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HB262 • 2026

Minimum parking requirements; prohibition on mandates by localities.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-2279 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2 a section numbered 15.2-2209.4, relating to minimum parking requirements; prohibition on mandates by localities.</p>

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Simonds
Last action
2026-01-30
Official status
Incorporated
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact nature of the conflicts between existing local rules and this new law is not detailed in the provided official source material.

Ban on Local Parking Mandates

This law stops local governments in Virginia from requiring a certain number of parking spaces for new or existing buildings and structures.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits localities from adopting, enforcing, or maintaining ordinances that mandate minimum numbers of parking spaces for any building, structure, or use.
  • Allows developers to provide parking spaces voluntarily without being required by local laws.
  • Does not affect federal or state laws about parking requirements such as those for people with disabilities or electric vehicle charging stations.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governments in Virginia
  • Builders and developers of new buildings and structures

Terms To Know

Locality
A city, county, or town in Virginia
Ordinance
A rule made by a local government to manage its area

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not affect parking requirements set by the federal or state governments.
  • This bill was incorporated into another bill (HB888) and will take effect on September 1, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-30 Subcommittee #1

    Subcommittee recommends incorporating (Voice Vote)

  2. 2026-01-30 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Incorporated by Counties, Cities and Towns (HB888-Shin) (Voice Vote)

  3. 2026-01-28 Subcommittee #1

    Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #1

  4. 2026-01-19 House

    Fiscal Impact statement From CLG (1/19/2026 12:49 pm)

  5. 2026-01-09 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101219D

  6. 2026-01-09 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

Official Summary Text

Minimum parking requirements; prohibition on mandates by localities.
Provides that no locality shall adopt, enforce, or maintain any ordinance, policy, or requirement that mandates a minimum number of parking spaces for any new or existing building, structure, or other use. The bill has a delayed effective date of September 1, 2026. This bill was incorporated into HB 888.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
A BILL to amend and reenact §
15.2-2279
of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2 a section numbered
15.2-2209.4
, relating to minimum parking requirements; prohibition on mandates by localities.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
15.2-2279
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2 a section numbered
15.2-2209.4
as follows:

§
15.2-2209.4
.
Prohibition on minimum parking requirements.

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
general or special,
no locality shall adopt, enforce, or maintain any ordinance, policy, or requirement that mandates a minimum number of parking spaces for any new or existing building, structure, or
o
ther
use.

B. Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

1.

Prohibit a developer, property owner, or operator from providing parking spaces voluntarily;

2.

Limit the authority of a locality to regulate the design, location, or use of parking spaces that are voluntarily provided; or

3.

Affect parking requirements established by federal or state law, including requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act or for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

C. Any ordinance, policy
, or requirement
in conflict with this section is void and of no effect
. N
o proposal shall be denied due to inconsistency with parking mandates as described in this section
and
any proposal so denied shall be deemed approved for all purposes.

§
15.2-2279
. Ordinances regulating the building of houses and establishing setback lines.

Any locality may by ordinance regulate the building of houses in the locality including the adoption of
off-street parking requiremen
ts,
minimum setbacks and side yards and the establishment of minimum lot sizes.

Any locality may by ordinance require that no building be constructed within thirty-five feet of any street or roadway and may provide for exceptions to such requirement whenever a large portion of existing buildings along a section of street or roadway is within thirty-five feet of such street or roadway. The provisions of such an ordinance shall not apply within the limits of any town which has enacted a zoning ordinance or has adopted an ordinance establishing minimum setbacks.

2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on September 1, 2026.