Virginia notice periods
A Virginia landlord must give 30 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the tenant must give the same. A rent increase needs 30 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 14-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction.
The Virginia rules in detail
At least 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date by either party, unless the rental agreement sets a different period (7 days for week-to-week). Multifamily owners declining to renew 20 or more (or 50% of) month-to-month tenancies within 30 days must give 60 days' notice. Nonpayment: 14-day written notice to pay or vacate; landlords owning more than four units must offer a payment plan before filing when the amount owed is one month's rent or less (§ 55.1-1245(G)).
For hold-over and month-to-month tenants, a new rent amount may not take effect until the next rent due date coming 30 days after written notice (§ 55.1-1253(D)); otherwise the rental agreement controls
14 days. The tenant may cure by paying everything owed within the period; after that the landlord may file for eviction.
Serving the notice
- Notice must be in writing. Text messages and emails count only where the lease or statute allows electronic notice.
- The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when it is written. Mailed notices usually add days; check the statute’s service rules.
- Termination notices generally take effect at the end of a rental period. Served mid-month, a 30-day notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next full month.
- A fixed-term lease ends on its own date; these periods apply to month-to-month tenancies and to tenancies that continued after a lease expired.
Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1253; § 55.1-1245(F).
Related Virginia rules
- Late fees: Late charge must be in the written rental agreement and may not exceed the lesser of 10% of the periodic rent or 10% of the remaining balance due. Rent paid after the fifth day of the month may incur a late charge (§ 55.1-1204(C)(5), the statutory default term), giving an effective 5-day grace period. Late fee calculator.
- Security deposit: Two months' periodic rent; returned Itemized statement and refund within 45 days after termination of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates, whichever occurs last. Deposit rules.
- All rules on one page: Virginia landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in Virginia?
30 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. At least 30 days' written notice before the next rent due date by either party, unless the rental agreement sets a different period (7 days for week-to-week). Multifamily owners declining to renew 20 or more (or 50% of) month-to-month tenancies within 30 days must give 60 days' notice. Nonpayment: 14-day written notice to pay or vacate; landlords owning more than four units must offer a payment plan before filing when the amount owed is one month's rent or less (§ 55.1-1245(G)).
How much notice does a tenant have to give in Virginia?
30 days’ written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. A fixed-term lease ends on its own date unless it says otherwise.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Virginia?
30 days. For hold-over and month-to-month tenants, a new rent amount may not take effect until the next rent due date coming 30 days after written notice (§ 55.1-1253(D)); otherwise the rental agreement controls
How long is a pay-or-quit notice in Virginia?
14 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.
Does the notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In most states, yes: a termination notice on a periodic tenancy takes effect at the end of a rental period that is at least the required number of days after service. Serving on the 15th with a 30-day requirement typically ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. The calculator shows both dates.