia deposit return deadline page
- Notice to enter
- Notice of intent to enter, and entry only at reasonable times, except in an emergency. At least 72 hours' notice for routine maintenance the tenant didn't request. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1229(A)(4) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Virginia notice to enter page
- Late fees
- Late charge must be in the written lease and can't exceed the lesser of 10% of the periodic rent or 10% of the remaining balance owed. Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1204(E) · last checked 2026-10-15 · Full Virginia late fees page
Other Virginia cities
- Berryville landlord rules
- Cape Charles landlord rules
- Charlottesville landlord rules
- Chesapeake landlord rules
- Emporia landlord rules
- Franklin County landlord rules
- Halifax County landlord rules
- King George County landlord rules
- Norfolk landlord rules
- Prince Edward County landlord rules
- Richmond landlord rules
- Virginia Beach landlord rules
Back to Virginia landlord-tenant law
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