Virginia took a different route from states like California and Colorado. Instead of regulating the advertised price, HB 2430 regulates the lease: from July 1, 2025, a written residential rental agreement must describe the rent and every fee charged to the tenant in addition to the periodic rent, starting on the first page. This is general information, not legal advice.
What has to be disclosed
Any fee the tenant will be charged on top of rent belongs in that first-page description: one-time charges such as application, administrative or move-in fees, and recurring charges such as pet rent, parking, trash, technology or amenity fees. The security deposit and the rent itself should appear alongside them, so the tenant sees the full cost of the tenancy in one place before signing.
The practical test is simple. If a tenant could be billed for it under the lease, it should be on page one, not in an addendum or a fee schedule at the back.
What it does not cover
Virginia's rule is a lease-disclosure rule. It does not, on its own, require the advertised rent in a listing to include fees, which is what the laws in California, Colorado and Massachusetts do. Separately, the Federal Trade Commission has issued guidance to rental advertisers that the total cost of renting should be shown clearly and upfront, and Virginia industry groups have advised members to bring their listings in line. Treat the listing and the lease as two places where the same fee list must appear and match.
How to comply
Build one fee schedule per property and use it twice: on the first page of every new lease and renewal, and in every listing. Review it when a fee changes, and date each version so you can show which schedule applied to which lease. Lease and document tracking keeps the signed lease with its fee terms on the tenant record, and e-signatures make sure the version signed is the version on file.
Virginia also has wider landlord-tenant rules on deposits, notices and entry; see Virginia landlord-tenant laws. For how other states handle fee transparency, see fee transparency laws by state.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant rules change and vary by jurisdiction; check the current statute or consult a local attorney before acting on it.
Common questions
Does Virginia have a rental fee transparency law?
Yes. Since July 1, 2025, HB 2430 requires a written residential lease to describe the rent and all fees charged in addition to rent, starting on the first page of the agreement.
Does Virginia require fees to be included in advertised rent?
Virginia's law is about the lease, not the advertisement. Federal FTC guidance on rental advertising does push toward showing the total cost upfront, so many landlords list the same fees in their listings as well.
Which fees must be listed on the first page of a Virginia lease?
Any fee charged in addition to the periodic rent, such as application, administrative, pet, parking, trash or amenity fees, together with the rent and security deposit.
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