Richmond City Landlord-Tenant Law

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

Richmond City Rental Market Overview

Richmond is Virginia’s capital and one of the most dynamic mid-sized rental markets on the East Coast — a city that has spent the last fifteen years reinventing itself while sitting on a foundation of state government, healthcare, finance, and education that never stopped providing stable jobs. VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) with its 29,000+ students and major medical system is the city’s largest employer and shapes entire neighborhoods around the Monroe Ward and Carytown corridors. The Fan District, Church Hill, Scott’s Addition, Manchester, and Oregon Hill each attract distinct renter demographics: creative professionals, young state workers, healthcare staff, graduate students, and the wave of out-of-state transplants who discovered Richmond during and after the pandemic as an affordable alternative to D.C. and Northern Virginia. Richmond’s food and arts scene, the James River outdoor amenities, and its improving transit system have all elevated its profile nationally. The city offers something rare: genuine urban amenities at mid-Atlantic prices that remain well below comparable metros.

Typical rents range from $1,200–$2,200/month depending on neighborhood. Richmond GDC operates from two buildings: civil UD cases go to the John Marshall Courts Building, 400 N. 9th Street, Room 203. Civil: Motions Mon–Fri 9 a.m.; General Docket Mon–Fri 10 a.m.; Trials Mon–Fri 11 a.m.–3 p.m.; Small Claims Fridays 9 a.m. Continuances for good cause. Eviction Diversion Program available.

Richmond City Ordinances & Local Rules

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Richmond City GDC — 13th 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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Richmond City Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law: Virginia’s Capital, One of the South’s Hottest Rental Markets, and a Daily Civil Docket with No Off Days

Richmond has completed one of the most remarkable urban transformations of any mid-sized American city in the past two decades. What was once characterized primarily by its Confederate monument-lined boulevards and a reputation for stagnation has become a nationally recognized destination for food, arts, outdoor recreation, and affordable urban living. The James River provides world-class whitewater kayaking minutes from downtown. The food scene — anchored by neighborhoods like Scott’s Addition, Carytown, and the Shockoe Bottom revival — has drawn national media attention. The arts ecosystem centered around VCU’s nationally ranked arts school has seeded studios, galleries, and creative businesses throughout neighborhoods that were undervalued a decade ago. Remote workers and D.C.-area transplants have discovered that a Fan District row house or a Scott’s Addition apartment delivers quality of life that comparable dollars simply cannot buy in the greater D.C. metro.

For landlords, Richmond’s renaissance has been a double-edged reality. Rents have risen substantially — particularly in The Fan, Church Hill, Scott’s Addition, and Manchester — creating genuine wealth for early investors but also creating affordability pressure that has made the city’s eviction court busier than in quieter markets. The tenant pool is diverse and deep: state government workers, Capital One and Dominion Energy employees, VCU students and faculty, VCU Health system clinical staff, federal agency workers, and a substantial cohort of creative and tech professionals who prize Richmond’s vibe over its paychecks. Know your neighborhood, know your likely tenant profile, and screen accordingly. The 3x monthly rent income standard applies across the city but the rent level it needs to qualify against varies enormously by submarket.

Two-Building Court & The Daily Civil Docket

Richmond GDC is unusual in operating from two courthouse buildings. For landlords filing UD actions, the only building that matters is the John Marshall Courts Building at 400 N. 9th Street — specifically Room 203 for civil matters and Room 209 for criminal/traffic. The Marsh Manchester Courts Building at 920 Hull Street in South Richmond handles criminal and traffic matters only; civil UD filers should not go there. The civil docket at John Marshall runs every weekday: motions at 9 a.m., general docket at 10 a.m., trials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Small claims are Friday mornings at 9 a.m. Garnishment returns also run daily at 9 a.m. — if you’re picking up a garnishment check, contact the garnishment department three days before the return date. Continuances require good cause — the city’s high civil volume means the court takes scheduling seriously. An Eviction Diversion Program is available through the court for cases where payment resolution is genuinely possible. Central Virginia Legal Aid Society: (804) 648-1012.