Frequently Asked Questions

Short-term housing rental hosts (owner or tenant) must live in the property for more than half the year (at least 185 days) for it to qualify as an Acessory Homestay.

Yes, but only if it remains your primary residence for at least 185 days per year.

TheZoning Ordinancedistinguishes between short-term stays of 30 days or less; and long-term stays of more than 30 days. Rental of your unit for guests who stay 30 or fewer days, is only allowed in the residence you use as your primary residence (meaning you live there for at least 185 days of the year) and requires approval of an Accessory Homestay permit. Long-term stays are classified as household living, and for this type of rental, you do not need to live in the unit or the County.

No. Zoning regulations require an Accessory Homestay permit for short-term rental, which requires the host to use the dwelling unit as his or her primary residence. An apartment building owner that owns all the units in the building is only allowed to use those units for long-term rental (at least 31 days or more).

Zoning regulations allow residents to rent their dwelling units, or a room(s) in their dwelling unit, on a short-term basis (for stays of less than 30 days per guest), as long as the host uses the dwelling/unit as their primary residence. To operate this type of short-term rental, an Accessory Homestay permit is required. The permit requires the resident to demonstrate that the residence is their primary home, and to agree to abide by the regulations.      

The Accessory Homestay permit ensures that the resident renting out the unit is operating in compliance with the zoning regulations and has demonstrated that they live in the unit as their primary residence.

No, one permit covers all rental platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, Craigslist, etc.).

It is valid for one year from the date of issuance. It must be renewed annually to continue operating legally.

Permit fees cover cost of review and processing of the permit.

Yes, you will need a business license if renting out any living space, whether it be an apartment, room, or house, for any amount of time. Please visit Arlington County’s Office of the Commissioner of Revenue for more information.

Short-term rentals may be allowed in condominium buildings if they comply with both County regulations and any applicable condominium or HOA rules. While the County issues permits based on zoning regulations, these permits do not override condominium or HOA restrictions. The County, however, is not responsible for enforcing condominium or HOA rules, and will issue an accessory homestay permit to applicants in compliance with all zoning regulations. 

Voice your concerns to your landlord or building management and ask them to educate tenants on County regulations. County review of accessory homestay permits is limited to compliance with the Zoning Ordinance, and does not consider rules of individual buildings, condominiums, or homeowner associations.

Log in to Permit Arlington and search for the address in the customer portal and look for “Accessory Homestay” in the Record Type column and “Issued” in the Status column of the results list. If the address is in a multifamily building, you will need to click on the record to see details, including specific unit number. 

Your complaint will be assigned to a Zoning Inspector. The inspector will attempt to conduct an initial investigation within five working days after receiving the complaint. If staff is able to substantiate the complaint, a courtesy notice will be issued advising the responsible part(ies) of the violation, and they will be given ten days to correct such violation. If the part(ies) complies and correct the violation, the case is closed. If the violation is not corrected following the courtesy notice, the next step is issuance of a Notice of Violation. The County’s goal is to achieve compliance, and staff will work with the responsible part(ies) to obtain compliance. However, if the violation is still not corrected following the notice, the County may issue tickets. 

Arlington sets limits on permitted noise levels in the Noise Control Ordinance. Construction and other work including landscaping with power-equipment is permitted (with some exceptions) to occur between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays. See the Noise Control Ordinance for more details and info on how to pursue a complaint.

A list of what Code Enforcement staff inspect for is included on the Inspection Service Division website. 

To file a complaint:

• Register or log in to Permit Arlington to submit a Code Enforcement Complaint.
• Call 703-228-3232 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Email: codeenforcement@arlingtonva.us