Mineral, Virginia

Short-term rentals are legal in and around Mineral, but are regulated at the Louisa County level rather than by the Town of Mineral itself. The Town relies on county Community Development for zoning and building enforcement. Louisa County’s STR ordinance, LDR2022-05, took effect January 1, 2024, and requires all operators to register their property and provide owner or property manager contact information to the county, updated with the Commissioner of Revenue, at a roughly $50 annual fee.

Whether a property needs only registration or a Conditional Use Permit depends on zoning. Agricultural A1 and A2 parcels are allowed by-right, treated as agritourism under a Virginia Attorney General opinion. R1, R2, and RD parcels inside designated growth areas, which cover most Lake Anna waterfront communities, are allowed by-right with conditions. R1 and R2 parcels outside growth areas, along with commercial and industrial parcels, require a Conditional Use Permit approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Operators must comply with Virginia Department of Health and building codes, provide septic system inspection and repair documentation, observe occupancy limits tied to septic capacity, provide one parking space per bedroom, and give tenants copies of county noise and solid waste rules along with the owner’s contact information. There is no statutory maximum number of rental nights per year and no owner occupancy or primary residence requirement.

Guests pay a 7% transient occupancy tax, raised from 2% effective January 1, 2024, with pre-existing contracts in place on or before October 16, 2023 exempted from the increase. Enforcement is rated moderate, primarily complaint and registration driven, with septic capacity and noise or party gatherings the main enforcement focus areas.