Short-term rental rules
How to get a short-term rental approved in Shenandoah County, Virginia
In unincorporated Shenandoah County, a whole-home short-term rental with 4 bedrooms or fewer is allowed by right in ten zoning districts, but it still needs a $225 annual short-term rental zoning permit and a life-safety inspection by the county Building Inspector before approval. A rental with 5 or more bedrooms, or any yurt, tiny home, RV, or other non-dwelling, needs a Special Use Permit: $500 plus mailing costs, with public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. There is no owner-occupancy rule for a whole-home rental. Guests pay the county's 5% lodging tax outside towns that levy their own.
Verified against the sources below on 2026-09-23.
- Approval
- Two paths
- Permit fees
- $225 or $500
- Public hearings
- 0 to 2, by path
- Lodging tax
- 5%
Which permit you need
Annual short-term rental zoning permit2,6,7
A dwelling with no more than 4 bedrooms, or an owner-occupied homeshare, in a district that allows short-term rentals by right.
- Fee:
- $225 a year
- Decided by:
- County zoning staff, after a life-safety inspection by the county Building Inspector
- Public hearings:
- 0
- Timeline:
- Apply through the county's online permit portal. The permit is annual, and the inspection happens before approval.
Special Use Permit3,2,6,7
A dwelling with 5 or more bedrooms, or any non-dwelling short-term rental such as a yurt, tiny home, or RV.
- Fee:
- $500 plus the cost of public-notice mailings
- Decided by:
- Board of Supervisors, after a Planning Commission hearing
- Public hearings:
- 2
- Timeline:
- Pre-application contact with staff, then a Technical Review Team meeting, then the application and public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.
How the process works
- STEP 1
Feasibility check
Confirm the property is outside town limits and in one of the ten districts that allow short-term rentals, count bedrooms (5 or more means a Special Use Permit), and, on a septic system, find out what guest count VDH will support.
- STEP 2
Application
Apply for the annual short-term rental zoning permit through the county's online portal, including the business registration form. A Special Use Permit starts with staff contact and a Technical Review Team meeting.
- STEP 3
Inspection and decision
The county Building Inspector does a life-safety inspection before approval. A Special Use Permit also goes to public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.
- STEP 4
Launch
Post the emergency information and manager contact inside, confirm on-lot parking, and file the 5% lodging tax return every month, including months with no bookings.
The rules
- What counts
- A dwelling (other than an owner-occupied homeshare) rented by the room or as a whole, or a non-dwelling such as a yurt, tent, tiny home, RV, or trailer, with no meals served and no guest staying more than 30 consecutive days.1
- Where it is allowed
- C-1, RR-C, A-1, RR-A, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, B-1, and B-2: by right up to 4 bedrooms, by Special Use Permit at 5 or more. Non-dwelling rentals need a Special Use Permit and are not allowed in R-2, R-3, or R-4. Not a listed use in the M-1 or M-2 industrial districts.2,3
- Guest limit
- The code sets no number. County policy on public water and sewer is 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 (a 3-bedroom home allows 8). On a private septic system, staff checks septic capacity and occupancy with the Virginia Department of Health.7
- Life safety
- A visible fire extinguisher in every kitchen and cooking area, and smoke detectors per the Uniform Statewide Building Code. The county Building Inspector inspects before the permit is approved.4,7
- Sanitary facilities
- VDH-approved sanitary facilities. Portable bathrooms are prohibited.4
- Posted information
- Emergency information and the manager's contact posted inside. A non-dwelling rental also posts its 911 address.4
- Parking
- On-lot parking for 1 car per guest room, plus 1 per 10 guest rooms, plus 1 per employee on the largest shift.5,4
- Non-dwelling setback
- A yurt, tiny home, RV, or other non-dwelling rental sits at least 50 feet from adjoining property lines.4
Lodging taxes
| Tax | Rate | Filed with | When | Airbnb and VRBO collect it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenandoah County transient occupancy tax8,7Everywhere in the county except inside a town that levies its own lodging tax, such as Strasburg or Woodstock | 5% | Commissioner of the Revenue (return) and Treasurer (payment) | Monthly, by the 20th for the prior month, even with $0 in sales. 10% penalty for the first month late, then 5% a month, capped at 25%. | Yes, on their bookings |
What sinks applications here
The fifth bedroom
A home with 5 or more bedrooms is not by right in any district. It needs a Special Use Permit and two public hearings.
Septic limits
The 2-per-bedroom-plus-2 guideline assumes public water and sewer. On a private septic system, the VDH capacity check can set a lower guest limit.
Zero returns
The monthly lodging tax return is due even when the home had no bookings that month.
Earn while you wait
Stays longer than 30 consecutive days: Outside the zoning definition of a short-term rental. The county lodging tax covers only stays under 30 consecutive days.1,8 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
01Do I have to live in the home?
No. Owner occupancy applies only to a homeshare. A whole-home short-term rental with 4 bedrooms or fewer is by right in the allowed districts with the $225 annual permit.
02Does the county permit apply inside Strasburg or Woodstock?
No. County zoning stops at town limits, and the county's 5% lodging tax does not apply inside a town that levies its own. Strasburg and Woodstock each have their own rules and lodging tax.
03Can I rent out a yurt or tiny home?
Only with a Special Use Permit, only in C-1, RR-C, A-1, RR-A, R-1, B-1, or B-2, and at least 50 feet from adjoining property lines.
Sources
- 1.Shenandoah County Code, Zoning definitions (Homeshare; Short-term rental), 165-4 (Ord. 2021-02, 1-26-2021; code codified through 12-9-2025). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 2.Shenandoah County Code, Zoning Article III district regulations, 165-11 to 165-19 (Codified through 12-9-2025). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 3.Shenandoah County Code, A-1 Agricultural District uses by special permit, 165-12B(3)(oo) (Codified through 12-9-2025). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 4.Shenandoah County Code, Supplementary standards for homeshares and short-term rentals, 165-32.4 (Ord. 2021-02). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 5.Shenandoah County Code, Off-street parking requirements, 165-86C(8) (Amended 1-26-2021). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 6.Shenandoah County Code, Fee schedule, A170-5 (Amended 6-29-2023, Ord. 2023-03). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 7.Shenandoah County Short-Term Rental FAQ (PDF created 3-29-2024). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
- 8.Shenandoah County Code, Transient Occupancy Tax, 146-38 to 146-46 (Article X amended 6-13-2023, Ord. 2023-02). 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 Shenandoah County? Call 540-218-8969 or send us the address.