Virginia rent receipt law: cash and money order payments get a written receipt
Va. Code 55.1-1204(J) requires a Virginia landlord to give the tenant a written receipt whenever rent is paid in cash or by money order. The same subsection requires landlords to accept checks and money orders, and it limits the fees a landlord can charge for processing a rent payment.
When must a Virginia landlord give a receipt?
Subdivision J.1 says the landlord shall provide the tenant with a written receipt whenever the tenant pays rent in the form of cash or money order. Notice what is on that list and what is not. A money order triggers a receipt in Virginia, which is different from states that look only at cash. A personal check, a card payment or a bank transfer is not named, so the statute does not require a receipt for those.
Giving a receipt for those anyway costs nothing and answers any later argument about whether rent arrived.
Which payment methods must the landlord accept?
The same subdivision says the landlord shall accept payment of periodic rent and any security deposit by check and money order. Landlords with four or fewer rental dwelling units, or up to a 10 percent interest in four or fewer units, are not required to accept payment by debit or credit card.
What does Virginia say about payment processing fees?
No landlord may charge a tenant a fee for collecting or processing any payment of rent, a security deposit or other fees, unless the landlord offers an alternative payment method that carries no additional fee. Where a fee is charged, the landlord may not require the tenant to pay more than the actual out-of-pocket expenses a third party charges the landlord to process a payment by credit card, debit card or electronic payment.
Example a made-up landlord charges a $25 card convenience fee, while the processor charges the landlord $4.00 on that payment. The fee is more than the $4.00 actual out-of-pocket cost, so it is above what the statute allows. A free option such as a check or money order must also be on offer.
What should the receipt contain?
The subsection does not list required contents or a deadline. A receipt that stands up in a dispute shows the date, the amount, the form of payment (cash or money order), the unit address, the period covered and the name of the person who took the payment. Our guide to what a rent receipt should include has a full checklist.
Does Virginia set a record-keeping period for receipts?
Subsection J does not set one, and it states no penalty for a missing receipt. Whether the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act covers a given tenancy depends on its own scope provisions, so confirm that before relying on it for a particular property. For general retention, see how long to keep rental records.
A simple receipt routine for Virginia landlords
Two habits cover Virginia. First, write a receipt whenever cash or a money order changes hands, and note which one it was, since the statute names both. Second, check your payment options against the fee limits. If you take cards, compare the fee you charge with what the processor charges you, and keep a free option available. Landlords with four or fewer units are not required to accept cards, which is a simple way to avoid the question. Keep copies of receipts with the lease file for the tenancy, and label each one with the unit and month so that a dispute months later does not turn into a search through a drawer.
How DoorKeeping fits in Virginia
Tenants pay your own bank by bank transfer or Zelle, free from DoorKeeping, and DoorKeeping charges tenants no payment fee. Each deposit is matched to the tenant from your bank feed, so there is a dated record of what was paid. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current text of the law and your lease before you act.
Sources
Questions
- Does a Virginia landlord have to give a rent receipt?
- Yes, a written receipt whenever the tenant pays rent in cash or by money order (Va. Code 55.1-1204(J)).
- Does the Virginia rule cover checks?
- The subsection names cash and money orders for receipts. It does not require a receipt for a personal check, though a landlord may give one.
- Can a Virginia landlord charge a fee to take rent?
- Not unless the landlord also offers a method with no added fee, and any fee cannot exceed the actual out-of-pocket cost charged by a third party.