Virginia landlord guide — county ordinances, courthouse info & local rules
📍 Combined Court: 2 Main Street (P.O. Box 470), Madison 👥 Pop. ~14,000 — Blue Ridge Foothills / Charlottesville Exurb ⚖️ 16th Judicial District GDC 🏛 Shenandoah National Park Gateway — US-29 Corridor
Madison County is a scenic Blue Ridge foothills county of approximately 14,000 residents, nestled between the Shenandoah National Park to the west and the Piedmont farm country to the east. The county seat at Madison sits on US-29 at the foot of the Blue Ridge, giving the county direct highway access to Charlottesville (30 miles south) and Culpeper (25 miles north). Madison County is a significant agritourism destination — with award-winning wineries along the slopes of the Blue Ridge, Graves Mountain Lodge as a regional resort destination, and a pastoral landscape that draws weekend visitors and second-home buyers from the DC and Richmond metro areas. The county has attracted a growing cohort of Charlottesville and Northern Virginia remote workers seeking rural living with reasonable access to urban amenities.
The rental market is modest but growing, with single-family homes renting for $950–$1,400/month. The Combined GDC at 2 Main Street holds civil hearings on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. (contested at 1:00 p.m.) — three out of four Thursdays monthly. The continuance policy is clear: traffic first by Clerk; all civil first continuances and second traffic continuances go to the Judge.
📊 Quick Stats
GDC Location
2 Main Street (GD), P.O. Box 470, Madison, VA 22727
All continuances by Judge (no clerk-granted civil continuance)
Eviction Timeline
4–7 weeks typical (3 Thursdays/month civil)
Security Deposit Return
45 days after termination
Statute
Va. Code Ann. §§ 55.1-1200 et seq.
Madison County Ordinances & Local Rules
Topic
Rule / Notes
Rental Licensing
No county-level rental registration required. Virginia has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Madison County Building Official (540-948-3900) handles permits. Agritourism and vacation rental hosts should confirm zoning compliance with Madison County Planning (540-948-3900).
Rent Control
None. Virginia law prohibits local rent control (Va. Code § 55.1-1322).
Security Deposit
Capped at 2 months’ rent (Va. Code § 55.1-1226). Must be returned within 45 days with itemization. At Madison rents, deposits run $1,900–$2,800.
Fee Disclosure (2024)
Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1 requires all charges on the first page of the lease.
Madison Combined Court — 16th Judicial District
GD Address: 2 Main Street, P.O. Box 470, Madison, VA 22727. JDR Address: 1 Main Street, Lower Level, same P.O. Box. Clerk: Sarah Elizabeth Kirton. Phone: (540) 948-4657. Fax (secondary): (540) 948-5649; Fax (primary): (540) 948-7617. Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. GDC Judges (16th District): Hon. Claiborne H. Stokes Jr. (Chief), Hon. Theresa W. Carter, Hon. Matthew J. Quatrara, Hon. Kenneth Andrew Sneathern. Circuit Court judges: Hon. David B. Franzen (Presiding), Hon. Cheryl V. Higgins, Hon. Timothy K. Sanner.
Civil cases (including UD) are heard on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Thursdays of each month at 12:30 p.m.; contested civil at 1:00 p.m. Criminal and traffic dockets also run on those same Thursdays plus the 3rd Friday. Note that the 3rd Thursday is NOT a civil court day — civil is limited to the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Thursdays only. Verify the schedule with the Clerk at (540) 948-4657 before filing.
Continuance Policy
Traffic: first continuance by Clerk; second+ by Judge. All other cases — including civil UD — first continuance by Judge. There is no clerk-granted first continuance for civil cases in Madison County. Any civil continuance, even the first, requires a Judge. Contact the Clerk at (540) 948-4657 well before the scheduled Thursday date if a continuance is needed.
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 $1,200/month, maximum late fee is $120/month.
Legal Aid / Resources
Blue Ridge Legal Services (serving Madison): (540) 434-0154. Virginia Lawyer Referral Service: (800) 552-7977. Madison Combined Court Clerk: (540) 948-4657. Madison County Admin: (540) 948-3900. 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:
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.
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
🏠 Communities & Screening Tips
Key communities: Madison (county seat, Main Street, US-29 corridor), Banco/Brightwood (US-29 corridor south, accessible to Charlottesville), Syria (Graves Mountain Lodge area, high-country agritourism), Etlan and Wolftown (Blue Ridge hollow communities, rural character).
Remote worker & agritourism economy: Charlottesville commuters and remote workers are the primary rental demand driver. Apply 3x monthly income; remote workers may have variable project income — verify base salary or retainer-level income. Wine industry and agritourism workers have seasonal variability; verify year-round base. Civil docket is 1st, 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. — all continuances go to the Judge, even the first. Come prepared to proceed.
Madison County Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law: Guide for Property Owners at the Shenandoah Gateway
Madison County sits at the meeting point of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Virginia’s central Piedmont — a position that gives it both the scenic character of the mountain counties to its west and the agricultural richness of the Piedmont to its east. The county is perhaps best known to Virginians as the home of Graves Mountain Lodge, a family resort at the foot of the Blue Ridge that has been drawing visitors for generations, and for an expanding wine country along the Blue Ridge foothills that has become one of Virginia’s most recognized agritourism destinations. With approximately 14,000 residents and rents of $950–$1,400/month, Madison County is growing as a Charlottesville exurb for households priced out of Albemarle and seeking the rural lifestyle of the mountain corridor.
Madison Combined GD and JDR District Court, 16th Judicial District, is at 2 Main Street (P.O. Box 470), Madison, VA 22727. Clerk Sarah Elizabeth Kirton is at (540) 948-4657. Civil hearings run on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. (first returns) and 1:00 p.m. (contested) — note the 3rd Thursday is NOT a civil day. The continuance rule is strict: traffic first by Clerk, but all civil continuances — even the first — go to the Judge. There is no clerk-granted first continuance for civil matters. All 2024 VRLTA updates apply. Blue Ridge Legal Services serves Madison County tenants at (540) 434-0154.
General informational purposes only — not legal advice. Madison Combined Court: P.O. Box 470, Madison, VA 22727 — (540) 948-4657. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: General informational purposes only. Madison Combined Court: P.O. Box 470, Madison, VA 22727 — (540) 948-4657. Blue Ridge Legal Services: (540) 434-0154. Last updated: March 2026.
