Virginia Rental Fee Rules
Virginia rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Nonrefundable application fee capped at $50 ($32 for public housing or other HUD-regulated units), plus actual out-of-pocket third-party screening costs. A refundable application deposit may also be required; Va. Code § 55.1-1203
The rules in Virginia
| Application / screening fees | Nonrefundable application fee capped at $50 ($32 for public housing or other HUD-regulated units), plus actual out-of-pocket third-party screening costs. A refundable application deposit may also be required; if the applicant does not rent, the excess over actual expenses must be refunded with an itemized list within 20 days (10 days if paid by cash or certified funds and the landlord rejected the application). Landlords must consider evidence that an applicant is a family-abuse victim to mitigate a low credit score. Starting July 1, 2027, before collecting any payment or information the landlord must disclose in writing or by posting the fees and whether refundable, selection criteria, automatic-denial criteria, the consumer reporting agency used, and the applicant's right to a free report copy and to dispute it. Pre-application disclosure added by 2026, c. 1050, effective July 1, 2027. Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1203 |
|---|---|
| Other rental fees | Fee disclosure: beginning on the first page of the written lease, the landlord must itemize all charges that make up the security deposit, the rent due per payment period, and any one-time charges due before the start date or included in the first payment, under the statutory statement that no additional security deposits or rent may be charged unless listed or added by later addendum. Enacted 2024, cc. 788, 826; amended 2025, c. 567. Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1 |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
Virginia vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Nonrefundable application fee capped at $50 ($32 for public housing or other HUD-regulated units), plus actual out-of-pocket third-party screening costs. A refundable application deposit may also be required; if the applicant does not rent, the excess over actual expenses must be refunded with an itemized list within 20 days (10 days if paid by cash or certified funds and the landlord rejected the application). Landlords must consider evidence that an applicant is a family-abuse victim to mitigate a low credit score. Starting July 1, 2027, before collecting any payment or information the landlord must disclose in writing or by posting the fees and whether refundable, selection criteria, automatic-denial criteria, the consumer reporting agency used, and the applicant's right to a free report copy and to dispute it. Va. Code § 55.1-1203 | Fee disclosure: beginning on the first page of the written lease, the landlord must itemize all charges that make up the security deposit, the rent due per payment period, and any one-time charges due before the start date or included in the first payment, under the statutory statement that no additional security deposits or rent may be charged unless listed or added by later addendum. Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1 |
| Kentucky | No statute — no cap, refund rule, or reusable-screening-report rule was found in KRS Chapter 383. KRS Chapter 383 (section list checked) | No statute — no general limit or disclosure rule for other rental fees was found in KRS Chapter 383. A lease may not authorize penalties or termination because a tenant called police or sought emergency help (punitive damages up to 2 months' rent). KRS Chapter 383 (checked); KRS 383.302 |
| Maryland | There is no dollar cap. If any non-deposit fee charged to an applicant exceeds $25, the landlord must return it within 15 days after move-in or after either party says in writing that no tenancy will occur. The landlord may keep only the amount actually spent on a credit check or other application expenses. Penalty for not returning it: twice the fee. The application must explain the tenant's liabilities and these rules. Does not apply to landlords offering 4 or fewer units on one parcel or location, or to seasonal or condominium rentals. Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-213 | Move-in cap: a lease may not require more than the security deposit plus the first month's rent to start the lease and move in. Late fees are capped at 5% of the unpaid rent (weekly leases: $3 a week, $12 a month). A lease may not make the tenant pay the District Court filing surcharge assessed against the landlord, except as § 7-301(c)(5)(ii) of the Courts Article allows. The landlord may charge no more than $5 for the 6-day eviction notice. The lease must include the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights. Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-208(c)(4), 8-208(d)(3), (11), (13); 8-407(b)(3) |
| North Carolina | No statute. N.C. Gen. Stat. chapter 42 has no cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42 (no application-fee section) | Fees tied to late payment and eviction are tightly limited. Late fee: only once rent is 5+ days late, max the greater of $15 or 5% of monthly rent (weekly: $4 or 5%), once per late payment. Only one administrative eviction fee may be charged per case, and only under a written lease: complaint-filing fee (greater of $15 or 5% of rent, only if the tenant cures and the case is dismissed), court-appearance fee (10% of rent), or second-trial fee (12% of rent). Any other administrative eviction fee is void. Recoverable out-of-pocket costs are limited to court filing fees, service costs, and attorney fees (capped at 15% in most cases). Renter's insurance: the tenant cannot be required to use a designated carrier. Force-placed coverage: actual cost plus at most $50 per year, only if the tenant fails to show proof within 3 business days. For subsidized rent, fees are figured on the tenant's share only. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46 |
| Tennessee | No statute - Tennessee has no cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees. T.C.A. Title 66, Chapter 28 | No general statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees. The only statutory fee limit is on late fees in URLTA counties: none until after a 5-day grace period, and no more than 10% of the past-due rent. T.C.A. 66-28-201(d) |
| West Virginia | No cap. An application fee (money paid to be considered as a tenant) is not a security deposit only if the parties expressly agree in writing that it is nonrefundable; otherwise it is treated under the security-deposit rules. W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(2), (14) | No general junk-fee statute. Pet fees and application fees are excluded from the security deposit only if expressly agreed in writing to be nonrefundable. Deposits may cover late charges only if specified in the rental agreement and reasonable. W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(14); § 37-6A-2(b)(1) |
| District of Columbia | Capped at $50, which the housing provider may adjust annually by CPI since Jan. 1, 2024. Only one application fee for applications to multiple units of the same provider within 30 days (unless more than one screening is required). No fee other than the application fee may be charged before lease signing, and no holding deposit from voucher holders. Unused fees must be refunded within 14 days if no screening is done. Before collecting any fee the provider must disclose, in writing or posting, each fee and whether refundable, screening criteria, the response time, and dispute rights; denials require a written adverse-action notice. D.C. Code § 42-3505.10(a)-(c), (f) | A housing provider may not charge fees before move-in, during the tenancy, or after move-out for services it must provide to keep the unit habitable and code-compliant, including fees for utilities, trash, locks, or administrative fees for third-party billing. From Jan. 1, 2027, utility charges for common areas or vacant units may not be billed separately (only through rent; RUBS allocation still allowed). Late fees: max 5% of rent, only if disclosed in the written lease and rent is more than 5 days late; charged once per late payment, no interest, and never grounds for eviction. D.C. Code §§ 42-3505.10(b)(3), (b-2); 42-3505.11; 42-3505.31 |
City rules that may add to state law
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- Free legal help in Virginia
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Virginia Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in Virginia?
Nonrefundable application fee capped at $50 ($32 for public housing or other HUD-regulated units), plus actual out-of-pocket third-party screening costs. A refundable application deposit may also be required; if the applicant does not rent, the excess over actual expenses must be refunded with an itemized list within 20 days (10 days if paid by cash or certified funds and the landlord rejected the application). Landlords must consider evidence that an applicant is a family-abuse victim to mitigate a low credit score. Starting July 1, 2027, before collecting any payment or information the landlord must disclose in writing or by posting the fees and whether refundable, selection criteria, automatic-denial criteria, the consumer reporting agency used, and the applicant's right to a free report copy and to dispute it. (Va. Code § 55.1-1203)
What rental fees are banned or limited in Virginia?
Fee disclosure: beginning on the first page of the written lease, the landlord must itemize all charges that make up the security deposit, the rent due per payment period, and any one-time charges due before the start date or included in the first payment, under the statutory statement that no additional security deposits or rent may be charged unless listed or added by later addendum. (Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.