Quick Answer
Virginia landlord tenant laws are set primarily by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA), Va. Code Title 55.1, Chapter 12, and the biggest change for 2026 is the nonpayment eviction notice: it grew from 5 days to 14 days, effective July 1, 2026.
Security deposits are capped at two months’ rent and must be returned within 45 days with an itemized list of deductions.
Late fees can’t exceed 10% of the periodic rent or 10% of the remaining balance owed, whichever is less.
Landlords must give at least 72 hours’ notice before entering for routine maintenance the tenant didn’t request.
Understanding the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
The VRLTA is the law behind most residential leases in Virginia, and 2026 was an unusually active year for it. The General Assembly passed several amendments that took effect July 1, 2026, and the headline change affects every VRLTA landlord regardless of portfolio size: the nonpayment notice period tripled from 5 days to 14 days (Va. Code § 55.1-1245(F)). A 5-day notice served after that date is no longer valid, and courts have been dismissing eviction filings that still rely on the old timeline.
That single change is worth flagging up front because a lot of the Virginia landlord content circulating right now, including some currently-ranking guides, still describes the old 5-day rule. If you’re working from a saved notice template, a bookmarked article, or advice from a year ago, it’s worth double-checking the date before you use it.
The 2026 amendments didn’t stop at the notice period. Landlords must now accept rent by check or money order in addition to any electronic method, must offer at least one payment option with no processing fee, and can’t charge a fee that exceeds the actual cost of processing the payment. A written receipt is required on request whenever a tenant pays in cash or by money order. Landlords with four or fewer units are exempt from the debit/credit card acceptance requirement, but the check/money order and fee rules apply across the board. The full text of the Act is available directly from the Virginia Legislative Information System, Title 55.1, Chapter 12.
Security Deposits in Virginia
Virginia caps security deposits at two months’ periodic rent (Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A)). There’s no requirement to hold the deposit in a separate or interest-bearing account, though interest becomes mandatory if the landlord owns more than 10 rental units and holds the deposit for more than 13 months.
Once the tenancy ends and the tenant has vacated, the landlord has 45 days to return the deposit along with a written, itemized list of any deductions. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent (including late charges specified in the lease), damage beyond normal wear and tear, other charges the rental agreement allows, or actual damages for breach of the lease.
Missing the 45-day window or skipping the itemization can mean losing the right to withhold anything at all, and a tenant can recover the full deposit plus attorney fees if a landlord willfully fails to comply. RentRedi’s guide to security deposits covers how to document a unit’s condition at move-in so those deductions hold up later, and our recordkeeping guide covers why keeping deposit funds in a dedicated account matters beyond just Virginia’s specific rules.
Rent, Late Fees, and the 2026 Payment Changes
Virginia has no rent control, so landlords can set rent freely, though owners with more than four rental units (or a more-than-10% interest in more than four units) must give tenants at least 60 days’ written notice of a rent increase or nonrenewal before a lease term ends (Va. Code § 55.1-1204(K)).
Late fees are capped at whichever is less: 10% of the periodic rent, or 10% of the remaining balance the tenant owes. The fee has to be spelled out in the written lease, and a landlord can’t charge more than one late fee for the same missed payment. In RentRedi’s own 2025 survey with BiggerPockets, units with tenants on autopay hit a 99% on-time rent rate, compared to 87% for units without it, which matters more in Virginia now that the nonpayment notice clock runs 14 days instead of 5.
The 2026 amendments also changed how rent has to be collected. Landlords must accept payment by check or money order, alongside whatever electronic methods they already offer, and must provide at least one payment option that carries no processing fee. Any fee that is charged can’t exceed the landlord’s actual cost of processing the payment.
Landlords with more than four units also now have to offer a written payment plan before terminating for nonpayment, when the amount owed is no more than one month’s rent plus late charges, spreading the balance over the shorter of six months or the remaining lease term.
Notice to Enter and Tenant Privacy
Virginia gives landlords a specific number, which is more than most states offer. For routine maintenance the tenant didn’t request, Va. Code § 55.1-1229 requires at least 72 hours’ written notice, and the work has to be completed within 14 days of that notice.
If the tenant requested the repair, no advance notice is required. Outside of maintenance, the landlord still needs to give notice of intent to enter and can only enter at reasonable times, except in a genuine emergency, where no notice is required at all.
Evictions in Virginia: The New Notice Timeline
Virginia evictions go through the courts, specifically an unlawful detainer action in the General District Court for the locality where the property sits. A landlord can never change the locks, remove belongings, or shut off utilities to force someone out.
| Situation | Required notice | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Nonpayment of rent | 14-day notice to pay or quit (changed from 5 days, effective July 1, 2026) | Va. Code § 55.1-1245(F) |
| Curable lease violation | 21-day notice to cure, terminating no less than 30 days after receipt if not cured | Va. Code § 55.1-1245(A) |
| Criminal or willful act threatening health or safety | Immediate termination, no cure period, initial hearing within 15 days of service | Va. Code § 55.1-1245 |
| Ending a week-to-week tenancy | 7 days’ written notice | Va. Code § 55.1-1253 |
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy | 30 days’ written notice before the next rent due date | Va. Code § 55.1-1253(A) |
The 14-day change is the one to build new habits around. Every nonpayment notice template, whether it’s saved in a property management system, a downloaded PDF, or something a landlord wrote years ago, needs the updated period, or the eviction filing risks getting thrown out on a technicality that has nothing to do with whether the tenant owes rent.
RentRedi’s guide to evicting a tenant walks through the filing and hearing process, and our eviction letter guide covers what the notice itself needs to say to hold up in court. The 30-day notice period for ending a month-to-month tenancy runs both ways, and our 30-day notice to vacate guide covers what that looks like from the tenant’s side.
A Virginia Landlord’s Adjustment to the New Notice Period
Consider a landlord like Terri, a common scenario for anyone managing a handful of Virginia units rather than a specific customer. Terri has sent the same 5-day nonpayment notice template for years, and in August 2026 she sends it again to a tenant who’s a week behind on rent.
That notice is no longer valid, and if she’d filed for eviction on the old 5-day timeline, the case could have been dismissed on a technicality unrelated to whether the tenant owed the money. The fix isn’t complicated, it’s swapping the number in a template, but it’s an easy change to miss if a landlord is working from something they wrote or saved years ago.
Checking that every standing notice template reflects the current 14-day period is a five-minute task that avoids a real setback later.
Common Mistakes Virginia Landlords Make
Using an Outdated Nonpayment Notice
The single most common mistake in Virginia right now: sending a 5-day pay-or-quit notice after July 1, 2026. It’s not just technically wrong, it can get an eviction case dismissed outright. Update every saved template before the next notice goes out.
Charging a Late Fee the Lease Doesn’t Specify
Virginia only allows a late fee if the written lease spells it out, and caps it at 10% of rent or the remaining balance owed, whichever is smaller. A late fee added after the fact, or one that exceeds the cap, isn’t enforceable.
Skipping the 72-Hour Maintenance Notice
Virginia is specific about routine maintenance the tenant didn’t request: 72 hours, in writing, with a completion window. Treating that requirement as optional, or lumping it in with “reasonable notice” for other kinds of entry, creates exposure that’s easy to avoid.
Missing the 45-Day Security Deposit Window
Forty-five days sounds like a lot of runway until a landlord is juggling turnover on several units at once. Missing the deadline, or sending an itemized list without enough detail, can forfeit the right to withhold anything.
FAQ
Virginia’s landlord-tenant rules changed more in 2026 than in most other years, so the questions below focus on what’s different and what a landlord needs to check right now.
What are the new rental laws in Virginia?
The biggest 2026 change is the nonpayment eviction notice period, which grew from 5 days to 14 days effective July 1, 2026 (Va. Code § 55.1-1245(F)). Landlords must also now accept rent by check or money order, offer at least one no-fee payment option, and cap processing fees at actual cost. Landlords with more than four units must offer a written payment plan before terminating for nonpayment on smaller balances.
How much time does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in Virginia?
It depends on the reason. Nonpayment of rent requires a 14-day notice to pay or quit. A curable lease violation requires a 21-day notice to fix the problem, with termination at least 30 days after the tenant received it if uncured. Ending a month-to-month tenancy without cause requires 30 days’ notice, and a week-to-week tenancy requires 7 days.
What are the landlord’s obligations in Virginia?
Virginia landlords must maintain a fit and habitable unit, provide a written move-in condition report, cap and properly return security deposits within 45 days, give 72 hours’ notice before routine maintenance the tenant didn’t request, and follow the court eviction process rather than removing a tenant themselves. As of 2026, landlords must also accept rent by check or money order and offer at least one fee-free payment method.
What rights do renters have in Virginia?
Tenants have the right to a habitable dwelling, privacy from unannounced entry outside emergencies, a capped and properly returned security deposit, and the full notice period before eviction, 14 days for nonpayment as of July 1, 2026. Tenants also have a statutory right of redemption: paying the full amount owed, plus costs, generally stops a nonpayment eviction even after it’s filed.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Virginia?
Virginia caps security deposits at two months’ periodic rent (Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A)). There’s no requirement to hold it in an interest-bearing account unless the landlord owns more than 10 units and holds the deposit longer than 13 months. The deposit must be returned within 45 days of move-out with an itemized list of deductions.
Can a landlord enter without permission in Virginia?
Only in a genuine emergency. For routine maintenance a tenant didn’t request, Virginia requires at least 72 hours’ written notice and completion within 14 days. For other non-emergency entry, the landlord still needs to give notice and can only enter at reasonable times, even without a specific number of hours attached.
Is there a cap on late fees in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia caps late fees at whichever is less: 10% of the periodic rent, or 10% of the remaining balance the tenant owes. The fee has to be written into the lease, and a landlord can only charge one late fee per missed payment, not a compounding series of them.
Conclusion
Virginia’s 2026 changes reward landlords who update their process rather than run on autopilot: the 14-day nonpayment notice, the payment-method requirements, and the 60-day renewal notice for larger portfolios all take effect the moment an old template or habit gets reused past its expiration date. Read more of our state landlord tenant law guides here.
Next steps:
- Pull every nonpayment notice template your business uses and confirm it says 14 days, not 5, before the next one goes out.
- Check whether your current payment setup accepts checks and money orders and offers at least one no-fee option, since both are now required regardless of portfolio size.
- If you’re managing Virginia units without a system that keeps notice periods and payment methods current automatically, see how RentRedi handles rent collection, lease e-signatures, and deposit tracking in one place.