Overview
Preemption classification
Tier F — Local control
Dillon Rule state but no statewide housing preemption. 2020 proposed reforms died. Locals have narrow authority to begin with.
Governance
Statewide
Building and zoning code adoption is mandated at the state level.
Adopted building codes
Statewide — VA Uniform SBC
City-level IBC adoptions (6)
| City | IBC | Amendment notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | 2021 | |
| Arlington | 2021 | |
| Chesapeake | 2021 | |
| Hampton | 2021 | |
| Newport News | 2021 | |
| Richmond | 2021 |
View building-code adoption for Virginia →
5 of 5 codes adopted (IBC, IRC, IECC, IFC, NEC)
Profiled counties
Cities
Showing 8 of 8
| City | Population | Code | Status | Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | — | Alexandria City Code Chapter 11 (Zoning Ordinance) · 7 districts | V2 ✓ | |
| Arlington | — | Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO) · 15 districts | V2 ✓ | |
| Chesapeake | — | City of Chesapeake Zoning Ordinance (separate codified publication; Article structure 1-22) · 24 districts | V2 ✓ | freshness:volatiledata:overlay-pinpoints-partialdata:residential-multifamily-partial |
| Hampton | — | — | V2 ✓ | freshness:volatile |
| Newport News | — | City of Newport News Code of Ordinances, Chapter 45 — Zoning Ordinance · 20 districts | V2 ✓ | freshness:volatiledata:gaps-present |
| Norfolk | — | Norfolk Zoning Ordinance (resilience-focused rewrite, adopted Jan 23, 2018; effective March 1, 2018; subsequently amended) · 32 districts | V2 ✓ | freshness:volatiledata:partial-district-tables-extracted |
| Richmond | — | Chapter 30 — Zoning, Code of Ordinances, City of Richmond, Virginia (operative code) · 29 districts | V2 ✓ | |
| Virginia Beach | — | Virginia Beach City Code, Appendix A — Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) · 19 districts | V2 ✓ | freshness:volatiledata:dimensional-standards-partialretrieval:municode-spa-blocked |
Research status
Data quality
100%completeness8 confirmed