LicensedRental

Lancaster County, Virginia

Irvington, VA vacation rental requirements

Irvington caps short-term rentals at 35, and the cap was reached in May 2024. Each rental needs a town council conditional use permit ($200) and a yearly registration ($50), with no more than 10 overnight guests, $500,000 in insurance, and a manager who can respond within an hour.

Checked against official sources November 7, 2026

Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.

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Market
25 Airbnb listings
Cap
35 rentals (reached May 2024)
New permits are possible only when a spot opens.Source
Permit
Conditional use permit, $200
Registration
$50 a year
Guests
10 overnight, 20 total

An owner who lives in the home at least 285 days a year may rent it up to 20 nights a year (two-night minimum) outside the cap. Ask the town how this exemption works.

Your licensing checklist

In order: the state, the county, then the town.

Commonwealth of Virginia

  1. Know who pays the tax

    When a platform like Airbnb books the stay, it collects and pays the state sales tax and the local lodging tax for you. If guests pay you directly, register with Virginia Tax for sales tax and with your county or city for the transient occupancy tax.Source

    Register a business with Virginia Tax →

  2. Register with your locality if it has a registry

    Many counties and cities require short-term rental hosts to register every year. Registration is a simple filing (your name, each address, and the owner’s permission if you lease the home), but listing an unregistered rental can cost up to $500 per violation.Source

  3. Check your zoning

    Counties and cities keep their power to decide where short-term rentals are allowed and whether you need a zoning or use permit. HOA and condo rules still apply on top. Pick your area for the local rules.Source

Lancaster County, Virginia

  1. Then your town or area

    Towns set their own zoning and lodging tax, and the county sets them outside town limits. Pick your area.

Town of Irvington

  1. Ask whether a permit is available

    The town allows no more than 35 short-term rentals, and the cap was reached in May 2024. Ask the town office whether any spots have opened before you buy or apply.Source

  2. Apply for a conditional use permit

    File the CUP application with the $200 fee by mail or in person, post a notice near your property line, and name a manager who can respond within 60 minutes. Council decides after a public hearing.Source

    Irvington CUP application →

  3. Register every year

    Once approved, register the rental with the town each year ($50) and show your town tax account number in every ad.Source

  4. Taxes on each stay

    Stays under 90 days owe 5.3% sales tax, and stays under 30 days also owe the local transient occupancy tax. Airbnb collects both on its bookings. If guests pay you directly, file sales tax with Virginia Tax. Irvington has its own transient occupancy tax form; for direct bookings, ask the town for the rate and filing schedule.Source

Fees

$200 to apply, then $50 a year

Conditional use permit application$200
Annual registration$50

Source

Inspection checklist

What the inspector looks for, from Town of Irvington’s published checklist.

  • Smoke detector in every bedroom
  • Carbon monoxide detector on each floorIf the home uses propane.Source
  • Fire extinguisher in the kitchenChecked every three months.Source
  • Prohibited activities postedIn at least 12-point type.Source

House rules for guests

Guests
2 adults and 1 child per bedroom
Up to 10 overnight guests in all.Source
Insurance
$500,000
Source

Sources

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.