Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; required disclosures, local permits.
<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 55.1-708.3, relating to Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; required disclosures; local permits.</p>
Land
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Watts
Last action
2026-02-12
Official status
Incorporated
Effective date
Not listed
Plain English Breakdown
The bill's exact language and enforcement details are still under review, which may affect future interpretations.
Virginia Law on Selling Homes with Permits
This law requires home sellers to inform buyers if there were any special permits or exceptions for their property in the last five years before selling it.
What This Bill Does
Adds a new rule that says home sellers must share information about certain local permits and exceptions with potential buyers.
Requires sellers to inform buyers if there were any special use permits, variances, or other land disturbing permits issued for their property within the five years before selling it.
Limits the time frame for disclosure to either the three-year period before a sale contract is signed or the seller's ownership period, whichever is shorter.
Who It Names or Affects
Home sellers who have owned residential properties in Virginia.
Potential home buyers looking at recently sold homes in Virginia.
Terms To Know
Special use permit
A permission given by local government for a specific type of land use that might not be allowed under normal zoning rules.
Variance
An exception to the usual building or zoning regulations, usually granted when strict adherence would cause an unusual hardship.
Limits and Unknowns
The exact wording of the new law is still being finalized by subcommittees.
It's not clear how this will be enforced or what penalties might apply for non-compliance.
The time frame for disclosure has been narrowed to three years before a sale contract is signed.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: The amendment changes a section of Virginia's Residential Property Disclosure Act to specify that certain disclosures must be made either at the time of sale or within three years of owning the property, whichever period is shorter.
Changes the timing for making required disclosures from unspecified to 'within three years of owning the property.'
Clarifies that the disclosure period is limited to the shorter duration between the time of sale and the owner's possession period.
The exact nature of the disclosures being referred to is not detailed in the amendment text.
It is unclear how this change will interact with existing property disclosure laws or regulations.
Bill History
2026-02-12General Laws
Incorporated by General Laws (HB1518-Convirs-Fowler) (Voice Vote)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB477)
2026-01-23Housing/Consumer Protection
Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection
2026-01-12House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102502D
2026-01-12General Laws
Referred to Committee on General Laws
Official Summary Text
Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; required disclosures; local permits.
Requires the owner of residential real property with actual knowledge that the local governing body issued any special exception, special use permit, variance, or other land disturbing permit, including building permits and erosion and sediment control permits, for the property within the five years preceding the execution of a contract for sale for such property to disclose such fact to the purchaser prior to the execution of the contract for sale.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HB 477
SUBCOMMITTEE
1. Line 15, introduced, after
within the
strike
the remainder of line 15
insert
three
SUBCOMMITTEE
2. Line 16, introduced, after
property
insert
or within the duration of his ownership of such property, whichever is shorter,