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Q: Can my landlord decide not to accept debit or credit card payments?

A: Of course, it depends, but not for the reasons you may think. While the question does not make this claim, I will dispel it regardless; it is not a Fair Housing issue to not accept credit card payments.

On July 1st, 2025, House Bill 2218 became law. During the 2025 Session, this bill was sent back by the Governor with an amendment to it. The entire language of the new law can be found in Section § 55.1-1204. Terms and conditions of rental agreement; payment of rent; copy of rental agreement for tenant. The Governor’s amendment added the following:  

2. A landlord with four or fewer rental dwelling units, or up to a 10 percent interest in four or fewer rental dwelling units, shall not be required to accept payment of periodic rent and any security deposit by debit or credit card.

A landlord with less than five rental units can absolutely deny the payment of rent by debit or credit card. It is not clear if the opposite is true. As you can plainly read, it does not say that a landlord with five or more rental units must accept debit or credit card payments. However, what is clear is that a court could read that interpretation into the law.  

What this means is if you do not want to engage in litigation, a landlord with five or more rental units should accept debit or credit card payments. While a landlord with less than five does not have to accept debit or credit card payments.  

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