# Virginia SB531: Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units, delayed effective date.

Virginia SB531, Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units, delayed effective date., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Kannan Srinivasan (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0895)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB531-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB531
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units, delayed effective date.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0895)
- Sponsor: Kannan Srinivasan (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (159 yes, 71 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units. Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinances for single-family residential zoning districts accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, as defined in the bill, as a permitted accessory use. The bill requires a person to seek a permit for an ADU from the locality, requires the locality to issue such permit if the person meets certain requirements enumerated in the bill, and restricts the fee for such permit to $500 or less. The bill prohibits the locality from requiring (i) setbacks for the ADU that are greater than the setback required for the primary dwelling or the setback required for accessory structures on the residential lot, whichever is less; (ii) conditions for ADUs that are more restrictive than those for single-family dwellings within the same zoning area with regard to height, rear, or side setbacks, lot size or coverage, or building frontage; or (iii) consanguinity or affinity between the occupants of the ADU and the primary dwelling. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- HOA and condo rules still apply: cost, low. Homeowner association, condo, co‑op, and other private covenants still apply. This law does not override them. If your private documents ban ADUs, you still cannot build or rent one.
- Homeowners can add ADUs, $500 permit cap: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2027, homeowners in single-family zones can add an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) as a permitted use. You must get a local ADU permit. The permit fee is capped at $500, plus normal building, site, and inspection fees. The locality must issue the permit if your plan meets this law a…
- What your city can require for ADUs: mixed, medium. Starting July 1, 2027, your locality can set some ADU rules but not others. It may require 30-day minimum leases; owner occupancy of either the ADU or main house when you apply; dedicated or replacement parking; code compliance for building, water, sewer, septic, emergency access, flood and stormwa…
- ADU rules start July 1, 2027: mixed, low. Most of this law takes effect July 1, 2027. Existing ADU permits approved before that date stay under their original rules. A locality can adopt an ADU ordinance before 2027 if it largely matches this law. Localities with ADU ordinances adopted before January 1, 2026 are not covered by this statute.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Kannan Srinivasan (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House | pass | 62 | 37 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns | pass | 13 | 8 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | Reported from Local Government with substitute | pass | 8 | 7 |   |
| 2026-01-21 | Senate | Rereferred from General Laws and Technology to Local Government | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (29)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0895) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 895 (Effective 7/1/2027) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB531ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House (62-Y 37-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-03: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-27: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (13-Y 8-N) (House)
- 2026-02-17: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-17: Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2026-02-17: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House)
- 2026-02-17: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Committee substitute printed 26107523D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Reported from Local Government with substitute (8-Y 7-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Rereferred from General Laws and Technology to Local Government (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105326D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223192.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223191.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198857.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198856.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135026.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134117.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135025.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134116.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090710.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090709.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223192.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223191.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198857.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1198856.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135026.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134117.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135025.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134116.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090710.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090709.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB531-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).