Virginia Eviction Laws
Virginia notice periods for ending a tenancy and starting an eviction, each as LeaseCraft read it in the statute at the official source, with its citation and read date (most recently ).
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Virginia notice periods
Periods are as the statute states them: some are minimums, some apply unless the lease sets another. "Lease controls" means there is no statutory period; "No pre-suit notice" means none is required before filing.
| Situation | Notice period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | 14 days |
Va. Code 55.1-1245 F (version 'Effective until July 1, 2027'); 55.1-1200 ('notice'); 55.1-1202
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| Lease violation | 21 days |
Va. Code 55.1-1245 A
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| Ending the tenancy without a chance to cure | 30 days |
Va. Code 55.1-1245 C, E
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| Ending a month-to-month tenancy | 30 days |
Va. Code 55.1-1253 A, B
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| Tenant staying after the lease ends | Lease controls |
Va. Code 55.1-1253 C
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| Ending a week-to-week tenancy | 7 days |
Va. Code 55.1-1253 A
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What the Virginia statute says
Unpaid rent 14 days
- Written notice must notify the tenant of the nonpayment and of the landlord's intention to terminate if rent is not paid within the 14-day period; clock runs from service of the notice (Va. Code 55.1-1245 F).
- 'Notice' under the VRLTA means written notice by regular mail or hand delivery with the sender retaining a certificate of service (55.1-1200); electronic notice only if the rental agreement so provides and the tenant has not elected paper (55.1-1202 A).
- Delayed provisions (per version headings on the official page): from 2027-07-01 landlords owning more than four rental dwelling units must also offer a payment plan in the notice (new subsection G); from 2027-07-01 nonpayment notices must include a written statement of charges and payments (55.1-1202 E).
Lease violation 21 days
- Notice must specify the acts and omissions constituting the breach and state that the rental agreement will terminate on a date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied in 21 days (55.1-1245 A) — i.e. 21-day cure inside a 30-day termination notice.
- Clock runs from RECEIPT of the notice.
Ending the tenancy without a chance to cure 30 days
- Repeat breach: if the tenant remedied a breach after notice and then 'intentionally commits a subsequent breach of a like nature', landlord may serve a notice terminating on a date not less than 30 days after receipt, with no cure opportunity (55.1-1245 E).
- Criminal or willful act that is not remediable and poses a threat to health or safety: landlord 'may terminate the rental agreement immediately and proceed to obtain possession' (55.1-1245 C) — 0 days.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy 30 days
- Written notice given at least 30 days prior to the next rent due date, 'unless the rental agreement provides for a different notice period' (55.1-1253 A).
- Multifamily premises: an owner not renewing 20 or more (or 50%+) month-to-month tenancies within 30 days must give each such tenant at least 60 days' written notice, except for nonpayment (55.1-1253 B).
Tenant staying after the lease ends Lease controls
- 55.1-1253 C: a tenant remaining without consent after termination/expiration is a holdover; landlord may bring an action for possession and recover actual damages, attorney fees and costs (plus lease liquidated damages up to 150% per diem). No separate holdover notice period stated.
Ending a week-to-week tenancy 7 days
- Written notice at least seven days prior to the next rent due date (55.1-1253 A).
Just cause, delivery, form and local rules in Virginia
How the notice may be delivered
Va. Code 55.1-1200 defines 'notice' as written notice 'by either regular mail or hand delivery, with the sender retaining sufficient proof ... in the form of a certificate of service'; served on the tenant at the tenant's last known place of residence, which may be the dwelling unit (55.1-1202 B); electronic notice permitted only if the rental agreement so provides and the tenant has not elected paper (55.1-1202 A).
Va. Code 55.1-1200; 55.1-1202 A, B · read
Required form or contents
None found for the pay-or-quit notice itself; required contents are statutory (nonpayment notice must state the nonpayment and the landlord's intention to terminate if not paid within 14 days; breach notice must specify acts/omissions and the termination date). Upcoming: from 2027-07-01, 55.1-1202 E requires a nonpayment notice to include 'a written statement of charges and payments over the course of the tenancy or the past 12 months', and 55.1-1245 G requires landlords with more than four units to offer a payment plan.
Va. Code 55.1-1245 A, F; 55.1-1202 E (delayed effective date shown on page as 2027-07-01) · read
Statewide just-cause rule
No statewide just-cause requirement
- No statewide just-cause requirement found in the VRLTA (Va. Code Title 55.1, Chapter 12); periodic tenancies end on notice under 55.1-1253 A.
Va. Code 55.1-1253 A · read
For Virginia landlords
- Find the period for your situation in the table above and count it from the day the notice is delivered.
- Deliver the notice the way Virginia law allows and keep a record of how and when.
- A notice is not a court order and does not by itself remove a tenant.
For Virginia tenants
- Compare the notice you received with the period for its situation in the table above and the date it reached you.
- A notice is not a court order. If a case is filed, the court papers say how and by when to respond.
- Local legal aid and tenant organizations can explain your options.
How an eviction generally proceeds
A general outline, not Virginia law: the steps, their names and their deadlines differ by state and court. The Virginia rules LeaseCraft has verified are the ones above.
- Written notice. The landlord gives the notice the situation calls for and waits out its period.
- Court filing. If the tenant has not paid, cured or left, the landlord files an eviction case in court.
- Hearing. Both sides can be heard; the tenant may raise defenses such as an improper notice.
- Judgment. The court decides who has the right to the property.
- Removal. If the court rules for the landlord, removal follows its order. A notice is not a court order and does not by itself remove a tenant.
Virginia eviction questions
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14 days, under Va. Code 55.1-1245 F (version 'Effective until July 1, 2027'); 55.1-1200 ('notice'); 55.1-1202. Written notice must notify the tenant of the nonpayment and of the landlord's intention to terminate if rent is not paid within the 14-day period; clock runs from service of the notice (Va. Code 55.1-1245 F). LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.
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21 days, under Va. Code 55.1-1245 A. Notice must specify the acts and omissions constituting the breach and state that the rental agreement will terminate on a date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied in 21 days (55.1-1245 A) — i.e. 21-day cure inside a 30-day termination notice. LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.
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30 days, under Va. Code 55.1-1253 A, B. Written notice given at least 30 days prior to the next rent due date, 'unless the rental agreement provides for a different notice period' (55.1-1253 A). LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.
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Va. Code 55.1-1200 defines 'notice' as written notice 'by either regular mail or hand delivery, with the sender retaining sufficient proof ... in the form of a certificate of service'; served on the tenant at the tenant's last known place of residence, which may be the dwelling unit (55.1-1202 B); electronic notice permitted only if the rental agreement so provides and the tenant has not elected paper (55.1-1202 A). Source: Va. Code 55.1-1200; 55.1-1202 A, B. LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.
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No statewide just-cause requirement, under Va. Code 55.1-1253 A. No statewide just-cause requirement found in the VRLTA (Va. Code Title 55.1, Chapter 12); periodic tenancies end on notice under 55.1-1253 A. LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.
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7 days, under Va. Code 55.1-1253 A. Written notice at least seven days prior to the next rent due date (55.1-1253 A). LeaseCraft read this at the official source on 2026-09-27.
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Cities and counties can add rules. LeaseCraft is not a law firm and this is not legal advice.