Do I need a permit?

All hotels, motels, and bed & breakfast establishments must have a VDH lodging permit.

Opening a residential-style rental facility?

VDH has established Policy Implementation Memo (PIM) 18-01, which outlines that residential-style rentals that meet the 12VAC5-431 definition of a “bed and breakfast facility” require a VDH Lodging Permit. This PIM is available here.

“Bed and breakfast facility” means a residential-type establishment that provides two or more rental accommodations and food service on any single day to a maximum of 18 transient guests for a period of five or more days in any calendar year or any residential type of facility providing at least one rental accommodation for transient guests and food service for a total of 30 or more days in any calendar year.

In the context of this definition, “food service” does not include providing whole, uncut produce, or commercially-packaged food that does not require refrigeration.

Jam, toast with butter, and coffee
Last Updated: August 2, 2024