What a Virginia residential lease agreement is for
The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act governs almost every residential rental in the state, and it has changed nearly every legislative session. The 2025 changes went straight to the lease itself: any lease entered into, extended or renewed on or after July 1, 2025 must list every fee and charge on its first page, payment processing fees are restricted, and non-renewal must be given in writing. These sit on top of rules that have applied for years: a deposit cap of two months' rent, a move-in report within 5 days with a statement about mold, a 45-day deposit return, a late fee cap, 24 hours' notice of entry, and a state Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities signed with the lease.
This template is a full Virginia lease that opens with the required fee summary, then covers the parties and owner disclosure, term and renewal, rent and payment methods, the tenant rights statement, the security deposit, utilities, use, pets and insurance, repairs and mold, entry, the Virginia disclosures, default and termination, and move-out. Schedules provide the move-in inspection report, lead disclosure and deposit disposition.
When to use it
Use it for a new lease or renewal of an apartment, single-family home, townhouse or condo in Virginia, including Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads. Because the fee summary applies to renewals and extensions, landlords with older forms should switch at the next renewal.
The VRLTA has some exemptions, and some small landlords historically opted out for certain purposes; this lease follows the Act regardless, which is the safer course. It is not designed for public or subsidized housing with program leases, or manufactured home lots.
What's inside
The full list of sections and fields in this template, in the order they appear.
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Fee Summary
- Rent
- Deposit
- Pet deposit
- Application fee
- Late fee
- Returned payment fee
- Recurring fees
- Utilities billed
- Processing fee rules
-
Parties, premises and term
- Owner and agent
- Person for notices
- Tenants and occupants
- Premises
- Term
- Renewal and non-renewal notice
- Month-to-month continuation
-
Rent and tenant rights statement
- Rent and payment methods
- Fee-free payment option
- Late fee cap
- Application of payments
- Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities
-
Security deposit
- Two-month cap
- 5-day move-in report
- 45-day return
- Deductions
-
Utilities, use and repairs
- Utility responsibilities
- Occupancy and subletting
- Pets and assistance animals
- Renter's insurance
- Landlord and tenant duties
- Mold
-
Entry and disclosures
- 24-hour entry notice
- Mold
- Military air installation
- Defective drywall
- Lead
- Foreclosure and sale notice
-
Default and termination
- 5-day pay or quit
- 21/30-day notice
- No self-help
- Military and family abuse termination
- Attorney's fees
- Move-out
-
Schedules A to C
- Move-in inspection report with mold statement
- Lead disclosure
- Security deposit disposition
-
Landlord's Checklist
- 9 checks before handing over the keys
Preview pages
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Page 1 -
Page 2 -
Page 3
How to fill in the lease
- Complete the Fee Summary first. List every fee and charge with its amount and timing.
- Name the parties and the person for notices.
- Set the term and renewal notice. Decide how far ahead you will tell the tenant whether you will renew.
- Set rent, payment methods and the late fee. Offer a fee-free method; keep the late fee within the 10% cap.
- Give the Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities and have both parties sign it.
- Take the deposit. No more than two months' rent.
- Complete the disclosures. Military air installation zone, drywall, mold and, for pre-1978 homes, lead.
- Do the move-in report within 5 days using Schedule A.
- Sign and diarize. Renewal notice dates, and the 45-day return if the tenant leaves.
Example: a townhouse in Virginia Beach
A fictional landlord, Seaside Row Properties LLC, leases a townhouse in Virginia Beach to Andre Coleman for 12 months from August 1, 2026 at $2,200 a month.
Fee Summary: deposit $2,200; pet deposit $300; late fee $110 (5% of rent, within the cap) if rent is more than 5 days late; returned payment fee $35; pet rent $35 a month; no processing fee for payment by check or ACH. Disclosure: the townhouse is in Noise Zone 2 near Naval Air Station Oceana. Move-in report: Andre moves in August 1; the report is given August 4, noting a scuffed hallway wall and no visible mold. Renewal: Seaside Row tells Andre in writing on May 20, 2027 that it will renew at $2,280.
If Andre had moved out on July 31, 2027, Seaside Row would have had until September 14, 2027 to return the deposit with an itemized list.
Virginia rules to know
- Fee summary (HB 2430, 2025). Itemized fees on the lease's first page from July 1, 2025.
- Payment methods. Processing fees only if a fee-free option exists; checks and money orders accepted from July 1, 2026.
- Deposits (section 55.1-1226). Two-month cap, 5-day move-in report, 45-day return.
- Late fees (section 55.1-1204). The lesser of 10% of rent or 10% of the balance.
- Tenant rights statement (section 55.1-1204). Given with the lease and signed.
- Entry (section 55.1-1229). 24 hours' notice.
- Disclosures. Mold, military air installation, defective drywall, lead.
- Notices (sections 55.1-1245 and 55.1-1253). 5-day pay or quit, 21/30-day cure notice, 30 days for month-to-month.
Where Virginia landlords get caught
The most common new problem is a 2025 renewal on an old form, with fees scattered through the lease instead of itemized on the first page. Others are long-standing: a late fee of $150 on $1,200 rent, above the 10% cap; no move-in report, which leaves the landlord arguing about damage without evidence; a deposit returned on day 50; a lease signed without the tenant rights statement; or a home near Oceana or Langley rented without the air installation disclosure. The fee summary, schedules and checklist in this lease are built to prevent each one.
Frequently asked questions
What changed for Virginia leases in 2025?
For leases entered into, extended or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, the landlord must list all fees and charges, including rent and the security deposit, on the first page of the lease. Other 2025 laws restricted payment processing fees and required written notice of non-renewal, and from July 1, 2026 landlords must accept checks and money orders.
How much can a Virginia landlord charge for a security deposit?
No more than two months' rent (Va. Code section 55.1-1226). The landlord must return it, with an itemized list of any deductions, within 45 days after the tenancy ends. Virginia no longer requires interest on deposits.
What is the maximum late fee in Virginia?
The lesser of 10% of the monthly rent or 10% of the remaining balance due, and it must be stated in the written lease (section 55.1-1204). This lease charges it only after rent is more than 5 days late.
Do Virginia landlords have to do a move-in inspection?
Yes. Within 5 days after the tenant moves in, the landlord must give the tenant a written report of the unit's condition, including whether there is visible mold. The report becomes final unless the tenant objects in writing within 5 days.
What is the Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities?
A form published by Virginia's Department of Housing and Community Development summarizing the rights and duties of landlords and tenants. Landlords must give it to tenants with the lease, and both parties sign it.
