2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

25101999D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1688

Offered January 13, 2025

Prefiled January 3, 2025

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-983.01, relating to short-term rentals; compliance; civil penalty.

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Patrons—Convirs-Fowler, Clark, Feggans, Jones and Martinez

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Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 15.2-983.01 as follows:

§ 15.2-983.01. Creation of registry for short-term rental of property; civil penalty.

A. For purposes of this section, "accommodations intermediary" means the same as that term is defined in § 58.1-602.

B. A locality may notify an accommodations intermediary upon finding that any short-term rental on its platform is not lawfully registered, permitted, or otherwise authorized to be offered as a short-term rental pursuant to § 15.2-983, a local zoning ordinance, or other provision of law. Such notification shall include the short-term rental listing's address, owner, and uniform resource locator (URL) or other digital location and state the reason for noncompliance.

C. An accommodations intermediary shall be prohibited from listing any short-term rental on its platform after it has been notified by the locality that such short-term rental is noncompliant. The accommodations intermediary shall remove such listing from its platform within seven days of receiving notice pursuant to subsection B and shall provide a refund to any customer reserving such listing. An accommodations intermediary who violates the requirements of this subsection shall be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000. All penalties paid under this section shall be transmitted by the commissioner of the revenue or other assessing official to the Department, which shall deposit such funds in the Virginia Housing Trust Fund established by § 36-142.

D. Any short-term rental required to be removed pursuant to subsection C shall remain unlisted until the accommodations intermediary has been notified by the locality that the short-term rental has been brought into compliance. Once the locality determines that a delisted short-term rental has been brought into compliance, the locality shall have seven days to notify the accommodations intermediary of the change in status.

E. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit the authority of localities to regulate or prohibit short-term rentals as otherwise provided by law.