Virginia Beach Landlord-Tenant Rules
Virginia Beach adds local rules on top of Virginia landlord-tenant law. Here is what is different, with the city code or agency page behind each rule.
| Rental registration & inspection (Rental Inspection Districts) | Under the Certificate of Compliance (CC) Rental Inspection Program, all rental dwellings in designated Rental Inspection Districts (109 block groups) are subject to inspection on written notice from Code Enforcement, and owners must register these properties. The owner pays a $50 fee (covering one inspection and one re-inspection). A unit with no Building Code violations gets a Certificate of Compliance exempting it for four years (revocable if Virginia Maintenance Code violations are found). Violations that are not a health or safety hazard get a Temporary Certificate and a deadline to fix; violations that threaten occupants' health or safety lead to a Rejection. Check whether a rental is in a district using the City's block-group list or map, or call 311 (757-385-3111 from outside city limits). |
|---|---|
| Habitability & code-enforcement complaint line | Housing & Neighborhood Preservation's Code Enforcement Division enforces the Virginia Maintenance Code and the City's property-maintenance codes. Inspectors investigate complaints, notify owners of violations and take legal action to get compliance. Submit complaints through VB311 (311, or 757-385-3111 from outside the city) or the Register a Code Complaint page. Complaints filed electronically may be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia FOIA unless you follow the page's instructions for an anonymous complaint. Source: Official source |
| Relocation help after code-enforcement displacement | The City offers one-time Optional Relocation assistance to eligible low- to moderate-income tenants who are temporarily or permanently displaced from their home by Code Enforcement or other City action because of unsafe or hazardous conditions, subject to available funding. Contact the Housing Development Manager at 757-385-5836. The City says it cannot intervene in other tenant-landlord disputes (a civil matter) unless you are a current Housing & Neighborhood Preservation client. Source: Official source |
| Housing crisis help | If you are at risk of losing your home, visit the Housing Resource Center, 104 N. Witchduck Road (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, 8 a.m.-noon) for triage and assessment, or call the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline, (757) 227-5932, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Source: Official source |
Eviction cases in Virginia Beach are heard in: Virginia Beach General District Court, Civil Division, Judicial Center Building 10 (2nd floor), 2425 Nimmo Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9057; 757-385-8531
Right to a lawyer in eviction cases
No guaranteed right to counsel was found. Official source
Local agencies
- Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation - Code Enforcement — Property-maintenance complaints and the Certificate of Compliance rental inspection program. VB311: 757-385-3111.
- Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation — Housing resources, Optional Relocation assistance, Housing Choice Vouchers. 757-385-5750.
- Housing Resource Center / Regional Housing Crisis Hotline — Triage for people homeless or at risk of losing housing. (757) 227-5932.
Frequently asked questions
What landlord-tenant rules does Virginia Beach add on top of Virginia law?
Rental registration & inspection (Rental Inspection Districts): Under the Certificate of Compliance (CC) Rental Inspection Program, all rental dwellings in designated Rental Inspection Districts (109 block groups) are subject to inspection on written notice from Code Enforcement, and owners must register these properties. The owner pays a $50 fee (covering one inspection and one re-inspection). A unit with no Building Code violations gets a Certificate of Compliance exempting it for four years (revocable if Virginia Maintenance Code violations are found). Violations that are not a health or safety hazard get a Temporary Certificate and a deadline to fix; violations that threaten occupants' health or safety lead to a Rejection. Check whether a rental is in a district using the City's block-group list or map, or call 311 (757-385-3111 from outside city limits).; Habitability & code-enforcement complaint line: Housing & Neighborhood Preservation's Code Enforcement Division enforces the Virginia Maintenance Code and the City's property-maintenance codes. Inspectors investigate complaints, notify owners of violations and take legal action to get compliance. Submit complaints through VB311 (311, or 757-385-3111 from outside the city) or the Register a Code Complaint page. Complaints filed electronically may be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia FOIA unless you follow the page's instructions for an anonymous complaint.; Relocation help after code-enforcement displacement: The City offers one-time Optional Relocation assistance to eligible low- to moderate-income tenants who are temporarily or permanently displaced from their home by Code Enforcement or other City action because of unsafe or hazardous conditions, subject to available funding. Contact the Housing Development Manager at 757-385-5836.; Housing crisis help: If you are at risk of losing your home, visit the Housing Resource Center, 104 N. Witchduck Road (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, 8 a.m.-noon) for triage and assessment, or call the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline, (757) 227-5932, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
← All Virginia landlord-tenant rules
Last verified against official sources: October 29, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
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.