Virginia Eviction Process: Notice Periods, Timeline & Tenant Defenses (2026)

How eviction works step by step, and what defenses you have at each stage

At a glance

• Notice required before filing: 14 or 21 or 30 days, depending on the grounds
• Court required: Yes — possession is recovered through court, not by self-help
• Governing statute: Va. Code § 55.1-1245(F)

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the eviction process in Virginia for a residential tenancy — the notices a landlord must serve, the timeline, and what you can do at each stage.

It does not cover commercial leases, or mobile home parks where a separate statute applies. Where a city has its own rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

Va. Code § 55.1-1245 — 驱逐须经 unlawful detainer 法院程序，房东先送达法定通知，仅法院 writ 由 sheriff 执行。

弗吉尼亚驱逐是司法驱逐。欠租 14 天 pay-or-quit（当前，2028 回退 5 天）；违约 21/30 天；月租终止 30 天（55.1-1253）。租客有 pay-and-stay 赎回权（55.1-1250）。

Va. Code § 55.1-1245(F) ↗

Notice periods by grounds

How the process runs, step by step

1. 房东送达通知（欠租 14 天 / 违约 21/30 天 / 月租 30 天） (from 欠租/违约/租期). 欠租 14 天、可补救违约 21 天（30 天终止）、月租 30 天。
2. 房东向法院提起 unlawful detainer (from 通知期届满). 通知期届满未纠正，房东起诉；欠租案租客可 pay-and-stay 赎回。
3. 法院 writ of possession + sheriff 执行 (from 判决). 仅法院 writ 由 sheriff 执行；房东不得自行移除。

Can the landlord use self-help?

弗吉尼亚禁止自力救济：房东不得换锁、断水电或搬物；仅法院 writ 由 sheriff 执行。

Va. Code § 55.1-1243.1 ↗

Common landlord claims and how to answer them

Remedies for an illegal eviction

非法驱逐的租客可起诉，法院可判实际损害 + 法定损害 + 合理律师费。

Va. Code § 55.1-1243.1 ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
Va. Code § 55.1-1245(F)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1245(A)-(B)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1253	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1245, 55.1-1253	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1250	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1252	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1243.1	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Virginia guides

Virginia Security Deposit Return · Virginia Security Deposit Rules · Virginia Rent Increase Rules · Virginia Repairs & Habitability · Virginia Landlord Retaliation

→ All Virginia tenant rights topics

Common questions