Max $50, plus what outside background and credit checks actually cost.
For public housing or other HUD-regulated housing the limit is $32.
Why, and the exact law
From Va. Code § 55.1-1203, read Oct 6, 2026.Show the law
“An application fee shall not exceed $50, exclusive of any actual out-of-pocket expenses paid by the landlord to a third party performing background, credit, or other pre-occupancy checks on the applicant …”
This page covers state law only. Cities with their own rules have their own pages.
Virginia lawIn force
Virginia application fee cap and application deposit refund
What can they charge me to apply?
Max $50, plus what outside background and credit checks actually cost.
For public housing or other HUD-regulated housing the limit is $32.
In force since
1977
The law, word for word
“An application fee shall not exceed $50, exclusive of any actual out-of-pocket expenses paid by the landlord to a third party performing background, credit, or other pre-occupancy checks on the applicant …”