{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/55.1-1233.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/55.1-1233.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/55.1-1233.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/55.1-1233.html"}],"law_id":369251,"edition_id":2,"section_id":369251,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1233","catch_line":"Tenant to surrender possession of dwelling unit","history":"1974, c. 680, \u00a7 55-248.20; 2000, c. 760; 2019, c. 712.","full_text":"At the termination of the term of tenancy, whether by expiration of the rental agreement or by reason of default by the tenant, the tenant shall promptly vacate the premises, removing all items of personal property and leaving the premises in good and clean order, reasonable wear and tear excepted. If the tenant fails to vacate, the landlord may bring an action for possession and damages, including reasonable attorney fees.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1377197,"text":"At the termination of the term of tenancy, whether by expiration of the rental agreement or by reason of default by the tenant, the tenant shall promptly vacate the premises, removing all items of personal property and leaving the premises in good and clean order, reasonable wear and tear excepted. If the tenant fails to vacate, the landlord may bring an action for possession and damages, including reasonable attorney fees.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":52611,"edition_id":2,"name":"Tenant Obligations","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52608,"metadata":{"child_laws":7,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:01:43","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:25","permalink":{"id":1473013,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52611,"identifier":"3","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3","url":"\/55.1\/III\/12\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52608,"edition_id":2,"name":"Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52607,"metadata":{"child_laws":70,"child_structures":7},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:01:40","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:24","permalink":{"id":1472887,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52608,"identifier":"12","token":"55.1\/III\/12","url":"\/55.1\/III\/12\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52607,"edition_id":2,"name":"Rental Conveyances","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52600,"metadata":{"child_laws":138,"child_structures":18},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:01:40","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:24","permalink":{"id":1472885,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52607,"identifier":"III","token":"55.1\/III","url":"\/55.1\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52600,"edition_id":2,"name":"Property and Conveyances","identifier":"55.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":120,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":875,"child_structures":101},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:01:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:20","permalink":{"id":1471771,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52600,"identifier":"55.1","token":"55.1","url":"\/55.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":369244,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1227","catch_line":"Tenant to maintain dwelling unit","url":"\/55.1-1227\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1227","metadata":false},{"id":369245,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1228","catch_line":"Rules and regulations","url":"\/55.1-1228\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1228","metadata":false},{"id":369246,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1229","catch_line":"Access; consent; correction of nonemergency conditions; relocation of tenant; security systems","url":"\/55.1-1229\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1229","metadata":false},{"id":369248,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1230","catch_line":"Access following entry of certain court orders","url":"\/55.1-1230\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1230","metadata":false},{"id":369249,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1231","catch_line":"Relocation of tenant where mold remediation needs to be performed in the dwelling unit","url":"\/55.1-1231\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1231","metadata":false},{"id":369250,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1232","catch_line":"Use and occupancy by tenant","url":"\/55.1-1232\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1232","metadata":false},{"id":369251,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1233","catch_line":"Tenant to surrender possession of dwelling unit","url":"\/55.1-1233\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1233","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":369250,"structure_id":52611,"section_number":"55.1-1232","catch_line":"Use and occupancy by tenant","url":"\/55.1-1232\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1232","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-1233\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1974. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 680 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1974 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2000, chapter 760<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 712<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1473039,"object_type":"law","relational_id":369251,"identifier":"55.1-1233","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1233","url":"\/55.1-1233\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-1233\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/3\/55.1-1233","dublin_core":{"Title":"Tenant to surrender possession of dwelling unit","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-1233","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

At the termination of the term of tenancy, whether by expiration of the rental agreement<\/span> or by reason of default<\/span> by the tenant<\/span>, the tenant<\/span> shall promptly vacate the premises<\/span>, removing all items of personal property and leaving the premises<\/span> in good and clean order<\/span>, reasonable wear and tear excepted. If the tenant<\/span> fails to vacate, the landlord<\/span> may bring an action<\/span> for possession<\/span> and damages<\/span>, including reasonable attorney fees.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nTENANT TO SURRENDER POSSESSION OF DWELLING UNIT (\u00a7 55.1-1233)\n\nAt the termination of the term of tenancy, whether by expiration of the rental\nagreement or by reason of default by the tenant, the tenant shall promptly\nvacate the premises, removing all items of personal property and leaving the\npremises in good and clean order, reasonable wear and tear excepted. If the\ntenant fails to vacate, the landlord may bring an action for possession and\ndamages, including reasonable attorney fees.\n\nHISTORY: 1974, c. 680, \u00a7 55-248.20; 2000, c. 760; 2019, c. 712.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}