Short-Term Rental Laws in Roanoke, Virginia

Roanoke permits STRs in most zoning districts with a zoning permit (administrative — not a Special Use Permit / Council approval). Single-family residential zones (R-A, R-5, R-7, R-12) permit STRs administratively; mixed-use, commercial, and downtown zones permit STRs by right. The 2020 ordinance distinguishes Homestay (owner-occupied, host present) from Whole-Home (non-owner-occupied) STRs, with the latter subject to slightly stricter parking and life-safety requirements but no zoning-class ban or citywide cap.

Roanoke is the most STR-friendly major Virginia city for investors — no primary-residence requirement, no overlay restriction, no SUP requirement. Allowed by zoning permit in R-A (Residential Agricultural), R-5/R-7/R-12 (single-family residential), RM-1/RM-2 (multi-family), MX (mixed-use), CN/CG (Commercial Neighborhood/General), and downtown districts. Whole-Home STRs require a slightly more involved zoning permit application but face no zoning-class ban. The Blue Ridge Parkway proximity drives strong seasonal demand without the regulatory tightening seen in nearby Virginia jurisdictions.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

Roanoke Planning Department administers the zoning permit program. Annual renewal. Application requires designated 24/7 local responsible-party contact (in-state required), proof of property insurance, life-safety self-certification, and parking plan (1 off-street space per bedroom typical). Operating without a zoning permit: civil fines + stop-rental + back-tax. Enforcement is moderately active and complaint-driven (noise, parking). The Roanoke Commissioner of Revenue collects the 8% TOT monthly. Roanoke County (surrounding the city — different jurisdiction) operates a separate, similarly permissive framework.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Roanoke is approximately 13.300% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

Virginia State sales tax 5.3% + Roanoke Transient Occupancy Tax 8% — combined ~13.3% on transient lodging

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.