Virginia county rules
Fauquier County, VA vacation rental rules and taxes
Fauquier County requires short-term rentals to register every year with the Commissioner of the Revenue and to get a $165 administrative permit (renewed for $82.50 a year), or a special permit if the home can’t meet the county’s standards. Stays pay 5.3% sales tax plus the county lodging tax.
Checked against official sources November 7, 2026See the Warrenton page. We don’t have pages yet for the towns of The Plains or Remington; ask the town about its zoning and lodging tax.
What to do
Then your town or area
Towns set their own zoning and some set their own lodging tax. The county’s rules apply outside town limits. Pick your area.
Towns
Unincorporated Fauquier County
Outside its towns, Fauquier County allows short-term rentals in seven zoning districts with an administrative permit ($165, then $82.50 a year) if the home meets the county’s standards, or a special permit if it doesn’t. You must also register every year with the Commissioner of the Revenue.
Full guideWarrenton
Warrenton’s zoning lists tourist homes, inns, and bed and breakfasts in its Central Business District, where a 2026 amendment would make them allowed by right instead of by special use permit. We didn’t find a short-term rental use in its other districts. Stays pay 5.3% sales tax plus the town’s 4% lodging tax.
Sources
- Virginia Airbnb market data (active listings) · AirROI
- Retail Sales and Use Tax · Virginia Tax
- Short-Term Rentals · Fauquier County Community Development
A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.