Henrico County Landlord-Tenant Law

Virginia landlord guide — county ordinances, courthouse info & local rules

Henrico County Rental Market Overview

Henrico County is the largest and most economically powerful of the Richmond MSA’s suburban jurisdictions — a diverse county of approximately 340,000 people that surrounds the City of Richmond on three sides and has become a major economic engine in its own right. Henrico County is home to the East Parham Road corporate corridor anchored by Capital One Financial (one of Virginia’s largest private employers), Dominion Energy, Genworth Financial, and a dense concentration of healthcare and life sciences companies serving VCU Health and the broader Richmond medical community. The county spans a wide geographic range from the dense, walkable Short Pump and Innsbrook corridors in the west to the rural Varina District in the east, with the established neighborhoods of Tuckahoe, Lakeside, and Highland Springs in between.

The Henrico County rental market is one of the most active and diverse in Virginia outside Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Single-family home rents range from $1,400–$2,800 per month depending on location — Short Pump and the western US-60 corridor at the high end, eastern Henrico and Varina at the lower end. Apartment communities are abundant throughout the county, particularly along the Broad Street (US-250) and Midlothian Turnpike corridors, with a wide range of rent points. The county’s GDC at 4309 East Parham Road operates with one of the highest-volume civil dockets in the Richmond metropolitan area — civil returns are heard Monday through Friday, with UD first returns on Monday and Friday morning slots. An Eviction Diversion Program is also available at Henrico GDC — a significant local resource that both landlords and tenants should be aware of.

Henrico County Ordinances & Local Rules

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Henrico General District Court — 14th Judicial District

Virginia State Law Framework

⚡ Quick Overview

5

Days Notice (Nonpayment)

21

Days Notice (Violation)

45-75

Avg Total Days

$58

Filing Fee (Approx)

💰 Nonpayment of Rent

Notice Type 5-Day Pay or Quit Notice

Notice Period 5 days

Tenant Can Cure? Yes

Days to Hearing 21-30 days

Days to Writ 10 days

Total Estimated Timeline 45-75 days

Total Estimated Cost $150-$400

⚠️ Watch Out

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.

📜 Eviction Laws Main 📊 Compare This State

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📝 Virginia Eviction Process (Overview)

1. Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
2. Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
3. File an eviction case with the General District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$58).
4. Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
5. Attend the court hearing and present your case.
6. If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
7. 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.

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🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease: Virginia landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding tenant screening in Virginia — including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Virginia's eviction process, proper tenant screening can help you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.

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Henrico County Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law: A Complete Guide for Property Owners in Richmond’s Largest Suburb

Henrico County is by nearly every measure Virginia’s most consequential suburban jurisdiction: the largest county by population adjacent to a major city, the home of Capital One Financial and a dense concentration of Richmond’s most significant corporate employers, and the engine behind Richmond MSA’s westward growth into one of Virginia’s fastest-growing commercial corridors. With approximately 340,000 residents and a rental market spanning the full spectrum from Short Pump luxury apartments to Varina rural farmhouses, Henrico County presents landlords with both exceptional opportunity and the operational complexity that comes with a high-volume, highly diverse market.

Henrico GDC: Virginia’s Most Accessible High-Volume Civil Docket

Henrico General District Court, 14th Judicial District, is located at 4309 East Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23273 (P.O. Box 90775). Clerk Carol Bowman Kennedy runs separate civil and criminal/traffic lines: Civil (804) 501-4727 / Fax (804) 501-4141; Criminal/Traffic (804) 501-4723 / Fax (804) 501-7388. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Five presiding judges — Chief Judge Bryan Craig Dunkum, Lauren Ann Caudill, George Barton Chucker, Nicole L. Fox, and John K. Honey Jr. — share a high-volume caseload across the court’s multiple courtrooms.

The civil docket operates Monday through Friday. Civil Return and Motion dockets run Monday at 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and Friday at 10:00, 10:30, and 11:00 a.m. Contested Civil Cases are scheduled Monday through Thursday at 1:30 p.m. and Friday at 11:00 a.m. Garnishment dockets run Monday and Friday at 8:00 a.m. Civil Small Claims run every other Friday at 11:00 a.m. County-specific cases run Friday at 9:30 a.m. This frequency — civil returns available Monday and Friday every week — makes Henrico GDC one of the most accessible courts in Virginia for landlords who need to resolve eviction matters promptly. From the time an UD is filed through service and hearing, the typical Henrico eviction timeline runs four to six weeks.

Continuances for civil matters require Judge approval on motion — there is no automatic Clerk-granted first continuance at Henrico GDC. Come prepared. The court’s posted Eviction Diversion Program (EDP) offers a resolution pathway for qualifying nonpayment cases — review the EDP notice available on the court’s vacourts.gov page before your first hearing. The court also posts supplementary Civil Document Policy and Complied With Law documents that affect how eviction orders are processed after judgment; review these if you are a first-time Henrico landlord filer.

Henrico’s Diverse Submarkets and Rental Strategy

The county’s geographic diversity demands submarket-specific strategy. Short Pump and the western US-60 corridor is Henrico’s premium submarket, anchored by Capital One’s Innsbrook campus, luxury retail at Short Pump Town Center, and among the highest household incomes in the Richmond MSA. Single-family home rents in this corridor regularly exceed $2,500 per month. Tenant profiles are typically tech-sector, finance, or executive-level professionals with strong credit and stable employment histories. Lakeside and the Northside corridor offer more affordable rents ($1,400–$1,800) and proximity to Richmond City employment centers for public sector, healthcare, and service industry workers. Eastern Henrico near Highland Springs, Sandston, and the airport area has the county’s most affordable rents and an employment base tied to Richmond International Airport, logistics, and light industrial.

All 2024 VRLTA updates apply throughout Henrico County: 72-hour minimum entry notice, all fees on the first lease page, late fees capped at 10% of monthly rent, security deposits capped at two months’ rent with 45-day return, and self-help eviction strictly prohibited under Va. Code § 55.1-1245. At Henrico’s higher-end rents, security deposits of $4,000–$5,600 are at stake — thorough move-in and move-out documentation is essential. Central Virginia Legal Aid Society serves Henrico County tenants at (804) 649-8261.

This guide is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Virginia attorney or Central Virginia Legal Aid Society at (804) 649-8261. Henrico General District Court Civil: (804) 501-4727, 4309 East Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23273. Last updated: March 2026.