Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in Virginia?
No. A Virginia landlord may not take possession by self-help; the tenant may recover possession and damages. Va. Code § 55.1-1243. In Virginia a tenant may be removed only through the court process, which is set by Va. Code §§ 55.1-1245, 55.1-1250, 8.01-124, 8.01-126, 55.1-1243.
| What | Virginia |
|---|---|
| Changing the locks, cutting a utility or removing belongings | Unlawful |
| Who may remove a tenant | Only a court officer acting on a court order |
Notes
A Virginia tenant may pay everything owed — rent, late fees, court costs and attorney fees — at or before the return date and the case is dismissed. This is the "redemption tender" and it is available once every twelve months.
Source
Va. Code §§ 55.1-1245, 55.1-1250, 8.01-124, 8.01-126, 55.1-1243 — last checked 2026-09-16.
This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.
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The same question in other states
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