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Short-term rental rules

How to get a short-term rental approved in Frederick County, Virginia

In unincorporated Frederick County, a short-term rental (the county calls it short-term lodging) is allowed by right in the RA, RP, MH1, R4, and R5 districts with an administrative STL permit from Planning and Development, plus a business license from the Commissioner of the Revenue. The permit costs $200 and runs two years, renewals are $100, and there is no public hearing. The standard most likely to matter is the cap: 10 people, 5 guest rooms, and one rental contract per night, with 2 reserved off-street parking spaces. Guests pay the county's 6% lodging tax as of 7-1-2026.

Verified against the sources below on 2026-09-23.

Approval
Administrative permit
Permit fee
$200
Public hearings
0
Lodging tax
6%
Request a feasibility checkFind a local manager

The permit you need

STL Administrative Permit3,4,5,6

Any short-term rental in the RA, RP, MH1, R4, or R5 districts that meets the county standards.

Fee:
$200 for two years, then $100 to renew
Decided by:
Planning and Development, with a business license from the Commissioner of the Revenue
Public hearings:
0
Timeline:
No public hearing. The applicant schedules the Building Official, Fire Marshal, and (for a well and on-site septic) Health Department inspections before the permit issues.

How the process works

  1. STEP 1

    Feasibility check

    Confirm the parcel is unincorporated county land zoned RA, RP, MH1, R4, or R5, then check the home against 5 guest rooms, 10 people, 2 reserved parking spaces, and whether a well and septic system will add a Health Department sign-off.

  2. STEP 2

    Application

    File the STL permit application and zoning review form with Planning and Development and pay the $200 fee. Include the owner's written consent if someone else operates, or name a Local Emergency Contact who lives in the county.

  3. STEP 3

    Inspections

    Schedule the Building Official and Fire Marshal inspections (and the Health Department for well and septic). Have extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and exit-path plans on every sleeping-room door in place first.

  4. STEP 4

    Launch

    Get the business license and register for the lodging tax with the Commissioner of the Revenue, file the 6% tax monthly by the 20th, keep the guest log, and renew the permit every two years for $100.

The rules

What counts
Short-term lodging (STL): any occupancy of all or part of a dwelling or manufactured home for 30 days or less.2
Where it is allowed
RA, RP, MH1, R4, and R5 zoning, by right with the STL permit. Not allowed in MS, B1, B2, B3, TM, M1, M2, EM, or HE.3
Guest limit
No more than 10 unrelated persons a night, or fewer if the building code requires.4
Rooms and contracts
No more than 5 guest rooms, and one rental contract per night with every lodger on the same contract.4
Parking
At least 2 designated off-street spaces the operator can reserve for lodgers.4
Life safety
A multipurpose fire extinguisher, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors where there is a fireplace or gas service, and an exit-path plan posted inside each sleeping-room door. The home must meet the building code (or the Manufactured Home Safety Regulations) and be available for county inspection.4
Inspections
Sign-offs from the Building Official and the Fire Marshal, plus the Virginia Department of Health when the property has a well and on-site sewage system. The applicant schedules them.5
Events
Special events are prohibited with short-term lodging unless a separate Conditional Use Permit is approved.4,5
Local contact and records
An owner who operates the rental names a Local Emergency Contact who lives in Frederick County. A non-owner operator needs the owner's written consent. Keep a guest log (name, address, phone) for the county on request.5
Caps and distance rules
None. The ordinance sets no cap on the number of rentals and no distance requirement.4

Lodging taxes

TaxRateFiled withWhenAirbnb and VRBO collect it?
Frederick County transient occupancy tax8,9Unincorporated Frederick County; whether it also applies inside Stephens City and Middletown is not confirmed6%Commissioner of the Revenue (reports); payment to the County TreasurerMonthly, by the 20th of the following month, with a 10% penalty and 10% a year interest when late. An operator whose every booking goes through a booking platform can skip the monthly report by filing an annual attestation.Not confirmed

What sinks applications here

The county's STL web page is stale

It still lists only RA, RP, and MH1 and cites old section 165-204.35. The zoning code was rewritten 5-13-2026: the rules are now section 165-702.08, and the use table (165-603.02) adds R4 and R5.

3.5% versus 6%

The Commissioner of the Revenue's lodging tax page says 6% from 7-1-2026 at the top and 3.5% further down. The County Code (section 155-51) controls: the rate is 6%.

One booking per night, no events

Every lodger must be on a single rental contract, so a home cannot be split into separately booked rooms, and events need their own Conditional Use Permit.

Earn while you wait

Stays longer than 30 days: Outside the short-term lodging definition (30 days or less), so no STL permit is needed. The lodging tax applies only to stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days.2,8 A furnished mid-term lease can carry the home while the permit is pending. How mid-term rentals work.

Management pricing

Short-term (under 30 days)

20%

Of nightly accommodation revenue. Guest cleaning fees are not included in the fee. Sign up online

Mid-term (30 days or more)

15%

Of rent collected, including stays while your permit is pending. Mid-term rentals

Long-term (12-month leases)

7% to 10%

Of rent collected: 10% for one to four doors, down to 7% at twenty-five or more. Long-term rentals

Questions owners ask

  1. 01Do I need a public hearing?

    No. In the RA, RP, MH1, R4, and R5 districts short-term lodging is a by-right use with an administrative STL permit, decided by Planning and Development after the building, fire, and (where needed) health inspections.

  2. 02What is the lodging tax rate?

    6% of the room rental, effective 7-1-2026 under County Code section 155-51. It was 3.5% before, and part of the county's own tax page still says 3.5%.

  3. 03Does this apply in Winchester, Stephens City, or Middletown?

    The county STL permit does not. Stephens City and Middletown have their own zoning and lodging taxes, and Winchester is an independent city outside Frederick County with its own rules.

Sources

  1. 1.Frederick County Code, Chapter 165 Zoning (history note) (Amended in its entirety 5-13-2026). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  2. 2.Frederick County Zoning Ordinance, Use Terms, Residential, 165-1105.02 (Chapter 165 amended in its entirety 5-13-2026). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  3. 3.Frederick County Zoning Ordinance, Use Matrix, 165-603.02, Short-Term Lodging or Tourist Home (Chapter 165 amended in its entirety 5-13-2026). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  4. 4.Frederick County Zoning Ordinance, Short-Term Lodging, 165-702.08 (Chapter 165 amended in its entirety 5-13-2026). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  5. 5.Frederick County Short-Term Lodging Permit Application (Application Revised May 2026). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  6. 6.Frederick County Development Review Fee Schedule (Revised 03/08/2023 (PDF modified 2026-02-04)). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  7. 7.Frederick County Short-Term Lodging web page. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  8. 8.Frederick County Code, Transient Occupancy Tax, 155-50 to 155-57 (155-51 amended 4-22-2026, rate effective 7-1-2026; 155-55(C) amended 10-8-2025). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
  9. 9.Frederick County Commissioner of the Revenue, Lodging Tax Information. Retrieved 2026-09-23.

Local rules change. We recheck these sources on a schedule and before every filing; if you spot a change, tell us at info@propmanageplus.com. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Questions about a property in Frederick County? Call 540-218-8969 or send us the address.