Virginia Larger Landlords Must Give 60 Days' Notice Before Nonrenewal
by Platuni | 05 Oct, 2026 | 5 mins read
Platuni
05 October, 2026
5 mins read
1. Why this requirement specifically targets the nonrenewal decision
This 60-day notice requirement applies specifically when a landlord has decided not to renew a lease at the end of its current term.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K), as amended by H.B. 1867/S.B. 1043, 2025 Va. Acts of Assembly, c. 554]
That framing distinguishes this requirement from a rent-increase scenario where the landlord does intend to renew, just at a higher rent; this 60-day notice specifically addresses the situation where the tenancy itself is ending rather than continuing under new terms.
2. Why the unit-count threshold mirrors other Virginia landlord-tenant provisions
The requirement applies to a landlord owning more than 4 units directly, or holding more than a 10% interest in more than 4 units.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K)]
That same threshold structure appears across several of Virginia's recent landlord-tenant amendments; a landlord who's already determined whether their portfolio crosses this line for other purposes, the payment-plan requirement or the renewal rent-increase notice, can apply that same determination here.
3. Why 60 days gives a tenant meaningful time to plan their next move
A tenant facing nonrenewal needs real lead time to search for new housing, arrange moving logistics, and budget for moving costs; a 60-day notice period gives a tenant considerably more runway than a shorter, last-minute notification would.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K)]
A landlord who provides this notice right at the 60-day minimum, rather than earlier, should recognize that's the floor the law requires, not necessarily the most tenant-friendly or practically smoothest timeline for either party to work with.
4. Why month-to-month tenancies fall outside this requirement
This 60-day nonrenewal notice doesn't apply to periodic, month-to-month tenancies.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K)]
That exclusion reflects how a month-to-month tenancy already operates without a fixed term to measure 60 days against; a landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy follows whatever separate notice rules apply to periodic tenancies rather than this fixed-term nonrenewal framework.
5. Why this is a distinct, earlier provision from the related 90-day rent-increase notice
This 60-day nonrenewal notice requirement was enacted in 2025, while a separate amendment extending the related renewal rent-increase notice to 90 days came later, in the 2026 Session, effective July 1, 2027.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K); cf. Va. Code 55.1-1204, as further amended by H.B. 678, 2026 Va. Acts, c. 1066, eff. 2027-07-01]
A landlord needs to keep these as 2 separate timelines: this 60-day nonrenewal requirement has already been in force since mid-2025, while the newer 90-day rent-increase notice requirement doesn't take effect until July 2027; conflating the 2 risks a landlord applying the wrong deadline to the wrong scenario.
6. Why this notice requirement doesn't depend on the reason for nonrenewal
The statute requires this 60-day written notice whenever a covered landlord decides not to renew, without conditioning the requirement on the landlord's specific reason for that decision.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K)]
A landlord choosing not to renew for a business reason, a planned renovation, a change in rental strategy, or any other legitimate basis, still has to meet this same 60-day notice requirement; the timing obligation applies regardless of why the landlord has decided against renewal.
7. Why calendaring renewal decisions well ahead of the 60-day deadline matters practically
Since the notice has to be delivered at least 60 days before the term ends, and a landlord needs time internally to actually make and document the nonrenewal decision before sending that notice, building in a longer internal planning window, closer to 75 to 90 days out, helps avoid a rushed, last-minute notice.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K)]
A property manager handling renewal decisions across a larger portfolio benefits from a standing internal deadline well ahead of the statutory 60-day floor, giving enough buffer to finalize the decision, draft the notice, and confirm delivery with time to spare.
8. Why delivery documentation matters as much as the content of the notice itself
Since the 60-day period is measured from actual notice delivery, a landlord benefits from using a delivery method that creates a clear, verifiable record of when the tenant actually received the notice.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204(K); Va. Code 55.1-1202, notice delivery methods]
A landlord who can't clearly establish the actual delivery date risks a dispute over whether the full 60-day period was genuinely provided before the lease term ended; proper documentation protects against that kind of challenge.
9. Why this requirement sits within a broader framework of notice obligations for larger landlords
This 60-day nonrenewal notice is one of several notice-timing requirements that specifically apply to landlords crossing the more-than-4-units threshold, alongside the newer 90-day rent-increase notice and the small-arrears payment-plan requirement.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204; Va. Code 55.1-1245]
A larger Virginia landlord should treat these as a connected set of obligations tied to the same portfolio-size threshold, rather than evaluating each one in isolation; a single compliance calendar tracking all of them together reduces the risk of missing one while focused on another.
10. Why this requirement reflects a broader push toward longer tenant notice periods generally
This 60-day nonrenewal requirement, alongside the state's other 2025-2026 extensions, the 14-day pay-or-quit notice and the 90-day rent-increase notice, reflects a consistent legislative direction toward giving Virginia tenants more advance notice across multiple types of landlord decisions.
[Cite: Va. Code 55.1-1204; Va. Code 55.1-1245]
A property manager should expect this general trend toward longer notice periods to continue shaping Virginia landlord-tenant law, and building flexible, generously timed internal processes now helps absorb whatever further extensions might follow.
11. What property managers should do now
The practical starting point is building a standing internal review date, roughly 75 to 90 days before each lease's term end, to finalize the renewal or nonrenewal decision with enough buffer before the 60-day statutory deadline.
Confirming which properties in a portfolio actually cross the more-than-4-unit or 10%-interest threshold ensures this requirement is applied consistently across every covered lease, not just the ones a manager happens to remember are subject to it.
Frequently asked questions
When did Virginia's 60-day nonrenewal notice requirement take effect?
July 1, 2025, under House Bill 1867 and Senate Bill 1043, 2025 Acts of Assembly Chapter 554, amending Virginia Code Section 55.1-1204(K).
Which landlords does this apply to?
Landlords owning more than 4 rental units, or more than a 10% interest in more than 4 units.
Does this apply to month-to-month tenancies?
No. It applies to fixed-term leases approaching the end of their term, not periodic, month-to-month tenancies.
Is this the same as Virginia's 90-day rent-increase notice requirement?
No. That's a separate, later provision within the same statute, effective July 1, 2027, specifically for renewal rent increases rather than nonrenewal.
Does the landlord have to give a reason for not renewing?
The statute doesn't condition this notice requirement on the landlord's specific reason for nonrenewal; the 60-day timing obligation applies regardless of the reason.
What should a landlord do to meet this deadline reliably?
Build an internal review date roughly 75 to 90 days before each lease's term end, giving enough buffer to finalize the decision and deliver the notice well within the 60-day statutory floor.
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