Credit card processing and merchant services in Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach sales carry the 6% Hampton Roads rate, and hotels and vacation rentals must show prices with mandatory fees included under Virginia law, with an FTC fee rule on top.
Hospitality is big business in Virginia Beach. The 2022 Economic Census counted $2.01 billion in accommodation and food services sales in the city, along with $8.51 billion in retail sales, and the Census Bureau estimated 453,737 residents as of July 1, 2025.
The sales tax rate is 6%. Virginia Tax lists Virginia Beach in the Hampton Roads region, where a 0.7% regional tax sits on top of the 5.3% general rate. Local taxes on meals or lodging, where a city levies them, are separate from the sales tax, so check with the City of Virginia Beach for any that apply to your business before you build your POS.
For hotels, vacation rentals and anyone else who quotes a price with fees attached, the display rules matter more than the tax rate. Section 59.1-608 of the Code of Virginia, in force since July 1, 2025, requires the total price, including all mandatory fees or surcharges, whenever you advertise or display a price. Short-term lodging also falls under the FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, in effect since May 12, 2025. A cleaning fee or resort fee that every guest pays belongs in the first price you show.
A credit card surcharge that guests can avoid by paying another way is a different case. Virginia doesn't cap it by statute, so the network limits apply: up to 3% on Visa and 4% on Mastercard, never on debit. The Virginia page explains where the line between an optional fee and a mandatory one seems to fall.
Rental deposits and phone bookings are card-not-present payments, which usually cost more to process than a card tapped at a counter. A virtual terminal handles phone payments and payment links, and our guide to preventing chargebacks covers the common causes of disputes. A free statement review will show what those bookings are costing you.
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Common questions
What is the sales tax rate in Virginia Beach?
6%. Virginia Tax lists Virginia Beach in the Hampton Roads region, which adds a 0.7% regional tax to the 5.3% general rate. Norfolk, Chesapeake and the other Hampton Roads localities on the list carry the same 6%, so a second location nearby likely uses the same rate. Confirm it on Virginia Tax's list first.
Does a Virginia Beach vacation rental have to include its cleaning fee in the advertised price?
If every guest has to pay it, very likely yes. Since July 1, 2025, Virginia's Section 59.1-608 has required the total price, including all mandatory fees or surcharges, whenever a price is advertised or displayed. Short-term lodging is also covered by the FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, in effect since May 12, 2025. Have your attorney review your listings.
Is a credit card surcharge a mandatory fee under Virginia law?
Our reading is that it depends on whether customers can avoid it. If guests can pay by debit or cash with no fee, the surcharge is optional and can be disclosed the usual way. If every customer pays it, for example because you're card-only, treat it as mandatory and build it into the displayed price. Check your setup with an attorney.
How can a Virginia Beach rental company take deposits by phone?
With a virtual terminal: key in a card over the phone, send a payment link or invoice, or schedule recurring payments. Card-not-present payments carry more chargeback risk, so collect the billing address and CVV, keep signed rental agreements, and read our guide to card-not-present transactions.
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Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
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