Accomack County Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law: A Complete Guide for Rental Property Owners on Virginia’s Eastern Shore
Accomack County sits at the far northeastern edge of Virginia, occupying the upper two-thirds of the Delmarva Peninsula’s Virginia section — a narrow strip of land bookended by the Chesapeake Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. It is the largest county in Virginia by total area, covering 1,310 square miles when water is included, and Virginia’s easternmost locality. The county was first established as Accomac Shire in 1634, making it one of the oldest governmental units in the United States, and in 1940 the General Assembly added the now-familiar “k” to the county name — though the county seat, the small town of Accomac, retained the original spelling. That distinction matters for landlords because the county seat is spelled differently than the county itself: Accomack County, Accomac (town).
The county had a population of 33,413 as of the 2020 census, spread across 14 incorporated towns — more than any other county in Virginia. Chincoteague, the county’s largest town at roughly 2,900 residents, is internationally known for the annual Chincoteague Pony Swim and its access to Assateague Island National Seashore. The county’s economy rests primarily on three pillars: poultry processing anchored by Perdue Farms and Tyson Foods, tourism concentrated in Chincoteague and the surrounding barrier island communities, and a modest agricultural and seafood base along the bayside marshes. Eastern Shore Community College, located near Melfa, provides a fourth institutional employment base along with county government.
Understanding the Two-Track Rental Market
Landlords in Accomack County are really operating in two distinct submarkets that require different management approaches. The first is the Chincoteague and coastal area market, where vacation rentals dominate the housing conversation. Short-term vacation rentals tied to Assateague Island tourism have pushed housing costs higher along the barrier island and in the town itself. A long-term two-bedroom rental in Chincoteague typically runs around $1,070 per month — elevated relative to inland Accomack communities but still modest by coastal Virginia standards. Long-term landlords in Chincoteague compete for tenants with the vacation rental market for available housing units, and year-round tenants tend to be year-round residents working in hospitality, retail, or the National Park Service rather than seasonal workers.
The second market covers the inland towns — Onancock, Parksley, Onley, Painter, Accomac, Tasley, Melfa, and others strung along U.S. Route 13, the main arterial road running the length of the Eastern Shore. Rents here are notably lower: Parksley runs around $834 per month for a median unit, Onancock around $1,100 for a well-appointed unit, and inland agricultural communities even less. The tenant base here is predominantly the poultry processing workforce at Perdue and Tyson, agricultural workers, retail and service employees, and county government workers. Income levels are lower than the Virginia statewide average — Accomack and adjacent Northampton County are routinely cited as two of the poorest counties in Virginia — which means Section 8 HCV demand is a real factor in the affordable rental market.
The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
All residential rental activity in Accomack County is governed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA), codified at Virginia Code §§ 55.1-1200 through 55.1-1262. The VRLTA is one of the more comprehensive landlord-tenant statutes in the Southeast and applies uniformly across the Commonwealth. There is no local version of landlord-tenant law in Accomack County that modifies the state framework — the VRLTA is the controlling statute for notice requirements, security deposits, habitability standards, and eviction procedure.
Security deposits under Virginia law are capped at two months’ rent (Va. Code § 55.1-1226). The landlord must return the deposit, with a written itemized statement of any deductions, within 45 days after the tenancy ends. Deductions are permitted only for unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear and tear, and other charges specifically authorized by the rental agreement. Wrongful withholding of a security deposit entitles the tenant to recover the withheld amount plus damages. Landlords should document the condition of the unit at move-in and move-out with photographs and a written checklist signed by the tenant to protect against deposit disputes.
Virginia law prohibits rent control at both the state and local level (Va. Code § 55.1-1322), so Accomack County landlords may adjust rents freely at lease renewal with proper notice. For month-to-month tenancies, either party may terminate with 30 days’ written notice. For fixed-term leases, the landlord must provide at least 60 days’ written notice of non-renewal before the end of the term unless the lease specifies otherwise.
Filing an Eviction in Accomack County
Evictions in Virginia are formally called Unlawful Detainer actions and are filed in the General District Court. In Accomack County, the General District Court is located at 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Suite 203, Accomac, VA 23301 (P.O. Box 388). The Clerk of Court is Francina Violet Chisum, reachable at (757) 787-0923 or by fax at (757) 787-5619. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Unlawful Detainer hearings are scheduled on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., which is an important scheduling detail for landlords planning their timeline.
Before filing, a landlord must serve the appropriate written notice. For nonpayment of rent, Virginia requires a 5-Day Notice to Pay or Quit — the tenant has five days to pay all rent owed or vacate. For other lease violations (such as unauthorized pets, property damage, or lease term breaches), a 30-Day Notice to Comply or Vacate is required, giving the tenant 21 days to remedy the violation and an additional 9 days to vacate if they cannot. For month-to-month tenancies where the landlord simply wants to end the tenancy without cause, a 30-day written notice is required. After the notice period expires without compliance, the landlord files an Unlawful Detainer complaint with the General District Court clerk and pays the filing fee. The court schedules a hearing, and the Accomack County Sheriff serves the tenant with the summons. If the landlord prevails at the hearing and the tenant does not appeal within 10 days, the landlord may request a Writ of Eviction, which the Sheriff executes — typically providing the tenant at least 72 hours advance notice before physically removing them. Self-help evictions — changing locks, cutting utilities, or removing the tenant’s belongings without a court order — are strictly prohibited under Virginia law and expose the landlord to significant liability.
Landlord Tips Specific to Accomack County
Screening tenants whose income comes from poultry processing employment requires a specific approach. Both Perdue Farms and Tyson Foods operations in the county pay hourly wages with overtime that can make monthly income highly variable. Rather than relying on a single month’s pay stub, request the last three months of pay stubs and the most recent annual W-2. This gives a clearer picture of actual earning capacity when overtime fluctuates. Set your income requirement at 3x monthly rent in verifiable gross income and require at least 12 months of employment history with the same employer when possible, as processing plant turnover can be high.
If you own property in Chincoteague, be aware that the vacation rental ecosystem creates some tension in the long-term rental market. Year-round tenants are genuinely competing for units against short-term rental operators. The benefit for long-term landlords is stable, predictable income versus the operational demands of managing vacation rentals. The Town of Chincoteague has its own municipal government and may have local ordinances that affect rental properties within town limits — verify current requirements directly with the Town of Chincoteague before listing any unit there, particularly for short-term or vacation rental activity.
Flood risk is a serious consideration for Accomack County property owners. Redfin data indicates that 52% of properties in the county face severe flooding risk over the next 30 years, and 100% face severe wind event risk. If you own rental property in Accomack, proper flood insurance and wind coverage are not optional — they are essential. Factor insurance costs into your rent calculations and disclose known flood zone status to prospective tenants as appropriate under Virginia law.
The county’s geographic isolation — accessible primarily via U.S. Route 13 with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to the south and the Maryland state line to the north — means that maintenance contractor availability can be limited. Establishing relationships with reliable local plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians before you have an emergency is essential. Virginia law requires landlords to maintain rental properties in habitable condition and respond to repair requests in a reasonable time frame, and “I couldn’t find a contractor” is not a defense that will hold up in GDC if a tenant files a Tenant’s Assertion for failure to repair.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord-tenant law is subject to change. Consult a licensed Virginia attorney or contact Accomack General District Court at (757) 787-0923 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
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