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Virginia localities will face new limits on how much parking they can require near transit under a law introduced by Fairfax County Del. Irene Shin.

The measure, HB 888, applies to mixed-use and residential developments within a half-mile of mass transit facilities or public transportation stations. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

In qualifying transit-oriented areas, local governments may require no more than 0.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit in multifamily or mixed-use developments. The ceiling is one space per dwelling unit for detached homes, duplexes and townhouses.

Shin, a Democrat representing parts of Herndon, Oak Hill and Chantilly, argued that mandatory parking contributes to Fairfax County’s housing costs. Nearly 45% of renter households in the county are cost-burdened, she said, while a broader shortage has pushed homeownership beyond many families’ reach.

According to Shin, each required space can cost as much as $5,000 in a surface lot and $50,000 in a parking structure. Those expenses can ultimately increase rents and home prices. She said giving developers more flexibility could encourage housing construction, particularly as Fairfax struggles with a shortage of affordable homes.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger approved the legislation April 22.

Fairfax rules face another adjustment

The statewide restrictions arrive more than two years after Fairfax County adopted Parking Reimagined, its first comprehensive review of off-street parking and loading standards since 1988.

That overhaul reduced minimum requirements in denser locations and near transit stations where multifamily housing and commercial growth are planned. Unlike the new state ceilings, the county program varies its requirements according to a property’s use and location.

During the General Assembly session, county staff sought amendments that would more closely align the legislation with Parking Reimagined. Staff said the limits in the state bill were lower and that officials were still evaluating how the law would affect the county’s existing standards and waiver process.

The legislation gives localities with more than 600,000 residents some flexibility to raise parking requirements within a half-mile of locally operated bus stops. Fairfax County is the only Virginia locality large enough for that provision to apply.

More projects could seek reductions

Developers of residential, multifamily or mixed-use projects within 1,000 feet of a bus stop may apply for a 25% reduction in off-street parking requirements.

Projects serving households earning no more than 70% of the area median income would need only administrative approval for a reduction, avoiding review by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Administrative approval could also be available when the required parking cannot feasibly fit on a site or when a shared-parking agreement exists within 1,000 feet of the property.

Projects outside the law’s transit-area parking ceilings may still request reductions. In localities with populations above 20,000, residential, multifamily and mixed-use developments located more than a half-mile from transit stations can receive administrative review for parking reductions of at least 20%.