Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Richmond?

Yes. Richmond requires Short-Term Rental Permit, and the fee is $600. Richmond requires a biennial Short-Term Rental Permit ($600, valid two years) plus a pre-issuance building inspection before operating any rental under 30 days. The operator must be the property owner, and in residential zoning districts the STR must be on the lot of the operator's primary residence (verified via DMV or voter-registrar records), with only one STR per residential lot; multifamily buildings on non-residential lots are capped at the lesser of 10 units or one-third of units. There is no night cap, and stays are taxed at 8% city transient occupancy tax plus 6% state/regional sales tax, both collected by platforms for platform bookings.

How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Richmond?

The Short-Term Rental Permit fee in Richmond is $600, renewed biennial. Biennial fee of $600 covers administration and monitoring costs; permit is active for two years from issuance. The fee was $300 under the original 2020 regulations and was raised by Ordinance No. 2023-235 (adopted Sept 25, 2023). A building inspection is required before the Certificate of Zoning Compliance is issued.

How to get a short-term rental permit in Richmond, VA (2026)

Richmond requires Short-Term Rental Permit — the fee is $600, renewed biennial. Here's how to get and keep it.

Permit at a glance

Permit required	Yes
Permit name	Short-Term Rental Permit
Permit fee	$600
Renewal	Biennial

Step by step

1
Confirm your property is eligible
Richmond requires owner occupancy, so confirm you meet that condition. STRs are permitted as a principal or accessory use to a dwelling unit across the city, but rules differ by district. In residential zoning districts the STR must be on the lot of the operator's primary residence (operator must be the property owner, residency proven via Virginia DMV or City voter-registrar records) and only one STR is allowed per lot. On non-residential lots, multifamily buildings may have STRs in a maximum of 10 units or one-third of the building's dwelling units, whichever is less. Occupancy is limited to eight adult renters per STR.
2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental Permit
Submit the Short-Term Rental Permit application to Richmond and pay the $600 fee. Biennial fee of $600 covers administration and monitoring costs; permit is active for two years from issuance. The fee was $300 under the original 2020 regulations and was raised by Ordinance No. 2023-235 (adopted Sept 25, 2023). A building inspection is required before the Certificate of Zoning Compliance is issued.
3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Richmond. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
4
Renew on schedule
The permit renews biennial — set a reminder so it never lapses, since operating on an expired permit typically triggers fines.

STR rules change without warning.

Get an email the moment Richmond changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.

Watch Richmond for changes →

Free monthly digest · same-day alerts from $5/mo · cancel anytime

Keep going

Verified July 21, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Richmond before applying.

Spot an error? Report an issue