What is a Short-Term Rental?

• SHORT-TERM RENTAL

• Either of the following shall constitute a short-term rental; provided, however, that no meals shall be prepared for guests and no guest may stay in a short-term rental for a period exceeding 30 consecutive days. Further, short-term rentals must comply with the supplementary regulations in § 165-32.4 of this chapter.

• A. A dwelling unit other than a homeshare in which a room, rooms, or an entire dwelling are rented in exchange for compensation.
• B. A temporary or permanent structure that is not a dwelling unit, including, but not limited to, a yurt, tent, tiny home, recreational vehicle, trailer, or similar personal property, that is rented in exchange for compensation for the purpose of overnight stays.

Where are Short-Term Rentals allowed?

• Homeshares and Short-Term Rentals with 4 bedrooms or less are allowed by right, with Annual Zoning Permit, in the following zoning districts:
• C-1 Conservation
• A-1 Agriculture
• R-1 Low Density Residential
• R-2 Medium Density Residential
• R-3 Hight Density Residential
• R-4 Rural Growth Residential
• B-1 Local Business/ B-2 General Business

• Homeshares and Short-Term Rentals with more than 4 bedrooms are allowed by Special Use Permit only in all of the above-mentioned zoning districts.
• A Special Use Permit requires a public hearing with Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors is responsible for approval or denial of the request.

• Non-dwellings (such as yurt, tiny home, recreational vehicle, etc.) are allowed by Special Use Permit only in the following zoning districts:
• C-1 Conservation
• A-1 Agriculture
• R-1 Low Density Residential
• B-1 Local Business/ B-2 General Business

What are the Supplementary Regulations?

The following Supplementary Regulations apply to ALL short term rentals, in addition to any additional conditions required by a Special Use Permit.

• § 165-32.4Homeshares and/or short-term rentals.

• All homeshares and/or short-term rentals, where allowed, shall comply with the following requirements in addition to any other requirements applicable by special use permit:

• A. A fire extinguisher shall be provided and visible in all kitchen and cooking areas and in all non-dwellings. Smoke detectors shall be installed in all locations as identified in the Uniform Statewide Building Code and in all non-dwellings that are the subject of the special use permit.

• B. All rentals, including non-dwellings, shall have approved sanitary facilities approved by the Virginia Department of Health. Portable bathrooms prohibited.

• C. Emergency information must be conspicuously posted inside the property, including contact information for the party responsible for management of the rental.

• All non-dwellings shall be issued a 911 address that must be clearly posted outside the rental.
• Off-street parking must be provided in accordance with § 165-86C(8).
• All non-dwellings and related structures must meet a setback of at least 50 feet from any adjoining property lines.

 What taxes should I be aware of?

Shenandoah County assesses a 5% Transient Occupancy Tax and a Business Property Tax. This is effective October 1, 2023 (2% until then) and the County will have an online platform to help with this process. As it may be new to some, monthly reporting is required for the TOT even if no rentals occur or if no money is made for that month. The return would simply include $0 in sales.

The online application will include a business registration form to be filled out and turned in with your application.

When is the Transient Occupancy Tax Due?

On the 20^th day of the month. If not received by then a penalty applies.

What steps do I need to take to obtain my Annual Short Term Rental Permit?

• For a dwelling with 4 bedrooms or less, located outside of the town limits in Shenandoah County, you will need to fill out the Short Term Rental Annual Permit Application found online.
• The fee for the Annual STR Application is $225. It will be due annually at the same time of year as the initial approval. This will be due at the time of application.
• Staff will review the permit and verify septic capabilities and occupancy limits with the Virginia Department of Health if the property is on a private septic.
• After review, we will reach out to you to schedule a life/safety inspection (more information below).
• Once, the inspection has passed, the Zoning Administrator will sign off on the Annual Permit and you will be contacted by a Permit Tech to finalize and obtain a copy of the approval.

What steps do I take to apply for a Special Use Permit?

• Please contact our office before making any application for a Short-Term Rental application. 540-459-6185.

• After going over the request with staff, you will need to attend a Technical Review Team (TRT) Meeting to obtain preliminary agency comments.

• Information and agenda request for TRT can be found at this link: Technical Review Team
• After the TRT meeting, you will need to submit a Special Use Permit Application. The fee for application is $500 (non-refundable) and any other applicable fees related to public noticing.
• Rental Related Uses Special Use Permit Application

What services do I get in return for my registration?

Shenandoah County Tourism & Economic Development works to promote the county and its assets to outside visitors to help drive our local economy.  All permitted STRs are listed on Shenandoah County’s Tourism website, VisitShenandoahCounty.com.  In addition, we can provide STRs with visitor guides and brochures for your customers. 

Shenandoah County Tourism & Economic Development also offers free classes and workshops throughout the year to serve our local business community.  Businesses wishing to receive updates on these resources can email tourism@shenandoahcountyva.us to be added to future communications.  

Additional Questions?

We tried to cover the most common questions here, but please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any other questions or need clarification. We can be reached at 540-459-6185.

Additional Resources

Commissioner of Revenue                                                       540-459-6170

Shenandoah County Tourism and Economic Development    540-459-6227

Building Inspections/Community Development                     540-459-6185

Virginia Department of Health                                                540-459-3733

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)                    540-984-5600

Sky Bryce Association 540-856-2550 https://www.skybryce.org/p/Contact-Us

Town of Woodstock    540-459-3621                Town of Mt. Jackson   540-477-2121

Town of Strasburg       540-465-9197                Town of New Market 540-740-3432

Town of Edinburg       540-984-8521                Town of Toms Brook 540-436-8000

What will the Building Inspector be looking for during the life/safety inspection?

For Assistance, Contact
 GovOS Support

blt.str.support@govos.com

(888) 751-1911

 When contacting support, be sure to include the jurisdiction (Shenandoah County) and your account number in all emails or voicemails. This will help us assist you as promptly as possible. Thanks!