Virginia Legal Aid (VaLegalAid / Virginia Law Help)
Last updated August 2026
Free civil legal help in Virginia starts at virginialawhelp.org, the statewide guide run by the Virginia Poverty Law Center, and at 866-LEGLAID (866-534-5243), which connects you to your local legal aid office. The site's plain-language guides are open to everyone, no income screen. If court papers just arrived, start today; the deadlines below are short.
First, the rules that protect you tonight. A notice or summons does not mean you must move out. Only the sheriff can carry out an eviction, never the landlord, and the sheriff must give written notice at least 72 hours before returning to do it. For unpaid rent, Virginia law requires a written 14-day notice before the landlord can end the lease; the old 5-day pay-or-quit story is out of date.
Virginia gives tenants a genuinely powerful tool: the right of redemption. In a case that is only about unpaid rent, paying everything owed on or before the court date stops the eviction: all rent due, contracted fees, late charges, reasonable attorney fees, and court costs. An extended version lets you pay as late as 48 hours before the scheduled sheriff eviction. One caveat: small landlords with four or fewer units can limit redemption to once per lease if they say so in writing.
The court process runs through General District Court: notice, an unlawful detainer filing, a Summons for Unlawful Detainer, and a hearing. Go to the hearing no matter what; missing the court date means automatically losing. If you lose, a 10-day appeal window follows before a writ of eviction can issue.
Help comes in layers. Your local legal aid office handles full cases for those who qualify by income. Virginia Free Legal Answers is a virtual clinic where qualifying users post civil questions, on housing, family, consumer, employment, and benefits, and pro bono attorneys answer free. And if you do not qualify for legal aid, the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service at 800-552-7977 offers a half-hour consultation for $35.
While the legal side runs, work the money side: 2-1-1 finds local rent funds that sometimes end a nonpayment case faster than any defense, and CommonHelp checks food, cash, and health coverage in one application.
Phone 1-866-534-5243
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Low-income Virginia residents with a civil, noncriminal legal problem; each local legal aid office sets its own income guidelines
- The legal information and self-help materials at virginialawhelp.org are free for everyone, with no income screen
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Call 866-534-5243 or use the city and county lookup at virginialawhelp.org to reach your local legal aid office.
- 2
If you got a Summons for Unlawful Detainer, plan to attend the hearing; missing it means losing automatically.
- 3
In a nonpayment case, try to gather everything owed; paying in full by the court date stops the eviction.
- 4
If you lose, note the 10-day appeal window and ask legal aid about next steps immediately.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Can my landlord evict me without going to court?
No. Eviction requires a court process ending with the sheriff, who must give at least 72 hours written notice. A landlord cannot remove you, and a notice alone does not mean you must move.
Can paying the rent stop an eviction in Virginia?
Often, yes. In a case only about unpaid rent, paying all rent, fees, late charges, attorney fees, and court costs by the court date stops it, and an extended right lets you pay up to 48 hours before the sheriff's eviction. Small landlords may limit this to once per lease.
How much notice do I get for unpaid rent?
A written 14-day notice is required before the landlord may terminate for nonpayment under current Virginia law. The old 5-day rule is outdated.
Is legal aid really free?
Yes, for those who qualify by income at their local office. Virginia Free Legal Answers is also free for qualifying users, and the self-help guides at virginialawhelp.org are free for everyone.
What if I earn too much for legal aid?
The Virginia Lawyer Referral Service at 800-552-7977 arranges a half-hour attorney consultation for $35.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
See all Virginia programs →Free · Private · No account needed