LicensedRental

Warren County, Virginia

Unincorporated Warren County, VA vacation rental requirements

Outside Front Royal, Warren County requires a conditional use permit for a short-term tourist rental. The home must be at least 100 feet from neighboring homes, hold no more than 10 guests, have a local contact within about 30 miles, and post a management plan with an emergency evacuation plan. Stays pay 5.3% sales tax plus a 5% lodging tax.

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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Permit
Conditional use permit + certificate of zoning
Approved by the Board of Supervisors; staff review it every year and can revoke it for repeated problems.Source
Guests
Health Department limit, 10 at most
Neighbors
100 feet from any other home
Local contact
Within about 30 miles
Named in the property management plan, available to respond to complaints.Source
Taxes
5.3% sales + 5% lodging tax

We read the ordinance through a third-party copy (Zoneomics) and found no permit fee. Ask Warren County Planning for the current fee and application.

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

Warren County, Virginia

  1. Then your town or area

    Towns have their own zoning and some levy their own lodging tax. The county’s rules apply outside town limits. Pick your area.

Warren County (outside Front Royal)

  1. Apply for a conditional use permit

    Every short-term tourist rental needs a conditional use permit from the Board of Supervisors, then a certificate of zoning from the Planning Department before the first guest. Include a property management plan with local contacts who are mostly within 30 miles. An accessory dwelling unit can’t be used as a short-term rental.Source

  2. Register with the Commissioner of the Revenue

    Before you rent, get a county business license and open a transient occupancy tax account. For direct bookings, file the 5% lodging tax with the county.Source

  3. 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. Warren County’s lodging tax is 5%, administered by the Commissioner of the Revenue.Source

Inspection checklist

What the inspector looks for, from Warren County (outside Front Royal)’s published checklist.

  • Smoke detectorsAs the Uniform Statewide Building Code requires.Source
  • Carbon monoxide detector on each floor
  • Fire extinguisher in every kitchen and cooking areaIn plain view.Source
  • Posted management plan with an emergency evacuation planFor the home and the neighborhood, in a visible spot.Source
  • Landline or E911-capable phone
  • Property boundaries marked

House rules for guests

Parking
Driveway or approved areas only
Not in the road right-of-way or the yard.Source
Not allowed
Outdoor burning, fireworks, firearms, hunting, ATVs
Source
Sign
One unlit sign, up to 4 square feet
Source
Inspections
24 hours’ notice
The county can inspect after giving a day’s notice.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.