Rental conversions in Richmond

Richmond City Council adopted an ordinance on September 25, 2023 that permits one accessory dwelling unit in all residential zoning districts, on the same lot as an existing or proposed single-family dwelling.⁹ A Virginia law enacted in 2026 and taking effect July 1, 2027 makes ADUs a permitted accessory use in single-family zoning districts, though it does not apply to localities that adopted an ADU ordinance before January 1, 2026.¹³ Richmond adopted its ordinance in 2023, ahead of that cutoff, so the city's own rules are the ones to plan around.

Richmond ADUs must meet the Virginia Residential Code's design criteria for lighting, ventilation, heating, room areas, ceiling heights, sanitation and emergency escape openings, with an exception for historic buildings approved by the Commissioner of Buildings.¹⁰ A detached ADU in Richmond needs fire department access from the main street or the rear alley and gets a new address of its own.¹⁰ An alley-facing carriage house or garage can suit a detached unit, as long as fire crews can reach it.

The City of Richmond has released Draft Three of Code Refresh, its rewrite of the city's decades-old zoning code.¹⁴ Zoning details can shift while a rewrite is under way, so confirm the current rules with the zoning office before paying for drawings.

Richmond allows a short-term rental in a dwelling unit or a permitted ADU only if the operator owns the property, and in a residential zoning district the rental must be on the lot of the operator's primary residence; the permit is renewed every two years.¹⁵ A unit meant for nightly guests has to pass that owner and residence test on top of the accessory unit rules.

In Richmond, an attached ADU, such as one in the basement of the main house, changes the house's use to a detached two-family dwelling, and its final certificate of occupancy is issued on that basis.¹⁰ The 2021 IRC requires the units of a two-family dwelling to be separated by walls and floors with at least a 1-hour fire-resistance rating, or a 1/2-hour rating if the building has an automatic sprinkler system throughout.¹⁶ In a basement unit that separation is the ceiling overhead; in an upstairs unit it is the floor underfoot.

If an ADU in Richmond is built without fire separation from the main dwelling, a fire alarm system complying with Chapter 29 of NFPA 72 and interconnected carbon monoxide alarms must be installed throughout.¹⁰ The U.S. Fire Administration says homeowners and landlords should put smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level, test them monthly, and replace them 10 years from their manufacture date.¹⁷ Decide early whether to build the separation or install the alarm system, since the choice changes the drywall, the ceiling and the electrical plan.

In November 2025, Richmond City Council approved an ordinance creating a Residential Rental Inspection Program; the ordinance designates no rental inspection districts itself, and each district needs a separate Council action after review of factors such as building code or health violations, public safety responses or tenant petitions.³ Ask the city whether your block has been designated since, and treat its standards as the floor for the new unit.

A landlord who does renovation work on pre-1978 rental housing personally needs both EPA firm and renovator certification; a landlord who hires the work out needs neither, but the firm must be Lead-Safe Certified.¹⁸ Before a renter signs a lease for most pre-1978 housing, federal law requires the landlord to disclose known lead-based paint and hazards, share available records, hand over EPA's Protect Your Family From Lead pamphlet and include a Lead Warning Statement.¹⁹ Keep those records alongside the certificate of occupancy.

The federal historic rehabilitation tax credit is open only to income-producing properties.²⁰ Virginia's state historic rehabilitation tax credit, open to owner-occupied homes, equals 25% of eligible rehabilitation expenses for a certified historic structure, such as a contributing building in a listed historic district, if the whole project meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards.²⁰ If the house is a contributing building in a historic district, ask the Department of Historic Resources how a partly rented house is treated before counting on either credit.

More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.²¹ A unit with a step-free entry can house a parent now and a tenant later, so plan a curbless shower and wide doors from the start. NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.²²

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Before you sign anything, look the company up yourself. Virginia's Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation advises hiring only licensed contractors, and its License Lookup shows a license's status and any past disciplinary actions.²³ Check a Virginia license