To apply for a new Short Term Rental (STR) Certificate, which includes your 2026 Business License and Certificate of Occupancy, follow the link below to our Customer Portal. The Customer Portal is where all STR applications are processed and paid. It is also where all Quarterly Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) are reported and paid. All applicants can enter the portal with their email address of record or use the "Create Account" and “Apply for new STR Certificate” buttons to get started.
Please go to the Cape Charles STR Customer Portal here:
Once you apply and pay for your annual STR Certificate online you will be contacted by the Town of Cape Charles 1) Finance Department, 2.) Building Department, and 3.) Zoning Department.
- The Finance Department will check to make sure the property owner’s name matches the deed, property taxes have been paid to the town, and nothing is owed to the Town from the previous year in terms of fees for trash cans, etc. and all TOT has been reported and remitted.
- The Building Department will schedule and conduct your physical STR inspection to make sure your rental meets all occupancy and safety requirements for lodgers and the applicable building codes.
- The Zoning Department will review your STR’s existing files to verify that the appropriate site plans, bedroom floor plans, parking plan, and photos of existing site conditions are on file and your STR meets any new STR ordinances passed by Town Council.
- Finally, the Planning Director & Zoning Administrator will issue your new STR Certificate in the form of a PDF by email.
All applications will be reviewed in the order in which they were received. If you have questions please email inspector [at] capecharles.org (inspector[at]capecharles[dot]org) or call (757) 331-3259, ext. 42.
Note:
- Please ensure you have gathered the information listed below before you start your application process. You will not be able to save your progress if you are missing any information and will have to restart the registration process again. We accept Visa/Mastercraft payments (a 2.9% + $0.30 transaction service fee will be added) -or- you may use an e-Check ($2.50. transaction fee). To make an e-Check payment you need to have your bank’s routing number and your account number.
Information needed to complete this application:
1.) Property Owner- Name, mailing address, phone number, email address
2.) Property Manager (If applicable)- Name, mailing address, phone number, email address (Property managers must hold a separate Town BPOL)
3.) 24/7 Local Contact- Name, mailing address, phone number, email address
4.) Number of Bedrooms
5.) Maximum Occupancy
6.) Gross Revenue (Estimated for the upcoming calendar year) and (Actual for the prior licensing year)
7.) A downloadable Owner’s Affidavit to attest you have the owner’s permission for the use of the property as an STR if you are not on the deed, you are not the owner, or you are managing the property. - 8.) Downloadable Proof of Authorization to operate the STR if the property is part of a homeowners or condominium association
9.) Payment information.
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STR Customer Portal Training is offered below and needs to be reviewed annually by ALL users.
- New & Renewal STR Application Training video – Coming Soon
- Property Manager STR Application Training video - Coming Soon
- Quarterly TOT Submission Training for ALL Users - PDF
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Electronic TOT reporting should not be made through the Customer Portal until April 1, 2026. City Council approved the change from Monthly to Quarterly TOT Reporting on December 18, 2025.
- TOT reporting and payment opens at the end of each quarter and last 20 days. TOT reporting is MANDATORY. The opening of the payment period and deadlines for ALL STR TOT reporting in 2026 are:
- Q1 - April 1 to April 20
- Q2 - July 1 to July 20
- Q3 - October 1 to October 20
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Q4 - January 1, 2027, to January 20, 2027
(*Reports and payments made after each 20-day reporting period will be assessed late fees. If a third-party is not remitting your TOT payments, penalties and interest will accrue until payments are received.)
- If you have an occupancy over 10 lodgers (the base maximum occupancy approved upon inspection) in the Historic District you must apply for a STR BOSTR Permit. This permit is primarily used to assess your capacity to provide off-street parking for your guests. The permit will remain here on the town’s website and in our office. It cannot be found in the STR Customer Portal.
Accessory Dwelling Units:
If you are applying for an STR in the form of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) you will need to download and complete an Affidavit to submit with your application in the Customer Portal.
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Due to the adoption of Ordinance 2026115B at the January 15th, 2026, Town Council meeting, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are now able to be rented as Short-Term Rentals (STRs). Specifically, the Ordinance amends Town Code Zoning Chapter 32, Article 32-91 (j) (2) (a) as follows:
- Length of Stay - An Accessory Dwelling may be either be rented as a short-term rental or long-term rental; by either paying a fee for such occupancy at his/her own expense or at the expense of another. Upon request from any building, zoning, finance, or public safety official acting on behalf of the Town of Cape Charles, the owner of the subject lot of record upon which the Accessory Dwelling Unit sits shall provide occupancy documentation and/or information as requested in writing. If an Accessory Dwelling Unit is going to be rented for less than thirty (30) days (Short-Term Rental), the Owner must comply with Section 4.14 (newly codified Section Reference is Chapter 32, Article IV, Section 32-104) of the Cape Charles Zoning Ordinance.
- Furthermore, the Town Council also adopted a new item in Town Code Zoning Chapter 32, Article IV, Section 32-104, which is as follows:
- A property with a legal Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in accordance with Chapter 32, Article IV, Section 32-9 (j) may apply for only the primary dwelling unit or accessory dwelling use to receive an annual Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit; there will be no allowance for both dwelling structures to be utilized as a Short-Term Rental in the same calendar year. If the ADU is applying for an STR Zoning Permit, the requirements outlined in the STR Ordinance must be met to establish # of applicable bedrooms and occupancy for the STR.
Cape Charles STR Ordinances:
The purpose and intent of the Cape Charles Zoning Ordinances for Short-Term Rentals (STR) adopted by the Town Council on November 21, 2024, is to regulate Short-Term Rentals (STR). The zoning ordinance is intended to provide the requirements to allow the limited commercial uses in town zoning districts, as permitted under Article III. The regulations for STRs are designed to accommodate an STR owner’s and operator’s limited commercial use in a way that is safe for the guest, meets town requirements, does not change the character of the town, and fits in with the districts in which STRs operate. These regulations are intended to work in tandem with the town’s business license requirements as contained in the Town Code, as a measure for the town to monitor the number of STRs and enforce regulations.
