Does this apply inside the Town of Front Royal?

No. The Town of Front Royal runs its own Special Use Permit process and lodging tax. The county rules cover unincorporated Warren County.

What if the property cannot be permitted?

A feasibility check before you file tells you, so you are never out the $1,750 on an application that cannot pass. Stays of 30 days or more need no permit.

Short-term rental rules

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

Outside the Town of Front Royal, every short-term rental in Warren County needs a Conditional Use Permit approved by the Board of Supervisors after a Planning Commission hearing. The county fee is $1,750 and the process takes at least three months. The home must sit at least 100 feet from every neighboring residence, and the septic approval sets a guest limit that can never exceed 10.

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

Approval: Public hearings required
Permit fee: $1,750
Public hearings: 2
Lodging tax: 5%

Request a feasibility check Download the brochure (PDF)

The permit you need

Conditional Use Permit^1,3

Every short-term rental in unincorporated Warren County.

Fee:: $1,750
Decided by:: Board of Supervisors, after a Planning Commission recommendation
Public hearings:: 2
Timeline:: At least three months. Applications are due by noon on the third Wednesday of the month.

How the process works

STEP 1
Feasibility check
Confirm the zoning, measure the 100-foot distance to neighboring homes, check for HOA restrictions, and read the septic permit to find the guest count the county will actually approve.
STEP 2
Application
Justification statement, deed, plat and site plan, Health Department comments, Treasurer tax verification, and the property management plan, filed by noon on the third Wednesday of the month.
STEP 3
Public hearings
The Planning Commission hears the application and makes a recommendation. The Board of Supervisors makes the final decision.
STEP 4
Launch
Certificate of zoning, business license, lodging tax account, and life-safety equipment. Then the listing goes live.

The rules

What counts: Any rental of a single-family home for periods of less than 30 days.²
Where it is allowed: Agricultural (A), Residential-One (R-1), and Rural Residential (RR) zoning, by Conditional Use Permit.¹
Guest limit: Set by the Health Department septic approval, and never more than 10.¹
Distance: At least 100 feet from the rental to every neighboring residence.¹
Local contact: A property management plan naming contacts within 30 miles, plus an emergency evacuation plan posted in the home and given to guests with the rental contract.¹
HOA or POA: The county requests comments and any recorded covenants that prohibit short-term rentals.¹
Phone: A landline, or another phone that can place calls and reach E911.¹
Life safety: A fire extinguisher in every kitchen, smoke detectors per building code, and a carbon monoxide detector on every floor.¹
Guest prohibitions: No outdoor burning, fireworks, firearms or hunting, or ATVs.¹
Signage: One unlit sign, four square feet maximum.¹
Before the first guest: A certificate of zoning, a business license, and a transient occupancy tax account with the Commissioner of the Revenue.¹
After approval: Annual compliance review by county staff, and inspection on 24 hours' notice.¹

Lodging taxes

Tax	Rate	Filed with	When	Airbnb and VRBO collect it?
Warren County transient occupancy tax^4,5,6Outside the Town of Front Royal, which levies its own lodging tax	5%	Commissioner of the Revenue (returns); County Treasurer (payment)	Monthly, by the 20th. File a zero return in months with no stays. Hosts whose every booking runs through a platform may file a yearly attestation by January 31 instead (from 1-1-2026).	Yes, on their bookings

What sinks applications here

Occupancy

The septic permit, not the bedroom count, sets the guest limit.

Distance

A neighboring home within 100 feet of the rental fails the county distance rule.

Amenities

Guest fire pits, fireworks, and ATVs are prohibited.

Earn while you wait

Stays of 30 days or more: Not short-term rentals under the county code, so no permit is needed.² A furnished mid-term lease can carry the home while the permit is pending. How mid-term rentals work.

Choose your package

Coached

$2,500

You file. We make sure it is right the first time.

Feasibility check before you pay the county fee
Filing calendar built around the county deadline
Our justification statement and property management plan templates
Checklist for the deed, plat, and Treasurer letter
One full review of your packet before you file
Hearing preparation call
Launch checklist for zoning, licensing, and life safety

Done for You

$5,000

We handle the whole process, start to finish.

Feasibility check before you pay the county fee
We write the justification statement and property management plan
We pull the deed, plat, and Treasurer tax letter
We prepare the site sketch showing the 100-foot distances
We file the Health Department comment request and follow up
We file the application and answer staff questions
Neighbor outreach letter before the hearing
We prepare for and attend both public hearings
We register the certificate of zoning, business license, and lodging tax account

The county's $1,750 application fee, surveys, septic work, water testing, and life-safety equipment are billed separately at cost.

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

Towns with their own rules

Inside these town limits, the town’s rules replace the county’s.

Front Royal

Questions owners ask

01Does this apply inside the Town of Front Royal?
No. The Town of Front Royal runs its own Special Use Permit process and lodging tax. The county rules cover unincorporated Warren County.
02What if the property cannot be permitted?
A feasibility check before you file tells you, so you are never out the $1,750 on an application that cannot pass. Stays of 30 days or more need no permit.

Sources

1.Warren County Code, Zoning, 180-56.4 Short-term tourist rentals (Amended 3-12-2024). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
2.Warren County Code, Zoning definitions, 180-8. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
3.Warren County Short-Term Tourist Rentals. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
4.Warren County Code, Transient Occupancy Tax, 160-81 to 160-93 (Amended 11-18-2021; code current through 4-22-2026). Retrieved 2026-09-23.
5.Warren County Commissioner of the Revenue, Transient Occupancy Tax. Retrieved 2026-09-23.
6.Code of Virginia 58.1-3819 (county lodging tax inside towns). 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 Warren County? Call 540-218-8969 or send us the address.