24 hoursNotice required24 hours; 72 hours for unrequested routine maintenance
No noticeEmergency entryAllowed without notice
ListedPermitted reasonsInspect, repairs, agreed services, show the unit
StatuteVirginia referenceVa. Code § 55.1-1229
When does a Virginia landlord need to give notice?
Pick the situation. The period on each card is Virginia's minimum — your lease can require more, never less.
24hours
Repairs & inspections24 hours; 72 hours for unrequested routine maintenance. State the reason and a window of a few hours, at a reasonable time of day.Sent from the tenant record24hours
Showing the unitProspective tenants, buyers, appraisers or contractors — same notice as repairs; Virginia lists showings among the permitted reasons.Sent from the tenant recordNo notice
EmergencyAllowed without notice. Burst pipe, fire, gas, a threat to health or safety — enter, then tell the tenant what happened and why.ReferenceNever
Tenant refuses entryA tenant cannot refuse a proper notice for a permitted reason; repeated refusal is a lease violation. Never enter by force — document and use the violation notice.Reference
What a Virginia notice of entry must contain
✓Tenant name(s) and the unit addressName each person on the lease; the notice binds all of them.
✓The date and a time windowAt least 24 hours ahead, as Virginia requires; a window of a few hours at a reasonable time of day.Va. Code § 55.1-1229
✓The reason for entryVirginia permits: Inspect, repairs, agreed services, show the unit. Name the one that applies.
✓Who will enterYou, your manager, a contractor, or a prospective tenant — the tenant is entitled to know.
✓How it was deliveredWritten notice: hand delivery, posting on the door, mail, or email/text if the lease allows electronic notices. Keep the date.auto-logged
✓Your name and a contactSo the tenant can ask to reschedule; a reasonable request to move the time is usually worth granting.
How it works
1 · Open the tenant's recordResidents → the tenant → Messages. Write the notice with the date, window and reason; the address and names are already on the record.
2 · Send itDelivered by email and in the tenant portal (and by text where the tenant has opted in), time-stamped.
3 · Keep the recordThe message thread is the proof of notice if entry is ever disputed; add a note after the visit.
Virginia entry notice FAQ
How much notice must a Virginia landlord give before entering?
24 hours; 72 hours for unrequested routine maintenance (Va. Code § 55.1-1229).
Can I enter without notice in an emergency?
Allowed without notice. Tell the tenant afterwards what happened and what was done.
What reasons allow entry?
Inspect, repairs, agreed services, show the unit.
Can the tenant refuse?
Not a proper notice for a permitted reason. Repeated refusal is a lease violation; never enter by force — document it and use the lease-violation notice.
Does a text or email count as notice?
Only if the lease allows electronic notices. The in-app message is emailed and shown in the tenant portal, time-stamped; print it for hand delivery where paper is required.
Send a Virginia notice of entry in two minutes
Date, reason and delivery record on the tenant's file. Free.
Notice periods are Virginia's statutory minimums as of 2026, reviewed against Code of Virginia, Title 55.1, Chapter 12 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). General information for landlords, not legal advice; local ordinances can add requirements.
