Landlords must show their screening rules before you pay to apply

Renting in Virginia usually means paying an application fee before you know whether you have a real chance. Starting July 1, 2027, a landlord can’t ask for any payment or any of your personal information until it has told you, in writing or through an accessible posting, six things: what fees or deposits it charges and whether you get them back, its tenant selection criteria, anything that automatically gets an application denied, anything else that could lead to a denial, the name and address of the screening company it uses, if any, and your right to a free copy of that report and to dispute mistakes in it if you’re turned down.

You don’t have to ask for the notice. The landlord must notify applicants in writing or through an accessible posting before requesting payment or information. Existing limits still apply, including the $50 cap on application fees, not counting actual out-of-pocket payments to a third party for background, credit, or other pre-occupancy checks.

Then-Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker of Alexandria carried the bill. It passed the House 63–34 and the Senate 25–15, with the Senate making changes, and the House accepted the Senate’s version 62–35. Gov. Abigail Spanberger recommended changing the effective date from January 1 to July 1, 2027. Both chambers accepted her recommendation on April 22, 2026, and the bill became law as Chapter 1050.