Virginia landlord guide — county ordinances, courthouse info & local rules
📍 GDC: 55 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Christiansburg 👥 Pop. ~100,000 — New River Valley / Virginia Tech ⚖️ 27th Judicial District GDC 🏛 I-81 Corridor — Virginia Tech / Christiansburg / Blacksburg ⚠ Radford City (independent) — separate court jurisdiction
Montgomery County is the New River Valley’s dominant county — home to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Christiansburg (the county seat on I-81), and a rapidly growing population that has expanded to approximately 100,000 residents. Virginia Tech is the county’s economic anchor, employing thousands of faculty, staff, and researchers while generating demand from approximately 37,000 enrolled students. Beyond the university, Montgomery County has a growing technology and research economy anchored by the Virginia Tech Research Institute, the Amazon data center cluster in Christiansburg, and companies in the growing New River Valley tech corridor. The county surrounds the independent City of Radford, which has its own separate jurisdiction.
The rental market is large and segmented: student housing near Virginia Tech in Blacksburg commands $1,000–$1,800/month for apartments and houses; professional/family housing in Christiansburg and the I-81 corridor runs $1,200–$1,700/month. The GDC at 55 East Main Street in Christiansburg has separate Civil and Criminal/Traffic phone lines and a structured civil schedule: Monday mornings for unrepresented civil cases at 10:30 a.m., Friday mornings for attorney civil cases at 8:30 a.m. (no 5th Friday). Contested civil trials require calling the civil clerk for a date.
📊 Quick Stats
GDC Location
55 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Christiansburg, VA 24073
No county-level rental registration required. Virginia has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Note: The Town of Blacksburg and Town of Christiansburg are incorporated municipalities with their own zoning codes — confirm short-term rental regulations if renting within either town. Montgomery County Planning & GIS: (540) 382-5742.
Rent Control
None (Va. Code § 55.1-1322). No statewide rent cap as of 2026.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2 months’ rent (Va. Code § 55.1-1226). Return within 45 days with itemization. At Montgomery rents, deposits of $2,000–$3,600 are at stake. Document thoroughly at move-in and move-out for every student or professional tenancy.
Fee Disclosure (2024)
Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1 requires all charges on the first page of the lease.
Montgomery GDC — 27th Judicial District
Address: 55 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Christiansburg, VA 24073. Clerk: Kimberly W. McKittrick. Civil phone: (540) 394-2085. Traffic & Criminal: (540) 394-2086. Payment Info: (540) 382-5735. Fax (Criminal/Traffic): (540) 382-6988. Fax (Civil): (540) 381-6868. Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. GDC Judges: Hon. Gerald Eugene Mabe II (Chief), Hon. J.D. Bolt, Hon. Erin J. DeHart, Hon. Randal J. Duncan (Presiding), Hon. Gino W. Williams (Presiding). Circuit Court Clerk: Hon. Tiffany M. Couch, (540) 382-5760, 55 East Main Street, Suite 1, Christiansburg. Note: Montgomery County borders the independent City of Radford (separate jurisdiction) and shares the 27th District with Floyd County. Confirm your property’s exact jurisdiction before filing.
Unrepresented civil cases (including pro se UD) run every Monday at 10:30 a.m. Attorney civil cases run every Friday at 8:30 a.m. (no 5th Friday). Contested civil trial dates must be scheduled by calling the civil clerk at (540) 394-2085. Monday and Wednesday afternoons have county officer criminal dockets; Thursday has BPD/VT officer dockets; Friday also has this schedule. With weekly Monday AND Friday civil slots, Montgomery County GDC is one of the higher-frequency civil courts in rural Virginia. Contact the civil clerk for contested scheduling.
Continuance Policy
First continuance granted by Clerk. Subsequent continuances for good cause granted by Judge. Contact the civil clerk at (540) 394-2085 to arrange a continuance before your Monday or Friday hearing date.
Student Tenant Note
Virginia Tech’s approximately 37,000 enrolled students create one of Virginia’s largest student rental markets. Lease terms frequently align with the academic year (Aug–July). Screen carefully for co-signers on student leases; students often lack established credit and employment history. Virginia Tech student enrollment income (student loans, stipends) can be difficult to verify — consider requiring a creditworthy co-signer for student tenants.
Landlord Entry Notice
Minimum 72 hours’ advance written notice before non-emergency entry (2024 VRLTA update).
Late Fees
Capped at 10% of monthly rent. At $1,400/month, maximum late fee is $140/month.
Legal Aid / Resources
Blue Ridge Legal Services (serving Montgomery County): (540) 343-0010. Virginia Lawyer Referral Service: (800) 552-7977. Montgomery GDC Civil Clerk: (540) 394-2085. Montgomery County Admin: (540) 382-5700. DHCD: dhcd.virginia.gov.
Virginia requires 5-day written pay-or-quit notice (§55.1-1245(F)). No statutory grace period, but rent must be 5 days late before late fees apply (§55.1-1204.1). Tenant can redeem tenancy by paying all rent, late fees, attorney fees, and court costs on or before the court return date (§55.1-1250). Tenant may also present a "redemption tender" - a written commitment from a government or nonprofit entity to pay within 10 days of return date. Late fee cap: 10% of periodic rent. The Eviction Diversion Program was renewed and expanded in 2025, allowing qualifying lower-income tenants to be placed on court-ordered payment plans.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the General District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$58).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Virginia eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Virginia attorney or local legal aid organization.
🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease:
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including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
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Ready to File?
Generate Virginia-Compliant Legal Documents
AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Virginia requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏠 Screening Tips
Student housing: Require a creditworthy co-signer for student tenants without W-2 income history. Verify enrollment dates and note academic-year vs. calendar-year lease differences. Document move-in and move-out with photos. Professional/family housing: VT faculty, staff, and Christiansburg tech sector employees are stable long-term tenants — apply 3x monthly income from verifiable employment. Radford City note: Properties within Radford city limits file in Radford City GDC, not Montgomery County GDC. Confirm jurisdiction before filing.
Background checks, eviction history, credit — essential in a high-turnover student market.
Montgomery County Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law: Guide for Property Owners in the New River Valley
Montgomery County is defined by Virginia Tech — one of the nation’s largest public universities, with approximately 37,000 enrolled students and thousands of faculty and staff. The university sits in the Town of Blacksburg, which is entirely surrounded by Montgomery County (but is a separate incorporated municipality). The county seat of Christiansburg sits at the I-81 interchange five miles away, serving as the commercial and governmental hub. Amazon’s data center expansion in Christiansburg, alongside growing tech and research employment, has made Montgomery County one of southwestern Virginia’s strongest growth counties.
Montgomery General District Court, 27th Judicial District, is at 55 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Christiansburg, VA 24073. The court runs separate civil and criminal/traffic operations with dedicated phone lines: civil at (540) 394-2085 and criminal/traffic at (540) 394-2086. Unrepresented civil cases (including pro se UD filings) are heard every Monday at 10:30 a.m. Attorney civil cases run every Friday at 8:30 a.m. (no 5th Friday). Contested civil trials require calling the civil clerk to schedule. First continuance by Clerk; subsequent for good cause by Judge. Radford City is an independent city sharing the 27th District — confirm your property’s county or city jurisdiction before filing. All 2024 VRLTA updates apply. Blue Ridge Legal Services serves Montgomery County tenants at (540) 343-0010.
General informational purposes only. Montgomery GDC: 55 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Christiansburg, VA 24073 — Civil (540) 394-2085. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: General informational purposes only. Montgomery GDC Civil: (540) 394-2085; Traffic/Criminal: (540) 394-2086. 55 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Christiansburg, VA 24073. Blue Ridge Legal Services: (540) 343-0010. Last updated: March 2026.
