# STRWatch — full corpus > City-level US short-term-rental regulations, 50 markets, checked against official sources. > Latest check date in this corpus: 2026-07-18. Canonical per-city pages: https://strwatch.ai/{slug}/ > Free to use and cite with attribution to STRWatch (strwatch.ai). Educational information, not legal advice. Every requirement and tax entry links an official source URL; each city record carries a sources-checked date (review bar: schema validation plus sampled live checks against the linked sources — not a claim-by-claim audit) and an open needs_review list for anything we could not verify rather than guessed. Rules change between checks — verify with the linked authority before acting. --- # Short-term rental rules in New York, NY - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-15 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/new-york-ny/ ## Summary In New York City, renting out an entire home or apartment for fewer than 30 consecutive days is illegal in all permanent residential buildings (private dwellings and Class A multiple dwellings), even for owners — whole-unit short-term rentals are only lawful in city-approved Class B (transient) buildings such as hotels. A host may legally offer a short-term rental only if the host is a natural person who permanently occupies the unit, stays in the unit with the guests, hosts no more than two paying guests at a time, and maintains a 'common household' (guests must have free access to the whole unit; no interior door locks that exclude them). Since Local Law 18 of 2022 (verification enforcement began September 5, 2023), such hosts must register with the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) for a $145 non-refundable fee before listing on any platform, and booking services like Airbnb and Vrbo are prohibited from processing transactions for unregistered listings. Rent-stabilized, rent-controlled, NYCHA units, rooming units, and buildings on the owner-initiated Prohibited Buildings List cannot be registered. Registered rentals are subject to New York State/City sales tax (8.875% combined), a $1.50-per-unit-per-day NYC fee (both platform-collected since March 1, 2025), and potentially the city's 5.875% Hotel Room Occupancy Tax, which hosts must collect themselves unless a small-host exemption applies. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: No - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: 2 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Multiple Dwelling Law § 4(8)(a) defines Class A buildings as for 'permanent residence purposes' (occupancy of 30+ consecutive days by the same person/family); sub-30-day occupancy is permitted only for house guests/lawful boarders living within the household of the permanent occupant, or unpaid occupancy while the occupant is temporarily absent. OSE: hosted rentals require the host to stay in the same unit with no more than 2 paying guests and maintain a common household (guests must have access to all parts of the unit; guest-room keyed locks defeat this). Applies to all permanent residential buildings including owner-occupied 1-2 family homes (NYC Building Code treats them as exclusively long-term residences; hosted+registered rental with up to 2 guests is permitted). Entire-unit STRs are lawful only in Class B multiple dwellings (hotels, lodging houses, etc.), which are exempt from registration, as are rentals of 30+ consecutive days (check-in day counts as day zero, so a 30-night rental is permanent occupancy). No sleeping in cellars, attics, or garages. Prohibited from registration: rent-regulated units (rent control/stabilization, 421-a/J-51, Mitchell-Lama-type HDFC), NYCHA units, rooming units, and buildings on the Prohibited Buildings List. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Registration (Local Law 18) (registration) - Authority: NYC Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) - Cost: $145 one-time non-refundable application fee (plus small payment processing fee); renewal fee also $145 - Renewal: 4 years (per OSE rules § 21-06; renewal applications expected to open October 2026) - Official source: https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/registration.page - Notes: Host must be a natural person and permanent occupant (owner, or tenant not barred by lease); must submit 1 proof of identity + 2 proofs of permanent occupancy from different categories; must disclose all listing URLs/IDs for every booking service and report new listings before use; unit must have no open DOB/HPD/FDNY violations endangering occupants (rules § 21-08); building must not be on the Prohibited Buildings List. Registered hosts must post an egress diagram and the registration certificate in the unit, include the registration number in all ads, and keep rental records for 7 years (Admin Code §§ 26-3103, as enacted by LL18). Registration is non-transferable. ### Hotel Room Occupancy Tax Certificate of Registration / Certificate of Authority (other) - Authority: NYC Department of Finance - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/business/business-hotel-room-occupancy-tax.page - Notes: Required only if the host's rental activity makes them a 'hotel' operator: renting more than one room AND either 3+ separate rentals in a year or more than 14 total nights per year. Exempt: hosts renting only one bedroom in their own home; single rentals of up to 14 days or two rentals totaling 14 days or fewer per year; rentals to permanent residents (180+ consecutive days). Certificate of Authority must be obtained and displayed. ### NYS Sales Tax Vendor Registration (Certificate of Authority) (other) - Authority: NYS Department of Taxation and Finance - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/publications/sales/short-term-rental.htm - Notes: Effective March 1, 2025, STR operators must register as sales tax vendors and collect/remit sales tax and the NYC unit fee UNLESS a booking service facilitates all sales (and issues Form ST-155 Booking Service Certificate of Collection or has a public collection agreement), or the operator rents their own property 3 or fewer days per calendar year without a booking service. ## Taxes - **New York State and local sales tax on short-term rental unit occupancy**: 8.875% combined rate in New York City (NYS Pub 718: NYC combined state and local rate is 8⅞%) — applies to Rent for STR occupancy over $2.00 per unit per day, effective March 1, 2025; guest owes state sales tax until 90 consecutive days and NYC local sales tax until 180 consecutive days; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/publications/sales/short-term-rental.htm - **New York City short-term rental unit fee**: $1.50 per unit per day — applies to Every short-term rental unit occupancy within NYC, effective March 1, 2025 (guest exempt after 90 consecutive days); state-administered; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/publications/sales/short-term-rental.htm - **NYC Hotel Room Occupancy Tax (city-administered)**: 5.875% of rent plus a flat fee of $0.50-$2.00 per room per day depending on daily rent (e.g., $2.00/day where rent is $40+) — applies to Hosts operating as a 'hotel' — more than one room rented AND 3+ rentals or 14+ nights per year; exemptions for one-bedroom-only hosts, up to 14 days/fewer than 3 occasions per year, and 180+ day permanent residents; platform collects: no. Source: https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/business/business-hotel-room-occupancy-tax.page ## Enforcement - Penalties: Hosts: offering/advertising an unregistered short-term rental — civil penalty up to the lesser of $5,000 or 3x the revenue generated, per violation (Admin Code § 26-3104(a), enacted by Local Law 18 of 2022); registered hosts violating the chapter or OSE rules — up to $5,000 per violation (§ 26-3104(b)); material false statement on an application — up to $1,000 plus revocation (§ 26-3104(c)). Illegal transient use of a permanent dwelling (Admin Code § 28-210.3, OATH/DOB penalty schedule 1 RCNY 102-01): Class 1 (immediately hazardous) standard penalty $5,000, maximum $25,000, default up to $25,000, plus additional daily penalty of $1,000/day up to $45,000 for continued Class 1 violations (§ 28-202.1); Class 2: $2,500 standard/$10,000 maximum. Advertising a Class A unit for unlawful transient occupancy (Multiple Dwelling Law § 121, enforced in NYC by OSE): up to $1,000 first violation, $5,000 second, $7,500 third and subsequent. - Platform liability: Booking services must verify registration (or legal exemption) through OSE's electronic verification system before processing any STR transaction and must file monthly transaction reports (Admin Code § 26-3202, enacted by LL18). Penalties (§ 26-3203): up to $1,500 per unlawful fee-collecting transaction (or up to 3x the fee where the fee amount is established); failure to report — per transaction per reporting period, up to the greater of $1,500 or the platform's total fees collected in the preceding year for that listing. Platforms pay a $2.40-per-listing verification system fee (OSE rules § 22-04). Separately, under NYS Tax Law (Ch. 672/2024 as amended by Ch. 99/2025), booking services are the mandatory collectors of sales tax and the NYC unit fee on facilitated rentals, with vendor liability. - Notes: Verification enforcement began September 5, 2023. Per OSE's enforcement page: as of early June 2025 OSE estimated ~20% of registered listings were offering illegal occupancy and began issuing warning notices; a registration-revocation pilot (Notices of Intent to Revoke, tried at OATH or NYS Supreme Court) began late April 2025; complaint-based and proactive inspections continue; renewals may be denied for revocable conduct. Prohibited Buildings List lets owners bar STRs building-wide; registrations in listed buildings are denied or revoked. ## Pending changes - Council bills to loosen Local Law 18 for owner-occupied one- and two-family homes (Int 0948-2024/Int 1107-2024 — would allow host-absent rentals and up to 4 adult guests in registered 1-2 family homes) died without a vote when the Council term ended December 2025; Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse reintroduced the effort in 2026 as the 'Homeowner Stability and Protection Act' (reported May 2026). Not passed; Mayor Mamdani opposed the 2025 versions and has not committed on the 2026 bill. (proposed, 2026-05-01) — https://bronx.news12.com/brooklyn-councilmember-introduces-bill-to-reform-short-term-rental-rules-in-nyc - First cycle of OSE short-term rental registration renewals (4-year terms, $145 renewal fee) expected to begin October 2026; OSE may refuse renewal where the host committed acts that are grounds for revocation. (effective-date-pending, 2026-10) — https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/enforcement.page ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Host and platform penalty amounts (§§ 26-3104, 26-3203) were verified against the official Local Law 18 of 2022 PDF on nyc.gov; the currently codified Administrative Code text on codelibrary.amlegal.com could not be fetched (HTTP 403), so any post-2022 amendments to those specific sections were not independently confirmed. - Official Legistar record for the 2026 Narcisse 'Homeowner Stability and Protection Act' (successor to Int 0948-2024/Int 1107-2024) could not be fetched (Legistar API returned 403); its intro number, exact introduction date, and committee status rest on news reporting only. - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo voluntarily collect the city-administered NYC Hotel Room Occupancy Tax on registered listings could not be verified; official DOF guidance places the collection duty on hosts/operators, and the 2025 state platform-collection mandate covers only sales tax and the $1.50/day unit fee. - Cost (if any) of the DOF Hotel Room Occupancy Tax Certificate of Registration and the NYS sales tax Certificate of Authority is not stated on the fetched official pages — left null. - The state's $1.50/day 'hotel unit fee' on hotel rooms and the new $1.50/day STR 'unit fee' are distinct but identical amounts; only the STR unit fee is listed in taxes. ## Sources - OSE — Short-Term Rental Registration Law (Local Law 18) overview (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/registration.page - OSE — Tips for Hosting a Legal Short-Term Rental (incl. registration FAQ, $145 fee, 2-guest limit) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/tips-for-hosts.page - OSE — FAQ for Prospective Hosts (common household, eligibility, Class B, ADUs) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/faq/faq-for-prospective-hosts.page - OSE — Enforcement (warning notices, revocation pilot, renewals from October 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/enforcement.page - OSE — Registration Rules and Laws (Admin Code Title 26 Chapters 31-32) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/registration-rules-and-laws.page - Local Law 18 of 2022 (full text PDF, Admin Code §§ 26-3101–26-3107, 26-3201–26-3203) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/assets/specialenforcement/downloads/pdfs/LL18-of-2022.pdf - OSE — Final Rules Governing Registration and Requirements for Short-Term Rentals ($145 fee, 4-year term, $2.40/listing platform fee) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/assets/specialenforcement/downloads/pdfs/FINAL-RULES-GOVERNING-REGISTRATION-AND-REQUIREMENTS-FOR-SHORT-TERM-RENTALS.pdf - NY Multiple Dwelling Law § 4 (Class A definition, permanent residence, boarder allowance) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/MDW/4 - NY Multiple Dwelling Law § 121 (advertising penalties $1,000/$5,000/$7,500, OSE enforcement) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/MDW/121 - NYC Department of Finance — Hotel Room Occupancy Tax (rates, STR host FAQ, exemptions) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/business/business-hotel-room-occupancy-tax.page - NYC DOF Form NYC-HTX 2025 (confirms 5.875% additional tax rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/assets/finance/downloads/pdf/25pdf/business_tax_forms/nyc-htx_2025.pdf - NYS Tax Dept — Sales tax on short-term rental unit occupancy (effective 3/1/2025; $1.50 NYC unit fee; booking service collection; Ch. 672/2024 & Ch. 99/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/publications/sales/short-term-rental.htm - NYS Tax Dept — Summary of 2025 sales and other tax type changes (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.tax.ny.gov/legal/2025/sales-misc-changes.htm - NYS Tax Dept — TB-ST-331 Hotel and Short-Term Rental Unit Occupancy (permanent resident thresholds) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/tg_bulletins/st/hotel_and_motel_occupancy.htm - NYS Tax Dept — Publication 718 (NYC combined sales tax rate 8⅞%) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/publications/sales/pub718.pdf - NYC DOB — 1 RCNY 102-01 penalty schedule (§ 28-210.3 and § 28-202.1 daily penalties) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nyc.gov/assets/buildings/rules/1_RCNY_102-01.pdf - NY Senate — S820 (2025), signed 2/28/2025 as Chapter 99 (STR tax/registry chapter amendment; NYC retains own registry) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S820 - Skift — No Vote on NYC Bill to Ease Short-Term Rental Rules (Dec 18, 2025) (news, accessed 2026-07-15): https://skift.com/2025/12/18/no-vote-on-nyc-bill-to-ease-short-term-rental-rules/ - News 12 Bronx — Brooklyn Councilmember introduces bill to reform short-term rental rules (May 2026) (news, accessed 2026-07-15): https://bronx.news12.com/brooklyn-councilmember-introduces-bill-to-reform-short-term-rental-rules-in-nyc --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Austin, TX - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-15 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/austin-tx/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (any rental of a housing unit or portion of one for less than 30 consecutive days) are legal citywide in Austin, including non-owner-occupied whole homes, but every STR needs its own city operator's license before it can be rented or even advertised. After losing in court over its old owner-occupancy-based Type 1/2/3 regime (the Type 2 phase-out was struck down in Zaatari v. City of Austin, 2019), Austin rewrote its rules: three ordinances on Feb. 27, 2025 made STRs an accessory use in all zoning districts, moved regulation from the Land Development Code (Title 25) into business regulations (Title 4), and forced platforms to collect city hotel tax starting April 1, 2025; then Ordinance No. 20250911-012 (adopted Sept. 11, 2025, effective Oct. 1, 2025) replaced City Code Chapter 4-23 with the current regime. A host must own or lease the unit (tenants may operate with owner authorization), may operate up to two STRs on a site of three or fewer housing units, and any additional STR sites must be at least 1,000 feet apart; on sites with 4+ units the cap is the greater of one unit or 25% (with commercial use) or 10% (no commercial use) of units the person owns or leases. There is no primary-residence requirement and no numeric guest cap in the current chapter. Licenses cost $836.30 new / $385.30 renewal, last up to two years, are non-transferable, and the license number must appear in every listing. A local contact within the five-county Austin metro must respond to emergencies within two hours. Guests pay 17% total hotel occupancy tax (6% state + 11% city). Violations are strict-liability offenses fined up to $500 with each day a separate offense, and since July 1, 2026 platforms must display license numbers and delist unlicensed properties within 10 days of a city notice and may not take fees for unlicensed bookings. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Both hosted and unhosted STRs are allowed in all zoning districts (Ord. 20250227-039 made STRs an accessory use to residential uses citywide) conditional on holding a per-unit operator's license under City Code Ch. 4-23. Licensing applies in Austin's full- and limited-purpose jurisdictions. No owner-occupancy/primary-residence requirement: an operator must own or lease the unit (§4-23-31(A)); tenants may operate with owner authorization (§4-23-41(B)(8)). Density/eligibility limits (§4-23-31): on sites with 3 or fewer housing units an individual may operate up to 2 STRs; additional sites must be at least 1,000 feet apart (applies through trusts/LLCs, §4-23-31(E)-(F)); on sites with 4+ units, cap is the greater of 1 unit or 25% (site includes commercial use) or 10% (no commercial use) of the units the person owns or leases. Partial-unit STRs must give the guest exclusive use of a bedroom and shared use of a full bathroom (§4-23-34(C)). STR defined as rental for periods of less than 30 consecutive days (§4-23-1(12)), so 30+ day rentals are exempt. Chapter 4-23 as replaced in 2025 contains no numeric guest/occupancy cap. Noise rules: no sound equipment over 75 dB at the property line 10am-10pm; none audible beyond property line 10pm-10am; no noise audible to adjacent business/residence 10:30pm-7am (§4-23-34(F)-(H)). Licenses valid on Sept. 30, 2025 continued until expiration and renew into the new system (Ord. 20250911-012 Part 3). HOAs/deed restrictions may still prohibit STRs. ## Requirements ### STR Operator's License (license) - Authority: City of Austin Development Services Department (Code Compliance) - Cost: $836.30 new ($789 license fee + $47.30 notification fee, FY2026) - Renewal: Up to 2 years; renewal $385.30 ($338 renewal fee + $47.30 notification fee); apply within 60 days before expiration (existing pre-Oct-2025 licenses: at least 30 days before) - Official source: https://www.austintexas.gov/development-services/short-term-rentals - Notes: Required before operating or advertising any STR (§4-23-32); one license per unit; non-transferable and does not convey with sale; license number must appear in all advertisements. Application requires certification of no outstanding code/state-law violations, safety self-certification checklist, platforms to be used, local contact info, and owner authorization for lessee applicants (§4-23-41). Certificate of Occupancy and proof of insurance are no longer required as of Oct. 1, 2025. Director may require a third-party safety inspection if the unit had state-law or City Code violations in the prior 24 months (§4-23-41(D)). Fees are non-refundable. ### Local contact designation (other) - Authority: City of Austin Development Services Department (City Code §4-23-33) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=459690 - Notes: Every operator must designate an individual local contact present within the Austin Metro Area (Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, or Caldwell County) who is authorized to make decisions about the STR, must respond within two hours of being contacted about emergency conditions, and must be present at the STR within two hours if requested by a City employee. Operator may serve as their own local contact. Contact info is mailed to all properties within 100 feet of the STR (§4-23-44). ### City Hotel Occupancy Tax reporting (Austin Finance Online account) (registration) - Authority: City of Austin Financial Services - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Quarterly reports due the last day of the month following each quarter (Apr 30, Jul 31, Oct 31, Jan 31) - Official source: https://www.austintexas.gov/page/hotel-occupancy-taxes - Notes: Operators must file quarterly HOT reports even though platforms have been required to collect and remit city HOT on bookings since April 1, 2025, and even for zero-activity quarters. Operators using a platform must report how much HOT each platform collected on their behalf. Proof of HOT payment is required at license renewal for operators not using a platform to collect payments (§4-23-42(A)(4)). ### State Hotel Occupancy Tax collection/remittance (other) - Authority: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (Tax Code Ch. 156) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Monthly (due the 20th of the following month) or quarterly if qualified - Official source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ - Notes: The 6% state HOT applies to residential STRs (houses, condos, apartments) costing $15 or more per day. A platform collects and remits state HOT only if it has an agreement with the owner to do so; otherwise the owner must collect and remit directly to the Comptroller (Comptroller Hotel Tax FAQ). State HOT is remitted separately from city HOT. ## Taxes - **Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax**: 6% — applies to Rooms or sleeping accommodations costing $15+ per day rented for less than 30 consecutive days, explicitly including bed and breakfasts, condominiums, apartments and houses; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ - **City of Austin Hotel Occupancy Tax**: 11% (9% occupancy tax + 2% venue project tax) — applies to Short-term rentals of less than 30 consecutive days within the City of Austin (ETJ excluded); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.austintexas.gov/page/hotel-occupancy-taxes ## Enforcement - Penalties: Violating any provision of City Code Ch. 4-23 is a strict-liability offense punishable by a fine not to exceed $500, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense (Ord. No. 20250911-012, §4-23-51; 'a culpable mental state is not required'). The director may revoke licenses for life/health/safety threats, nuisance STRs, failure to implement mitigation requirements or compliance plans, or local-contact non-response (§4-23-52), generally after notice of intent and a pre-revocation conference (§4-23-53). A unit whose license was revoked is barred from a new license for 6 months (12 months if declared a nuisance), and a nuisance-STR operator is barred from any new STR license for 12 months (§4-23-31(G)-(H)). Advertising an unlicensed STR is itself prohibited (§4-23-32(E)). Late city HOT: 5% penalty, an additional 5% on day 61, plus 10% annual interest from day 61; late state HOT: $50 per late report plus 5% (1-30 days) or 10% (30+ days). Active enforcement verified: city scraping tools (Deckard Technologies) went live Jan. 7, 2026; as of April 1, 2026 staff had identified 2,785 unlicensed addresses, issuing 65 notices of violation and 28 citations (DSD memo, Apr. 30, 2026). - Platform liability: Since April 1, 2025, platforms that facilitate bookings and accept payments must collect and remit the city Hotel Occupancy Tax on operators' behalf (Ord. 20250227-041 amending Title 11-2; city HOT page). Since July 1, 2026 (Ord. 20250911-012 Part 4, Article 2): platforms must require each user to include a license number in every Austin STR advertisement (§4-23-22); must remove an advertisement within 10 days of a city delist notice and maintain an email address to receive delist notices (§4-23-23); must make documentation of HOT collected available to hosts at least quarterly (§4-23-24); and may not accept a fee to facilitate a booking of an unlicensed STR, with a safe-harbor presumption of compliance for platforms that comply with §§4-23-22 and 4-23-23 (§4-23-25). Platform violations are subject to the same $500-per-offense, per-day penalties (§4-23-51). - Notes: Report violations via Austin 3-1-1. As of March 31, 2026 there were 2,750 active STR licenses (up 19.6% since April 1, 2025), and STR-related HOT revenue rose from $7M (FY2024) to $11.6M (FY2025) (DSD memo, Apr. 30, 2026). Per that memo, the city plans to phase in platform delist notices: delisting requests for merely-unlicensed properties are paused for six months after the new licensing system launch (scheduled May 18, 2026), beginning first with properties generating nuisance complaints, and enforcement is paused for applicants whose license applications are under review. ## Pending changes - Phased rollout of platform delisting enforcement: although platform obligations took effect July 1, 2026, the city stated it will pause delist notices for unlicensed properties for six months after its new Deckard-based licensing system launches (launch was scheduled May 18, 2026), then phase delist requests in groups starting with nuisance-complaint properties. (effective-date-pending, approx. November 2026 (six months after May 18, 2026 system launch)) — https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=472516 - Possible STR license fee reductions: per Council direction accompanying Ord. 20250911-012, Development Services is evaluating whether efficiencies from the new licensing system support lowering STR fees; any changes would come through the annual budget process. Staff evaluated and recommended against creating a provisional license. (proposed, FY2027 budget process) — https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=472516 ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Zaatari v. City of Austin (Tex. App.—Austin 2019), which struck down the old Type 2 (non-owner-occupied) phase-out and motivated the rewrite, was verified only via news coverage, not against the court opinion itself. - No numeric guest/occupancy cap appears anywhere in the replaced Chapter 4-23 (full 18-page executed ordinance reviewed), so max_guests is null; confirm no generally applicable occupancy limit elsewhere in the Property Maintenance Code applies to STRs. - Codified City Code text on library.municode.com could not be fetched (HTTP 403); this profile relies on the executed ordinance PDF (Ord. 20250911-012). Confirm Municode codification matches, including any renumbering. - Whether a specific platform (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) collects the 6% STATE hotel tax for a given Austin host depends on that platform's agreement with the owner (Comptroller FAQ); collectedByPlatform for the state tax is therefore null — hosts must confirm per platform and remit directly if not collected. - Texas preemption: HB 2767 (89R, 2025, 'online global marketplaces,' Airbnb-backed) died without a House floor vote (official history ends at Calendars, 04/25/2025); verified no STR-preemption statute was enacted in the 89th regular session, but 2025-26 special sessions were not exhaustively checked for revived STR/marketplace preemption measures. - Potential effect of the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act (HB 2127, 2023, 'Death Star' preemption law) and its ongoing litigation on Austin's STR licensing authority was not analyzed or verified. - The city's statement that STRs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) need no license and owe no city HOT appeared in city web content summaries; verify jurisdictional boundaries for specific properties. - New-license fee of $836.30 reflects the FY2026 fee schedule ($789 + $47.30); the fee is set by separate ordinance annually and may change in the FY2027 budget. ## Sources - Short-Term Rentals — Austin Development Services (license, fees, operating rules) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.austintexas.gov/development-services/short-term-rentals - Short-Term Rentals hub — City of Austin (austintexas.gov/str) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.austintexas.gov/str - Ordinance No. 20250911-012 — repealing and replacing City Code Chapter 4-23 (Short-Term Rentals), executed PDF (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=459690 - Austin City Council Regular Meeting agenda, Sept. 11, 2025 (Item 12, STR ordinance) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.austintexas.gov/council/2025/20250911-reg - DSD Memorandum to Mayor and Council, 'Update on Short-term Rental Program,' April 30, 2026 (ordinance history 20250227-039/-040/-041 and 20250911-012, FY2026 fee schedule, enforcement stats, delisting phase-in) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=472516 - Hotel Occupancy Taxes — City of Austin Financial Services (11% city rate, April 1 2025 platform collection, quarterly filing, late penalties) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.austintexas.gov/page/hotel-occupancy-taxes - Hotel Occupancy Tax — Texas Comptroller (6% state rate, applicability to houses/condos, Tax Code Ch. 156) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ - Hotel Occupancy Tax FAQs — Texas Comptroller (STR platform collection only under agreement with owner) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/faq.php - Apply for a short-term rental license — City of Austin Services (STR = rentals under 30 consecutive days) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.austintexas.gov/services/apply-short-term-rental-license - Texas Legislature Online — HB 2767 (89R) bill history: 'Relating to regulation of online global marketplaces' (last action: sent to Calendars 04/25/2025; never passed) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2767 - Council OKs new rules for short-term rentals — Austin Monitor (discovery/context for Sept. 2025 changes) (news, accessed 2026-07-15): https://austinmonitor.com/stories/2025/09/council-oks-new-rules-for-short-term-rentals/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Denver, CO - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-15 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/denver-co/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (stays under 30 consecutive days) are legal in Denver only in the host's one primary residence, so dedicated investment/second-home STRs are effectively prohibited. A host must hold a Short-Term Rental business license from the Department of Excise and Licenses ($50 application + $100/year, renewed annually) and a Denver Lodger's Tax ID before applying; only natural persons (not LLCs or other entities) may operate an STR. Hosts may rent a room, the whole home (including while away), or a permitted accessory dwelling unit on the same zone lot while living in the main house — but not a duplex's other unit, a neighboring condo, or the main house while living in the ADU. Guests pay 10.75% Denver Lodger's Tax plus 4% Colorado sales tax (14.75% combined), collected by the platform when the booking is transacted through a merchant-of-record platform. Hosts must carry at least $1,000,000 aggregate liability insurance (or book exclusively through a platform providing equal or greater coverage), keep a functioning smoke detector, CO detector and fire extinguisher, display the license number in every ad, allow only one rental contract at a time, and host no parties, weddings or similar events. Violations bring fines up to $999 per incident plus license suspension or revocation, and booking platforms face a strict-liability civil penalty of $1,000 per violation per day for processing payments for unlicensed Denver STRs. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Both hosted and unhosted rentals are allowed only in the host's licensed primary residence (DRMC 33-47, 33-53(a); Denver Zoning Code 11.8.10.1.B). 'Primary residence' means the place where the person's habitation is fixed for the license term and is their usual place of return; a person can have only one (DRMC 33-46). How often the unit is rented within the year may be weighed as evidence it is not a primary residence (DRMC 33-53(a)(5)). Operators must be natural persons — corporations, partnerships and LLCs are barred (DZC 11.8.10.1.B). A host living in the primary dwelling may also rent an ADU on the same zone lot, but may not live in the ADU and rent the main house, rent the other side of a duplex, or rent a neighboring condo (city ADU/STR Q&A applying DZC 11.8.10). No city-imposed maximum number of guests per night (DZC 11.8.10.1.H), but simultaneous rental to more than one party under separate contracts is prohibited (11.8.10.1.G). STRs may not be in mobile homes, RVs or travel trailers; no non-resident employees; exterior signage limited to one non-illuminated sign of 100 sq. in.; rental for luncheons, banquets, parties, weddings or fundraisers is not an STR use (DZC 11.12.7.7). Stays of 30+ consecutive days are outside the STR ordinance and Lodger's Tax. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental License (license) - Authority: Denver Department of Excise and Licenses (Business Licensing) - Cost: $50 application fee + $100 license fee per year (DRMC 32-110) - Renewal: Annual; renewable up to 90 days before expiration per city renewal page (FAQ says 60 days); late renewal within 90-day grace period incurs 20% penalty (first 30 days) or 50% penalty (days 31-90); after 90 days a new license is required - Official source: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Business-Licensing/Business-licenses/Short-term-rentals - Notes: Application requires a valid Colorado driver's license or state ID, at least two documents proving the unit is the applicant's primary residence (vehicle registration, voter registration, tax returns/financial documents, utility bill, or other), proof of possession (deed or lease, plus written owner permission if the applicant is a tenant), and a valid Denver Lodger's Tax account number (DRMC 33-48, as amended by CB20-0240, effective April 2020). License is non-transferable between persons or locations (DRMC 33-51). License number must be displayed on the face of every advertisement (DRMC 33-49(d)). Premises must have a functioning smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher (DRMC 33-49(a)), plus an on-site brochure with licensee, local responsible party, and emergency contacts and neighborhood info (DRMC 33-50). Licensee must keep records of nights/dates rented for the past year (DRMC 33-55(a)). Application must be completed within 1 year or it is closed. ### Denver Lodger's Tax ID (tax registration/license) (registration) - Authority: Denver Department of Finance, Treasury Division - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/1/finance/documents/treasury/tax-guides/tax-update-2025/taxguidetopic97_shorttermrentals.pdf - Notes: Every host is a 'vendor' and must obtain a lodger's tax license before the STR business license can issue (DRMC 33-48(a)(4); Tax Guide Topic 97). Returns due by the 20th of the month following the reporting period; filing frequency set by Treasury Tax Rule 004. Hosts must also register for Occupational Privilege Tax. Registration fee amount not verified — see needs_review. ### Liability insurance (fire, hazard and liability) (insurance) - Authority: Denver Department of Excise and Licenses / Licensing & Consumer Protection (Rules Governing Short Term Rental Licenses, effective 4/10/2019) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be maintained in full force for the entire license term - Official source: https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/3/business-licensing/documents/short_term_rental_signed_rules_01.25.19.pdf - Notes: Operating without fire, hazard and liability insurance within director-set limits is unlawful (DRMC 33-49(e)). Rules require liability coverage of no less than $1,000,000 in the aggregate, OR the licensee may instead conduct every STR transaction through a hosting platform providing equal or greater coverage per rental (Rule 3.2). Host must notify their insurance company that the property is used as an STR and submit an affidavit with the application (Rule 3.1). Lapse in coverage triggers automatic license suspension until reinstated (Rule 3.4). ### HOA notification affidavit (other) - Authority: Denver Department of Excise and Licenses (STR Rules, Rule 3.3) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/3/business-licensing/documents/short_term_rental_signed_rules_01.25.19.pdf - Notes: If the property is in an HOA, the applicant must inform the HOA of intended STR use before obtaining the license and submit a form affidavit verifying notification. (This is notice, not an HOA-consent requirement.) ## Taxes - **Denver Lodger's Tax**: 10.75% — applies to Entire amount charged for lodging sold for less than 30 consecutive days, including cleaning fees, pet fees and other charges (refundable security deposits excluded); collected at time of sale (DRMC 53-150 through 53-174); platform collects: yes. Source: https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/1/finance/documents/treasury/tax-guides/tax-update-2025/taxguidetopic97_shorttermrentals.pdf - **Colorado state sales tax on lodging**: 4% — applies to Sale of lodging under 30 days; combined city+state rate charged in Denver is 14.75% (per Denver Tax Guide Topic 97); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/1/finance/documents/treasury/tax-guides/tax-update-2025/taxguidetopic97_shorttermrentals.pdf - **Denver Business Occupational Privilege Tax (OPT)**: $4.00 per month per owner/partner/manager (about $48/year for a self-employed host); employee OPT $5.75/month applies only to employees earning $500+/month in Denver — applies to Persons engaged in the business of selling short-term rentals in Denver; no $500 minimum for self-employed owners (DRMC 53-200 through 53-260); platform collects: no. Source: https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/1/finance/documents/treasury/tax-guides/tax-update-2025/taxguidetopic97_shorttermrentals.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Hosts: fines up to $999 per incident for violations such as operating without a license (city STR FAQ, reflecting DRMC general penalty referenced in 1-13(a)), plus license denial, fine, suspension, revocation, or non-renewal for primary-residence violations, insurance non-compliance, zoning violations, or operation adversely affecting neighborhood health/safety/welfare (DRMC 33-53, 33-54; STR Rules Sections 4-5). Insurance lapse causes automatic suspension (Rule 3.4). Operating after license expiration is unlawful (DRMC 33-52(d)). Platforms: civil penalty of $1,000 per violation per day for receiving payment for unlicensed Denver STRs or record-keeping failures, strict liability (DRMC 33-49(f)-(h), enacted by CB20-1229). False application statements are made under penalty of perjury (DRMC 33-48(b)). - Platform liability: Since CB20-1229 (passed November 2020; city summary states effective February 1, 2021), booking service providers are strictly liable ($1,000/violation/day) for processing payments for unlicensed STRs; platforms must retain 5 years of transaction records (host name, address, dates, price, license number) and the city publishes a list of all licensed STRs (DRMC 33-55). The Director of Excise and Licenses has subpoena power (DRMC 32-26). - Notes: Denver pairs licensing with active primary-residence enforcement: the Director may weigh voter registration, tax records, time spent at the property and rental frequency (DRMC 33-53(a)). Per news reports (not independently verified against official records): the city has revoked licenses for primary-residence violations, and in 2019 the Denver DA filed felony 'attempting to influence a public servant' charges against four hosts over primary-residence attestations — those charges were later dismissed. ## Pending changes - Colorado SB26-116 (Property Tax Modifications) as introduced would have created a state-administered municipal lodging tax framework and barred new/expanded municipal lodging taxes after Jan 1, 2027 outside that framework, and changed income-approach valuation of lodging property — provisions relevant to Denver's Lodger's Tax. All lodging-tax and lodging-valuation sections were stripped by amendment; the enacted version (signed June 2, 2026, general effective date Aug 12, 2026 subject to referendum petition) contains no lodging or STR provisions. No other pending state STR legislation found: the 2024 STR property-tax reclassification bills (SB24-033, postponed indefinitely 4/16/2024; HB24-1299, postponed indefinitely 4/22/2024) died, and no STR-specific bill was identified in the 2026 session, which has adjourned. No pending Denver ordinance or rule changes to the STR program were identified as of 2026-07-15. (passed-not-effective, 2026-08-12) — https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-116 ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Current codified text of DRMC Chapter 33, Article III (Secs. 33-46 to 33-57) could not be fetched from library.municode.com (HTTP 403); all code citations were instead verified against the city-posted signed ordinance PDFs (CB20-0240, CB20-1229) and official city summaries — confirm no post-2020 amendments to Article III in the codified DRMC. - Whether Denver charges a fee for the Lodger's Tax ID/license registration was not verified; value set to null. - Renewal window discrepancy between official pages: city FAQ says renewal may be submitted up to 60 days before expiration; the renewal application page says up to 90 days. - Colorado's 4% state sales tax on lodging and platform (marketplace facilitator) collection of the state tax were verified only via Denver's Tax Guide Topic 97, not against a Colorado Department of Revenue or C.R.S. source; collectedByPlatform for the state tax set to null. - CB20-1229 effective-date ambiguity: the signed bill text reads 'on and after February 1, 2020' for the platform prohibition, while the city's laws/rules page states it took effect February 1, 2021. - Enforcement history items (first license revocation; 2019 felony charges against four hosts, later dismissed) are sourced to news outlets (9News, BusinessDen) and were not verified against official DA or Excise & Licenses records. - The exact maximum fine ('up to $999 per incident') comes from the official city FAQ; the underlying DRMC Sec. 1-13(a) general-penalty text was not directly fetched. - No 2025-2026 Denver ordinance or rule changes to the STR program were found in official sources or news searches, but absence of change could not be positively proven; a check of Denver City Council records for 2025-2026 amendments to DRMC Ch. 33 Art. III is recommended. ## Sources - Short-term rentals — City and County of Denver (Business Licensing) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Business-Licensing/Business-Licenses/Short-Term-Rentals - Short-term rentals laws, rules, and regulations — City and County of Denver (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Business-Licensing/Business-licenses/Short-term-rentals/Short-term-rentals-laws-rules-regulations - Short-term rental frequently asked questions — City and County of Denver (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Business-Licensing/Business-licenses/Short-term-rentals/Short-term-rental-FAQ - Renewal short-term rental application — City and County of Denver (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Business-Licensing/Business-licenses/Short-term-rentals/Renewal - Signed Ordinance CB20-0240 (STR primary residence definition, denial grounds, fees; DRMC Ch. 33 Art. III & Sec. 32-110), approved Apr 1, 2020 (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/1/business-licensing/documents/str_signed_bill_2020.pdf - Signed Ordinance CB20-1229 (booking service providers, platform penalties, records, subpoenas), approved Nov 25, 2020 (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/1/business-licensing/documents/str_councilbillno_cb20-1229.pdf - Rules Governing Short Term Rental Licenses (insurance, HOA notice, sanctions), effective 4/10/2019 (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/3/business-licensing/documents/short_term_rental_signed_rules_01.25.19.pdf - Short-Term Rentals: Denver Zoning Code Provisions (DZC 11.12.7.7 and 11.8.10) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/2/business-licensing/documents/str_zoning_provisions.pdf - City and County of Denver Tax Guide Topic No. 97 — Short-Term Rentals (rev. 01/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/1/finance/documents/treasury/tax-guides/tax-update-2025/taxguidetopic97_shorttermrentals.pdf - ADUs and STRs Q&A — City and County of Denver (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/3/business-licensing/documents/adus-and-strs-q-and-a-final.pdf - SB26-116 Property Tax Modifications — Colorado General Assembly (signed June 2, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-116 - SB24-033 Lodging Property Tax Treatment — postponed indefinitely Apr 16, 2024 (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb24-033 - HB24-1299 Short-Term Rental Unit Property Tax Classification — postponed indefinitely Apr 22, 2024 (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1299 - Short Term Rentals — Colorado Legislative Council Staff issue brief (Jan 30, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-15): https://content.leg.colorado.gov/publications/short-term-rentals - Denver residents facing felony over short-term rental license see charge dismissed — BusinessDen (Sept 1, 2020) (news, accessed 2026-07-15): https://businessden.com/2020/09/01/denver-residents-facing-felony-over-short-term-rental-license-see-charge-dismissed/ - For the first time, Denver revokes short-term rental license — 9News (news, accessed 2026-07-15): https://www.9news.com/article/news/city-of-denver-revokes-rental-license-for-home-that-isnt-mans-primary-residence/73-cc928178-1188-4f41-8cdf-6401bf7ef727 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Los Angeles, CA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/los-angeles-ca/ ## Summary In the City of Los Angeles, short-term rentals (stays of 30 consecutive days or less) are legal only as 'home-sharing' in the host's primary residence — the sole residence where the host lives more than 6 months per calendar year — under Home-Sharing Ordinance No. 185,931 (LAMC 12.22 A.32, effective July 1, 2019). Hosts must register annually with the Department of City Planning (currently $441/year under the fee schedule adopted by Ordinance No. 188,796), display the registration number on every listing, pay a $3.30 per-night city fee plus 14% Transient Occupancy Tax, and may host at most 120 days per calendar year unless they obtain an Extended Home-Sharing approval (unlimited days; $883 administrative clearance, or $12,798 discretionary review if the host has 2+ citations in 3 years). Rent-stabilized (RSO), affordable-covenant, and income-restricted units are ineligible; renters need notarized landlord approval; each person may hold only one registration citywide and take only one booking at a time (max 2 adult overnight guests per habitable room). Whole-home unhosted stays are allowed only at the registered primary residence (e.g., while the host is out of town) — dedicated second-home/investment STRs are prohibited. Violations carry daily fines up to $2,000/day (or 2x the nightly rate) for hosts and $1,000/day per listing for platforms, which are barred from processing bookings for unregistered or over-cap listings and must report booking data to the City monthly. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 31 days Notes: The City does not distinguish hosted vs. unhosted stays: a registered host may rent a room or the entire primary residence (including while out of town), but only the primary residence — where the host lives more than 6 months/year — may ever be used (LAMC 12.22 A.32; Ord. 185,931). Rentals of 31+ consecutive days are not 'short-term rentals' and fall outside the ordinance. No fixed citywide guest cap; instead max 2 overnight guests (excluding children) per habitable room (kitchens excluded), one listing booked and one guest group at a time, no amplified sound after 10 p.m., no evening outdoor gatherings of more than 8 people. Ineligible: RSO units, units with affordable-housing covenants or income restrictions, units with open citations, buildings converted from RSO units to single-family homes within the past 5 years, and ADUs permitted on/after Jan 1, 2017 unless the ADU itself is the host's primary residence. Renters/lessees need notarized landlord approval; landlords may proactively bar home-sharing at their properties. One home-sharing registration per person citywide; registration is non-transferable. Home-sharing is allowed in all zones where residential use is permitted by right; 120-day/year cap applies unless Extended Home-Sharing is granted (requires 6 months registered or 60 days hosted, no suspension/revocation in 2 years, neighbor notification; ministerial if <=1 citation in 3 years, discretionary review with possible public hearing if 2+). ## Requirements ### Home-Sharing Registration (registration) - Authority: Los Angeles Department of City Planning (Home-Sharing Unit) - Cost: $441 per year (application or renewal) under the citywide planning fee schedule adopted via Ordinance No. 188,796 (fee update effective Feb. 23, 2026; original 2019 fee was $89) - Renewal: annual (valid 1 year; non-transferable; renewal requires compliance declaration and prior-year hosting records unless listed exclusively on a platform with a pass-through Platform Agreement) - Official source: https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/d0270730-ad61-4c4d-90c3-7bef3812a369/HS_Ordinance.pdf - Notes: LAMC 12.22 A.32(c), Ord. 185,931 (CF 14-1635-S2), effective 7/1/2019; enforcement began 11/1/2019. Registration number (or pending status number) must appear on all listings. Current fee amounts verified in DCP report dated May 26, 2026 (https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-s10_misc_6-03-26.pdf); a further fee revision to $404 application/$454 renewal is proposed but not adopted. ### Extended Home-Sharing Approval (to exceed 120 days/year) (permit) - Authority: Los Angeles Department of City Planning - Cost: $883 administrative clearance or renewal; $12,798 discretionary review application (required if 2+ citations in prior 3 years) — per Ord. 188,796 fee schedule (originally $850/$5,660) - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/d0270730-ad61-4c4d-90c3-7bef3812a369/HS_Ordinance.pdf - Notes: LAMC 12.22 A.32(h): requires current registration held >=6 months or >=60 days hosted, no suspension/revocation within 2 years, and mailed notice to adjacent/abutting owners and occupants; discretionary path may include a public hearing and findings (including no continued nuisance behavior). Revoked if 2 citations within a registration year. Current fee amounts verified in DCP report dated May 26, 2026. ### Transient Occupancy Tax Registration Certificate (registration) - Authority: Los Angeles Office of Finance - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://finance.lacity.gov/transient-occupancy-tax-requirements - Notes: Required within 30 days of commencing rental business (LAMC Sec. 21.7.6). Home-sharing applicants must either hold a TOT registration certificate or exclusively list on a hosting platform that has a Platform Agreement with the City under which the platform collects and remits TOT (LAMC 12.22 A.32(c)(2)(i)); the home-sharing portal can auto-issue a matching Business Tax Registration Certificate. ### Home-Sharing Per-Night Fee (other) - Authority: Los Angeles Department of City Planning (deposited into Short-Term Rental Enforcement Trust Fund, Ord. 186,197) - Cost: $3.30 per night booked, effective Sept. 1, 2025 (set at $3.10/night effective Dec. 1, 2020 by Council resolution, CF 14-1635-S7, adopted Nov. 10, 2020; adjusted annually by CPI-U — $3.20 as of Sept. 1, 2024) - Renewal: ongoing (per night of home-sharing) - Official source: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-S7_misc_07-30-25.pdf - Notes: Required by LAMC 12.22 A.32(e)(5). Separate from TOT. A DCP-recommended increase to $5.48/night (targeted effective July 1, 2026) was pending before Council committees as of the last verified file activity (June 3, 2026) and had not been verified as adopted. ### Safety and conduct requirements (other) - Authority: Los Angeles Department of City Planning - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/61cbb192-89df-4d34-ab2b-28f89aea8c5c/HSO_Admin_Guidelines.pdf - Notes: Hosts must maintain working fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, post emergency-exit and contact info, provide the City-issued Guest Code of Conduct to all guests, designate a 24/7 local responsible contact, keep booking records for 3 years, and (in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones) include no-smoking notices in listings and post them on patios/decks. ## Taxes - **Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), LAMC Ch. II Art. 1.7**: 14% of rent — applies to All rent from transient occupancy of 30 calendar days or less, including vacation/short-term rentals of any kind; stays over 30 days with a written agreement are exempt; platform collects: yes. Source: https://finance.lacity.gov/transient-occupancy-tax-requirements - **Home-Sharing Per-Night Fee (regulatory fee, not a tax)**: $3.30 per night (effective Sept. 1, 2025; CPI-adjusted annually) — applies to Each night of home-sharing at a registered unit; funds the Short-Term Rental Enforcement Trust Fund; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-S7_misc_07-30-25.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Per LAMC 12.22 A.32(g) (Ord. 185,931): hosts/owners face a daily fine of $500 or 2x the nightly rate (whichever is greater) for advertising a rental in violation, and $2,000/day or 2x the nightly rent (whichever is greater) for each day of home-sharing beyond the 120-day cap without Extended Home-Sharing; other violations are fined per the ACE schedule in LAMC 11.2.04(a)(2), and all fine amounts adjust annually by CPI-U. Hosting platforms face $1,000/day per listing for processing bookings for unregistered listings, mismatched host addresses, suspended/revoked registrations, or over-cap listings. Registration is suspended for 30+ days after 2 citations and revoked after 3 sustained citations within a registration year (1-year re-registration ban; 2-year Extended Home-Sharing ineligibility). Site inspections can be billed at the minimum inspection fee under LAMC 98.0412. - Platform liability: Verified: platforms may not process or complete any booking for a listing without a valid or pending registration number, nor for listings past the 120-day cap without Extended Home-Sharing (LAMC 12.22 A.32(f)); they must provide a responsible contact and report listing/booking data (registration number, responsible person, street address, days booked) to City Planning at least monthly, subject to $1,000/day fines. Compliance options adopted by Council resolution Oct. 30, 2019 (Admin Guidelines Appendix A) include an API check of registration validity at least every 24 hours or weekly data files, with 96-hour booking-block/takedown obligations after City notice. Platforms with a TOT collection agreement (Airbnb since Aug. 1, 2016, per Office of Finance) collect and remit the 14% TOT on hosts' behalf. - Notes: Enforcement is complaint- and data-driven: 24/7 STR hotline (213) 267-7788, citations via the Administrative Citation Enforcement (ACE) program with volunteer hearing officers. On March 18, 2025, Council adopted an enforcement package (CF 14-1635-S10) covering vendor evaluation, process enhancements, compliance strategies, and staffing for home-sharing enforcement. State law SB 346 (Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025, Gov. Code secs. 50990-50996, effective Jan. 1, 2026) additionally authorizes cities that adopt an implementing ordinance to compel platform reporting of STR addresses (9-digit ZIP, plus APN/listing URL/ADU identification where needed) at least quarterly, with administrative fines for non-reporting; LA's own ordinance has required monthly platform reporting since 2019, and no LA SB 346 opt-in ordinance was verified. ## Pending changes - Home-Sharing fee overhaul (CF 14-1635-S7/S10): City Planning recommends new fees of $404 (application), $454 (renewal), $858 (Extended Home-Sharing administrative clearance/renewal), $11,706 (Extended Home-Sharing discretionary review), and a resolution raising the per-night fee from $3.30 to $5.48 targeted for July 1, 2026 'or as soon as possible,' with annual inflation adjustments; report referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee May 29/June 3, 2026 — not verified as adopted as of last file activity (proposed, 2026-05-26) — https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-s10_misc_6-03-26.pdf - Draft ordinance adding a private right of action to the Home-Sharing Ordinance (City Attorney Report R26-0267 with Exhibit 1 draft amending LAMC 12.22 A.32): would let 'Aggrieved Neighbors' (tenants/owners within 1,000 feet) sue hosts, persons, or hosting platforms for HSO violations for injunctive relief and damages after notice-and-cure and City Attorney review windows; held in Planning and Land Use Management Committee May 12, 2026 (proposed, 2026-05-07) — https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-S10_rpt_atty_5-7-26.pdf ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Exact adoption vs. effective date of Ordinance No. 188,796: the DCP May 26, 2026 report states the $441/$883/$12,798 home-sharing fees were adopted by Council on February 23, 2026 via Ord. 188,796, and search results indicate the citywide planning fee update took effect February 23, 2026, but the ordinance text itself (posted under CF 09-0969-S4, dated 12-24-25) was not directly parsed to confirm the home-sharing line items and effective date. - Whether the proposed $5.48 per-night fee resolution or the revised $404/$454/$858/$11,706 fee ordinance was adopted between June 3, 2026 (last verified council-file activity) and July 16, 2026. - Whether the City of Los Angeles has adopted an SB 346 (Gov. Code sec. 50990 et seq.) opt-in ordinance; blog claims that LA is using SB 346 data requests could not be verified against any official source. LA's own monthly platform-reporting requirement (LAMC 12.22 A.32(f)(4)) predates SB 346. - Cost of the Office of Finance Transient Occupancy Tax Registration Certificate (no fee amount stated on the verified Finance page; left null rather than assumed free). - Current consolidated LAMC 12.22 A.32 text on codelibrary.amlegal.com returned 403 and was verified instead via the city-posted Ordinance 185,931 PDF and the May 2026 City Attorney draft (which reflects a minor amendment by Ord. 187,122, eff. 8/8/2021, to the Citation definition); any other post-2019 codified amendments were not independently confirmed. - Which hosting platforms besides Airbnb currently hold TOT-collection Platform Agreements with the City (the current list is published on City Planning's site behind JS-rendered pages that could not be fetched). ## Sources - Ordinance No. 185,931 — Home-Sharing Ordinance (adds LAMC 12.22 A.32; CF 14-1635-S2; effective July 1, 2019) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/d0270730-ad61-4c4d-90c3-7bef3812a369/HS_Ordinance.pdf - LA City Planning — Home-Sharing Ordinance Background & FAQs (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/1dab409a-d9cb-47f2-9a29-0348389cf752/FAQ.pdf - LA City Planning — Home-Sharing Administrative Guidelines (Ord. 185,931), incl. Appendix A platform rules adopted by Council resolution Oct. 30, 2019 (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/61cbb192-89df-4d34-ab2b-28f89aea8c5c/HSO_Admin_Guidelines.pdf - LA Office of Finance — Transient Occupancy Tax Requirements (14% rate; Airbnb collection agreement since Aug. 1, 2016) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://finance.lacity.gov/transient-occupancy-tax-requirements - DCP Report on Home-Sharing Updated Fees (May 26, 2026): current fees under Ord. 188,796; per-night fee at $3.30; proposed $5.48 resolution (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-s10_misc_6-03-26.pdf - DCP memo (July 30, 2025) — Home-Sharing Per-Night Fee annual inflation adjustment: $3.30 effective Sept. 1, 2025 (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-S7_misc_07-30-25.pdf - Per-Night Fee Resolution (corrected, Oct. 8, 2020) and Official Council Action adopting per-night fee (Nov. 10, 2020, CF 14-1635-S7) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-S7_CAF_11-12-2020.pdf - City Attorney Report R26-0267 (May 7, 2026) — Home-Sharing Enforcement and Private Right of Action, with draft ordinance (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-S10_rpt_atty_5-7-26.pdf - Official Council Action (March 18, 2025, CF 14-1635-S10) — home-sharing enforcement package adopted (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-1635-S10_caf_03-18-25.pdf - LA City Clerk Council File 14-1635-S10 — Short-Term Rentals / Enforcement (activity through June 3, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=14-1635-S10 - LA City Clerk Council File 14-1635-S7 — Home-Sharing fees / per-night fee (activity through May 29, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=14-1635-S7 - SB 346 (2025-2026) — Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 (Gov. Code secs. 50990-50996), approved Oct. 13, 2025 (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB346 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Nashville, TN - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/nashville-tn/ ## Summary Nashville (Metro Nashville-Davidson County) allows short-term rentals only with an annual STRP permit from the Metro Codes Department, and splits them into two types. Owner-occupied STRPs (the owner, a natural person — no LLCs or trusts — permanently resides in the unit or on the lot) are allowed as an accessory use in nearly all residential zones (excluding NS districts, and new detached ADUs in RS/RN/RL districts since Dec 2025). Not-owner-occupied STRPs are allowed only in specified mixed-use, office, commercial, downtown and shopping-center districts; new not-owner-occupied permits are no longer issued in AR2A, R, RS or RM residential zones, though permits that predate the phase-out may keep renewing under Tennessee's 2018 Short-Term Rental Unit Act grandfathering but die when the property is sold. Hosts need $1M liability insurance, a certified floor plan, neighbor notification, proof of tax payment, and must display the permit number in every listing; occupancy is capped at twice the permitted sleeping rooms plus four (max 12, single party, principal renter 21+, stays between 24 hours and 30 days). Hosts owe Metro's 7% occupancy tax plus $2.50 per room-night (platforms remit local occupancy tax on marketplace bookings) and 9.75% combined state/local sales tax (platforms collect on marketplace bookings). Operating without a permit brings $50-per-day fines and a 1-3 year permit ban; three code violations can trigger permit revocation. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 12 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Two permit types (Metro Code 6.28.030, enacted by BL2020-187). STRP Owner-Occupied: accessory use in all zoning districts that allow residential use excluding NS districts; owner must be a natural person permanently residing in the STRP or in a unit on the same lot; only one permit per lot in single-family and two-family districts; max four sleeping rooms. STRP Not-Owner-Occupied: permitted with conditions only in MUN/MUN-A, MUL/MUL-A, MUG/MUG-A, MUI/MUI-A, OG, OR20 through OR40-A, ORI/ORI-A, CN/CN-A, CL/CL-A, CS/CS-A, CA, CF, DTC (North/South/West/Central), SCN, SCC and SCR (Metro Code 17.16.070.U); per nashville.gov, new not-owner-occupied permits are not permitted in AR2A, R, RS, or RM zones — existing permits may renew but are non-transferable upon sale (grandfathering per Tenn. Code Ann. 13-7-603: lost on sale/transfer, 30 continuous months of non-STR use, or three violations of generally applicable local law). Occupancy max = 2x permitted sleeping rooms + 4 (nashville.gov states maximum of 12); single party only; simultaneous rental to multiple parties prohibited; principal renter must be 21+; no compensation for stays under 24 hours; maximum guest stay 30 consecutive days; no food service by permit holder; permit number must be prominently displayed in any online listing. Since BL2025-1007 (effective 2025-12-12), owner-occupied STRP is not a permitted use in newly built/converted detached accessory dwelling units on RS/RN/RL-zoned lots. HOA/condo/lease restrictions still control (Tenn. Code Ann. 13-7-605). ## Requirements ### STRP Permit — Owner-Occupied (permit) - Authority: Metro Codes and Building Safety Department (zoning administrator) - Cost: $313 initial; $313 annual renewal - Renewal: annual (expires 365 days after issuance; 30-day grace only if no documented complaints) - Official source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/frequently-asked-questions - Notes: Owner must be a natural person (LLCs, corporations, trusts, partnerships ineligible) permanently residing on the property; application via ePermits; application valid 90 days; renewal requires proof of current property insurance and proof of Hotel Occupancy Tax payment; permits are non-transferable to another person or address. ### STRP Permit — Not-Owner-Occupied (permit) - Authority: Metro Codes and Building Safety Department - Cost: $313 (see needs_review) - Renewal: annual (expires 365 days after issuance) - Official source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/permit-types - Notes: Issued only for properties in the eligible mixed-use/office/commercial/downtown/shopping-center districts listed in Metro Code 17.16.070.U; new permits not issued in AR2A, R, RS, RM zones; grandfathered residential-zone permits renewable but lost upon sale/transfer. ### Proof of owner-occupancy (owner-occupied permits) (other) - Authority: Metro Codes and Building Safety Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: with each application/renewal - Official source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit - Notes: Four current documents matching owner name and property address: two from Group A (TN driver's license, TN ID, Davidson County voter registration, IRS W-2/1099, vehicle registration/title) and two from Group B (insurance policy, pay stub, bank statement, employer verification); sent by email, not through the online application. ### Homeowner's fire, hazard and liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: Metro Code 6.28.030 (application requirement) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: proof required at each annual renewal - Official source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit/checklist - Notes: "Liability coverage shall have limits of not less than one million dollars per occurrence." ### Certified floor plan / inspection (inspection) - Authority: State-licensed architect, engineer, or home inspector (single- and two-family); Fire Marshal for buildings with 3+ dwelling units - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit/checklist - Notes: Floor plan of each floor showing rooms, doors, windows and smoke-detector locations; UL-217 smoke alarms required in sleeping areas, egress paths and every story per Metro Code 6.28.030. ### Adjacent property owner notification (other) - Authority: Metro Code 6.28.030 (application requirement) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit - Notes: Written notice to each adjacent owner before filing, proven by owner signature or certified/registered mail receipt; notarized affidavit, HOA-compliance statement, local responsible party within 25 miles answering 24/7, and proof of payment of property taxes also required. ### STR occupancy tax account and monthly returns (registration) - Authority: Metro Finance, Collections Office - Cost: not verified - Renewal: monthly returns due by the 20th of the following month - Official source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/finance/division-accounts/collections/pay-short-term-rental-property-occupancy-tax - Notes: Required for direct (non-marketplace) bookings; renewal of the STRP permit requires proof of Hotel Occupancy Tax payment. ### TN sales tax registration (direct bookings) (registration) - Authority: Tennessee Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/tax_manuals/june-2025/short-term-rentals.pdf - Notes: Owners with over $100/month in taxable sales must register and remit sales tax on bookings made outside a marketplace facilitator platform. ### Business tax (vacation lodging) (license) - Authority: Tennessee Department of Revenue / Davidson County Clerk - Cost: not verified - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/tax_manuals/june-2025/short-term-rentals.pdf - Notes: Rental of real property for less than 180 days is subject to Tennessee business tax; individual property owners are subject if annual taxable gross sales are $100,000 or more in a jurisdiction; if a property management company is used, it owes the business tax instead. ## Taxes - **Hotel Occupancy Privilege Tax (short-term rental)**: 7% of gross rental receipts — applies to Occupancy of rooms/accommodations for less than 30 continuous days; under TN Public Chapter 364 (2025, effective 2025-07-01) the first 30 days of occupancy are taxable regardless of overall stay length for agreements entered/renewed on or after that date. Rate was 6% before an additional 1% took effect 2023-07-01 (BL2022-1529, Metro Code 5.12.150).; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Short-Term-Rental-Form-taxes-payable-after-230701.pdf - **Additional occupancy tax (room-night fee)**: $2.50 per room per night — applies to Each room-night rented (Metro STR tax return, Section 2); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Short-Term-Rental-Form-taxes-payable-after-230701.pdf - **Tennessee state sales tax**: 7% — applies to All rentals of accommodations for fewer than 90 continuous days, on the full sales price including cleaning fees, pet deposits, booking fees, damage-protection fees; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/tax_manuals/june-2025/short-term-rentals.pdf - **Davidson County local option sales tax**: 2.75% (2.25% + 0.5% transit surcharge effective 2025-02-01) — applies to Same base as state sales tax; combined state+local rate 9.75%; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.tn.gov/revenue/news/2024/12/3/important-notice--change-of-local-tax-rate--davidson-county.html - **Tennessee business tax**: rate not verified — applies to Gross receipts from vacation-lodging rentals of fewer than 180 days; individual owners subject only if $100,000+ annual taxable gross sales in a jurisdiction; platform collects: no. Source: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/tax_manuals/june-2025/short-term-rentals.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating without a permit: $50 fine per day imposed by a court, with each day a separate offense, plus a 1-year permit-ineligibility period for the property upon a zoning administrator determination (6 months if the lapse was a failure to renew) and a 3-year ineligibility period upon a court finding (Metro Code 6.28.030, enacted by BL2020-187). Permit revocation: after three violations of generally applicable Metro Code provisions occurring as a direct result of STRP operation, with 15 days' written notice, appealable to the Metro Short Term Rental Appeals Board (6.28.035); once revoked, no new permit for that property for one year. Advertising more occupants than permitted is itself grounds for revocation. Metro FAQ: failure to register brings citations and a mandatory 1-year waiting period. Late occupancy-tax filings accrue 8% per annum interest plus 1% per month penalty (Metro STR tax return). The 'three strikes' framework mirrors Tenn. Code Ann. 13-7-603/13-7-604, under which grandfathered status is also lost after three violations (burden of proof on the local government) and Metro may suspend use while a permit is not maintained. - Platform liability: Since 2021-01-01, short-term rental unit marketplaces (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo) must register with the TN Department of Revenue and collect and remit local occupancy taxes on marketplace bookings (Public Chapter 787 (2020); TN DOR notice 10/30/2020); marketplace facilitators also collect and remit state and local sales tax, relieving hosts for platform bookings (TN DOR STR tax manual, June 2025). Hosts remain liable for all taxes on direct bookings. Metro's permit/advertising rules (permit number displayed in listings) bind the operator/owner; no verified Metro ordinance imposes listing-removal duties on platforms. - Notes: Complaints trigger written/email notice to the permit holder; complainants must be warned that false complaints are punishable as perjury under Tenn. Code Ann. 39-16-702. Metro Codes' stated current enforcement emphasis (per local reporting) is owner-occupied permits held on non-primary residences. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Not-owner-occupied permit fee: nashville.gov FAQ states a single '$313.00' STRP permit fee without distinguishing permit types; a separate not-owner-occupied fee schedule could not be verified, so $313 is assumed to apply to both types. - BL2024-478 (passed Nov 2024) amended the owner-occupancy documentation rules in Metro Code 6.28.030.A.3.b.iv (Legistar summary suggests a higher document count than the four listed on nashville.gov); current nashville.gov application pages state four documents (2 Group A + 2 Group B), which is used here. The codified current text could not be checked because library.municode.com returns HTTP 403. - The additional 1% hotel occupancy tax (bringing the rate to 7%) was contingent on Sports Authority stadium revenue bonds being issued by 2024-01-01 (per Metro Finance news page); Metro's currently posted STR tax return charges 7%, indicating the condition was satisfied, but the bond issuance itself was not independently verified. - No pending 2025-2026 state STR legislation could be verified: third-party guides cite 'SB 104/HB 109' as pending TN preemption bills, but official capitol.tn.gov records show SB0104 (114th GA) is a wine and grape board act (enacted as Public Chapter 40) and HB0109 concerns financial institutions; the 114th General Assembly had adjourned by late May 2026. pending_changes is therefore empty. - Davidson County business tax license cost and classification for STR owners not verified against an official source (cost left null). - Metro STR occupancy tax exemption wording ('tenant occupying for thirty or more continuous days is not required to pay the tax after the thirtieth day', per Metro Collections page) predates TN Public Chapter 364 (2025); the interaction shown here (first 30 days taxable for agreements on/after 2025-07-01) follows the state DOR notice, but Metro's own pages have not been observed to restate it. ## Sources - Short Term Rental Property Permit Types — Nashville.gov (Codes) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/permit-types - Apply for Short Term Rental Property Permit — Nashville.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit - Owner Occupied STRP Application Checklist — Nashville.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit/checklist - STRP Operation Rules and Requirements — Nashville.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/operation-rules-and-requirements - STRP Frequently Asked Questions — Nashville.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/frequently-asked-questions - Substitute Ordinance BL2020-187 (current STRP law; Metro Code 6.28.030, 6.28.035, 17.16.070.U, 17.16.250.E) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/Substitute-BL2020-187.pdf - Legislative History of STRP Permits — Nashville.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/legislative-history - Pay Short Term Rental Property Occupancy Tax — Nashville.gov (Finance Collections) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/finance/division-accounts/collections/pay-short-term-rental-property-occupancy-tax - Metro Short-Term Rental Tax return form (taxes payable after July 1, 2023): 7% + $2.50/room-night (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Short-Term-Rental-Form-taxes-payable-after-230701.pdf - Increase of Hotel Occupancy Tax (6% to 7%, eff. 2023-07-01; BL2022-1529) — Nashville.gov Finance (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nashville.gov/departments/finance/news/increase-hotel-occupancy-tax-metropolitan-nashville-davidson-county - Tennessee Public Chapter 972 (2018) — Short-Term Rental Unit Act, T.C.A. 13-7-601 to 13-7-606 (TN Secretary of State) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/110/pub/pc0972.pdf - TN Dept. of Revenue — Taxation of Short-Term Rental Units manual (June 2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/tax_manuals/june-2025/short-term-rentals.pdf - TN DOR Important Notice — Short-Term Rental Unit: 30-Day Occupancy (Public Chapter 364, 2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/revenue/news/2025/5/7/important-notice--short-term-rental-unit--30-day-occupancy.html - TN DOR Important Notice — Change of Local Tax Rate: Davidson County (2.75% eff. 2025-02-01) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/revenue/news/2024/12/3/important-notice--change-of-local-tax-rate--davidson-county.html - TN DOR Important Notice — Short-Term Rental Unit Marketplaces (Public Chapter 787, 2020; eff. 2021-01-01) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/revenue/news/2020/10/30/important-notice--short-term-rental-unit-marketplaces.html - Metro Council Legistar — BL2024-478 (amendments to Chapter 6.28; passed 2024-11-07, approved 2024-11-12) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nashville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6808164&GUID=E7353AF1-D9EA-43D0-BC43-8A0805D19C9C - Metro Council Legistar — BL2025-1007 (DADU ordinance; owner-occupied STRP not permitted in new DADUs; effective 2025-12-12) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nashville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7639644&GUID=45E2F5DA-7D4A-4979-98DE-40BD2B8833CE - TN General Assembly — SB0104 (114th GA) bill record (used to debunk third-party claims of a pending STR preemption bill) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0104&GA=114 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in New Orleans, LA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/new-orleans-la/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (any rental of a dwelling unit for under 30 consecutive days) are legal in New Orleans only with two annual city permits: an STR owner permit for the unit plus a separate STR operator permit, and platforms may not take bookings for unpermitted units. Residential-area rentals are 'Non-Commercial STRs' (NSTR): capped at one permit per lot AND one per city square/block (contested squares are decided by a quarterly bingo-style lottery), limited to 3 guest bedrooms and 6 guests (one party only), and a permitted operator must physically reside in a bedroom on the lot whenever guests are present and resolve complaints within one hour — so a truly unhosted whole-home rental is not possible in residential districts. Commercial STRs (CSTR) in commercial/mixed-use districts allow up to 5 guest bedrooms/10 guests without a live-in operator, but as of the May 7, 2026 Transient Lodging Interim Zoning District every new CSTR needs a City Council conditional-use approval. STRs are banned outright in the Garden District and are not an allowed use in the French Quarter's Vieux Carré districts (the small VCE Bourbon Street entertainment district is the exception). On October 7, 2025 the Fifth Circuit (Hignell-Stark v. City of New Orleans) upheld the core scheme — including the operator-present-during-stays rule and density caps — but struck down the ban on business entities (LLCs) holding owner/operator permits and the one-dwelling-per-listing advertising rule; the city's published lottery guidance still tells LLC-owned properties they are ineligible, so watch for conforming amendments. Hosts owe city nightly fees ($5/night NSTR, $12/night CSTR), a 5% gross rentals tax, a 6.75% occupancy tax, a $0.50/night occupancy privilege tax, and 5% Louisiana state sales tax; violations run at least $500 per offense per day (adjudicated fines capped at $1,000 per violation), and revocation bars the property from STR use for five years. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 6 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Whole-home NSTR rental is allowed in residential districts, but a permitted operator (who may not be a guest) must physically reside in a bedroom on the lot of record during any guest stay (CZO 21.8.C.18; Code Secs. 26-619, 26-620(a)(1)(e)), so unhosted operation is effectively impossible outside commercial districts; CSTRs in commercial/mixed-use districts have no live-on-site requirement (structures with 10+ STR units need a designated permitted operator) but new CSTRs now require conditional-use approval (CZO 19.4.A.23, Ord. 30625 MCS, 5/7/2026). Owner primary residence is NOT required — the 2019 owner-residency rule was struck down in Hignell-Stark I (46 F.4th 317, 5th Cir. 2022), and the Fifth Circuit's 10/7/2025 opinion construes the current operator 'reside' requirement as presence only while guests are present, which it upheld against dormant Commerce Clause attack. NSTR max: 3 guest bedrooms, 2 guests/bedroom, 6 guests, one bedroom reserved for the operator; CSTR max: 5 guest bedrooms, 10 guests. Only one party of guests per unit; no rentals by the hour or for less than one night; rentals of 30+ consecutive days are not STRs. Density: one NSTR per lot and one per city square (small multi-family affordable developments exempt from the block cap); in residential and certain neighborhood-business districts the block cap is shared with bed-and-breakfasts. Bans: no STR or B&B in the Garden District (St. Charles Ave/Jackson Ave/Magazine St/Louisiana Ave, non-waivable, CZO 20.3.LLL.1.i); NSTR is not a listed permitted use in the Vieux Carré VCR/VCC/VCS districts (French Quarter) — of the VC districts only VCE appears in the CZO 21.8.C.18 permitted-district list. The Code's natural-persons-only ownership rule (26-617(a)) and one-dwelling-per-listing rule (26-618(a)(3)) were held unconstitutional on 10/7/2025 but remain in the published Code/CZO text. ## Requirements ### STR Owner Permit — Type N (Non-Commercial/NSTR) (permit) - Authority: City of New Orleans Dept. of Safety & Permits, Short Term Rental Administration - Cost: $500/year permit fee + $50 non-refundable application fee - Renewal: annual (1 year); all issued NSTR licenses expire June 30 of the cycle year. 2026 cycle: renewal was due May 2, 2026, extended to June 18, 2026 — the June 30 date is license expiry, not the renewal deadline (city STR administration home page, verified 2026-07-20) - Official source: https://nola.gov/nola/media/One-Stop-Shop/029381-MCS-(As-Amended).pdf - Notes: Code Sec. 26-616(c). One permit per person and per lot; one NSTR per city square awarded by quarterly lottery when contested (Sec. 26-617(g); lottery uses bingo-style draw, winners have 5 days to pay). Requires floor plan, evacuation plan, noise abatement plan (no noise-monitoring device required for NSTR), sanitation plan, owner attestation, proof of completed city STR course, and no outstanding city taxes/violations. Special exception from the block cap via CZO 21.8.C.18.r carries a $500 application fee (Sec. 26-616(e)); the IZD that suspended special exceptions (19.4.A.21) expired 4/29/2026. Business-entity/LLC ownership ban held unconstitutional 10/7/2025 but city lottery guidance still lists LLC-owned properties as ineligible. ### STR Operator Permit — Type N (permit) - Authority: City of New Orleans Dept. of Safety & Permits, Short Term Rental Administration - Cost: $150/year permit fee + $50 application fee; $25 operator card replacement - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://nola.gov/nola/media/One-Stop-Shop/029381-MCS-(As-Amended).pdf - Notes: Code Sec. 26-619. Every STR must have a designated permitted operator; for NSTRs the operator must prove residence on the premises (recorded ownership or lease + 2 matching-address documents), reside on-site during guest stays, be reachable by phone, and resolve neighbor/guest/city complaints within 1 hour. No person may operate more than one NSTR. Fifth Circuit upheld the operator permit and presence-during-stays requirement (construed as not requiring permanent residency) on 10/7/2025; the natural-person-only limit on operator permits was struck down. ### STR Owner Permit — Type C (Commercial/CSTR) (permit) - Authority: City of New Orleans Dept. of Safety & Permits, Short Term Rental Administration - Cost: $1,000/year permit fee + $50 application fee per permit - Renewal: annual (renewal requires proof of favorable annual city fire inspection) - Official source: https://nola.gov/commercial-owners-permit/ - Notes: For units in commercial/mixed-use districts; up to 5 guest bedrooms/10 guests per unit; max 1 unit or 25% of units per lot/building (cap inapplicable in VCE, Canal St. frontage, EC, MC, LS, MI districts) per CZO 20.3.LLL.2. Noise monitoring device required since July 1, 2023; noise abatement, security/operation, and sanitation plans required. New CSTR applications were frozen June 8, 2023–Nov 5, 2025 under an IZD; new CSTRs now require conditional-use approval under the Transient Lodging IZD (CZO 19.4.A.23, Ord. 30625 MCS, adopted 5/7/2026; $1,500 IZD appeal fee). ### STR Operator Permit — Type C (permit) - Authority: City of New Orleans Dept. of Safety & Permits, Short Term Rental Administration - Cost: $1,000/year permit fee + $50 application fee - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://nola.gov/nola/media/One-Stop-Shop/029381-MCS-(As-Amended).pdf - Notes: Code Secs. 26-616(c)(2), 26-619, 26-620. CSTR operators need not reside on the property but must be available during all guest occupancy and resolve complaints within 1 hour; structures with 10+ STR dwelling units must have a designated permitted operator (CZO 20.3.LLL.2.f). ### STR Platform Permit (permit) - Authority: City of New Orleans Dept. of Safety & Permits - Cost: $10,000/year - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://nola.gov/nola/media/One-Stop-Shop/029381-MCS-(As-Amended).pdf - Notes: Code Secs. 26-615(b), 26-616(c)(3). No platform may facilitate a booking transaction in Orleans Parish without this permit. Safe harbor (Sec. 26-623): require owner+operator permit numbers at listing, block listings lacking valid permit data, remove improper listings within 7 days of city notice, and file monthly reports (listings, permit numbers, addresses, URLs, nights rented, rent amounts, taxes/fees remitted). ### Commercial general liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of New Orleans (Code Sec. 26-618(a)(1)) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: must be maintained at all times - Official source: https://nola.gov/nola/media/One-Stop-Shop/029381-MCS-(As-Amended).pdf - Notes: Minimum $1,000,000 CGL per occurrence, combined single limit, for each dwelling unit used as an STR. ### Healthy Homes registration and STR training course (other) - Authority: City of New Orleans (Short Term Rental Administration / Code Sec. 26-617) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: training completion required within each permit year; Healthy Homes Certificate of Compliance required at renewal - Official source: https://nola.gov/next/short-term-rental-administration/announcements/2026-nstr-renewal-info/ - Notes: 2026 NSTR renewals require a complete application, valid operator license, proof of completion of the city's STR course, Healthy Homes registration and Certificate of Compliance, settlement of all judgments/liens/fines, and closure of open building permits/violations; owners must respond to inspection requests within 72 hours. ## Taxes - **NSTR Occupancy Fee (city nightly fee)**: $5 per night rented — applies to Non-commercial (residential) STRs; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://nola.gov/str-taxes-and-fees/ - **CSTR Occupancy Fee (city nightly fee)**: $12 per night rented — applies to Commercial STRs; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://nola.gov/str-taxes-and-fees/ - **Orleans Parish Gross Rentals Tax**: 5% — applies to Gross rent from STR stays (collected by City Dept. of Finance, Bureau of Revenue); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://nola.gov/str-taxes-and-fees/ - **Orleans Parish Occupancy Tax**: 6.75% — applies to STR occupancy (collected by City Dept. of Finance, Bureau of Revenue); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://nola.gov/str-taxes-and-fees/ - **Hotel Occupancy Privilege Tax**: $0.50 per night (establishments with 1-299 rooms; $1.00 for 300+) — applies to STR/hotel occupancy; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://nola.gov/str-taxes-and-fees/ - **Louisiana state sales tax on accommodations**: 5% (effective Jan 1, 2025 through Dec 31, 2029) — applies to Sleeping rooms, hotel/motel rooms and similar accommodations, including residential short-term rentals (La. R.S. 47:301(6)); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://revenue.louisiana.gov/tax-education-and-faqs/faqs/sales-tax-reform/what-is-the-state-sales-tax-rate-for-sleeping-rooms-hotel-rooms-motel-rooms-and-similar-accommodations/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: Code Sec. 26-629 (Ord. 29381 MCS): fine of not less than $500 for each offense, with each day a violation exists a separate and distinct offense; the city's STR fee page states adjudicated fines are capped by state law at a maximum of $1,000 per violation cited. Permits are revocable privileges (Sec. 26-615(c)); revocation bars the permittee from reapplying for 5 years and, for mandatory-revocation violations, a hearing officer must record a 5-year prohibition on STR use of the property that runs against current and future owners (Sec. 26-628). Revocation is mandatory for listed violations (e.g., exceeding advertised or actual occupancy/bedroom limits, illegal-STR advertising, reception-facility use, discrimination) and for any three violations of specified sections within 12 months. The city may also suspend permits for life-safety building violations, cut electrical service, file property liens, and seek injunctions; the department can inspect on reasonable belief of violation and seek an administrative warrant if entry is refused for 72 hours. Neighbors within 300 feet have a private right of action to enjoin violations, with attorney's fees, and violations may be enjoined without showing irreparable injury (Sec. 26-630). - Platform liability: Platforms may not facilitate or conduct any booking transaction for an Orleans Parish STR without a $10,000/year platform permit (Secs. 26-615(b), 26-616(c)(3)). To keep safe-harbor protection (Sec. 26-623) a platform must require owner and operator permit numbers at the time of listing, refuse listings with missing/blank/non-conforming permit data, remove unpermitted or unauthorized listings within 7 days of written city notice, require city-issued ID numbers for other transient lodging (hotels, B&Bs) listed for under-30-day stays, and submit monthly reports covering every listing (permit numbers, addresses, URLs, nights rented, rent collected, taxes/fees remitted, cumulative booking tallies). Where a platform bears tax-collection responsibility under Sec. 26-622.1, it collects and remits STR taxes and fees, but platform non-collection does not relieve the owner (Sec. 26-618(a)(11)). - Notes: The Department of Safety & Permits maintains a public STR dashboard (applications, permits, delisted addresses, violations, weekly adjudication counts, and lots under the 5-year revocation bar) updated weekly (Sec. 26-624(j)). The department prioritizes adjudication of illegal-advertising and occupancy-limit violations. Appeal of a revocation must be filed within 30 days. ## Pending changes - Conforming City Code/CZO amendments expected after the Fifth Circuit's Oct. 7, 2025 Hignell-Stark ruling struck the business-entity (LLC) ban on owner/operator permits (Equal Protection) and the one-dwelling-unit-per-listing advertising rule (First Amendment); city officials said they expect to amend the ordinance while preserving the rest. No conforming ordinance had been located as of verification, and the city's published lottery guidance still treats LLC-owned properties as ineligible; case remanded to E.D. La. (Nos. 2:19-cv-13773, 2:22-cv-2991) and plaintiffs' counsel indicated a rehearing request. (proposed, 2025-10-07) — https://www.nola.com/news/business/us-fifth-circuit-curbs-new-orleans-short-term-rental-rules/article_e8373a52-5510-46d7-b91b-93495126898d.html - Transient Lodging Study: City Planning Commission recommendations for extensive permanent CZO updates to transient lodging (bedroom-count size classifications, 24/7 management requirements, further restrictions), public hearing set for Dec. 9, 2025. Pending the permanent rewrite, the council adopted the Transient Lodging Interim Zoning District (CZO 19.4.A.23, Ord. 30625 MCS, 5/7/2026), already effective, which makes all new CSTRs, B&Bs, hotels/motels, hostels, and timeshares conditional uses even where the base district permits them. (proposed, 2025-12-09) — https://www.louisianalawblog.com/real-estate/the-ups-and-downs-of-residential-short-term-rentals-and-transient-lodging-in-new-orleans/ ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Nightly fee discrepancy: Ordinance 29381 Sec. 26-616(d) as adopted sets a $12/night owner-remitted fee for all STRs, but the city's current official fee page lists $5/night for NSTR and $12/night for CSTR; the amending ordinance reducing the NSTR nightly fee was not located — city fee page values used. - Post-ruling LLC practice: the Fifth Circuit invalidated the business-entity ban on owner/operator permits (10/7/2025), but the city's published lottery guidance (last cycle verified: Sept. 2025) still says LLC-owned properties are ineligible; whether Safety & Permits now accepts business-entity applications, and the status of any rehearing petition or remand orders in E.D. La. Nos. 2:19-cv-13773/2:22-cv-2991, could not be verified from official sources. - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo currently hold platform permits and actually collect/remit the city taxes and nightly fees under Sec. 26-622.1 (platform-by-platform collection practice) was not verified against an official source — collectedByPlatform left null throughout. - The Louisiana Stadium & Exposition District 4% hotel occupancy tax may also apply to Orleans Parish STR stays but was not verified against an official source and is omitted from the taxes list. - CSTR allowed-district list: CSTR use standards (CZO 20.3.LLL.2) and the new conditional-use requirement (19.4.A.23) were verified, but the district-by-district use tables (CZO Arts. 10-17) listing exactly where 'Short Term Rental, Commercial' is permitted were not individually extracted; the French Quarter prohibition was verified for NSTR via the CZO 21.8.C.18 permitted-district list (only VCE among Vieux Carré districts). - Text of the special-exception provision CZO 21.8.C.18.r (scope and criteria for exceeding the block cap after the 19.4.A.21 IZD expired 4/29/2026) renders inconsistently on czo.nola.gov and was verified only via the Code's $500 special-exception fee (Sec. 26-616(e)) and the city lottery rules page. - Franchise-level detail of the STR platform June 2025 booking-verification enforcement change referenced in industry guides was not confirmed on an official city page. - [object Object] ## Sources - Hignell-Stark v. City of New Orleans, No. 24-30160 (5th Cir. Oct. 7, 2025) — published opinion (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/24/24-30160-CV0.pdf - Ordinance No. 29381 MCS (As Amended) — Code Ch. 26, Standards for Short-Term Rentals (Secs. 26-613 to 26-630), effective July 1, 2023 (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/nola/media/One-Stop-Shop/029381-MCS-(As-Amended).pdf - City of New Orleans — STR Taxes, Fees, and Fines (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/str-taxes-and-fees/ - City of New Orleans — Short Term Rental Administration (home; Q2 2026 lottery and renewal dates) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/next/short-term-rental-administration/home/ - City of New Orleans — Commercial Owner's Permit (CSTR) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/commercial-owners-permit/ - City of New Orleans — Short Term Rental Permit Lotteries (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/next/short-term-rental-administration/topics/short-term-rental-permit-lotteries/ - City of New Orleans — 2026 NSTR Renewal Info (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/next/short-term-rental-administration/announcements/2026-nstr-renewal-info/ - City of New Orleans — NSTR lottery announcement (Sept. 2025 cycle; LLC ineligibility and special-exception discontinuation guidance) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/next/short-term-rental-administration/announcements/important-information-regarding-upcoming-nstr-lottery/ - Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Article 21, Sec. 21.8.C.18 — Short Term Rental, Non-Commercial (as amended by Ord. 29382 MCS 3/23/2023 and Ord. 30311 MCS 4/29/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://czo.nola.gov/article-21/ - Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Article 20, Secs. 20.3.LLL (STR standards) and 20.3.I (B&B/one-per-block), incl. Garden District prohibition (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://czo.nola.gov/article-20/ - Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Article 19 — IZDs 19.4.A.20 (CSTR, expired 11/5/25), 19.4.A.21 (NSTR special exception, expired 4/29/26), 19.4.A.23 Transient Lodging IZD (Ord. 30625 MCS, 5/7/26) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://czo.nola.gov/article-19/ - Louisiana Dept. of Revenue — FAQ: state sales tax rate for sleeping rooms/hotel rooms (5% effective 1/1/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://revenue.louisiana.gov/tax-education-and-faqs/faqs/sales-tax-reform/what-is-the-state-sales-tax-rate-for-sleeping-rooms-hotel-rooms-motel-rooms-and-similar-accommodations/ - La. R.S. 47:321.1 (state sales tax component; 2025 rate change) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=1017779 - City of New Orleans — Overview of Short Term Rentals in New Orleans (regime history; ordinance links) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://nola.gov/next/short-term-rental-administration/topics/overview-of-short-term-rentals-in-new-orleans/ - nola.com — U.S. Fifth Circuit curbs New Orleans short-term rental rules (Oct. 2025) (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.nola.com/news/business/us-fifth-circuit-curbs-new-orleans-short-term-rental-rules/article_e8373a52-5510-46d7-b91b-93495126898d.html - Louisiana Law Blog (Kean Miller) — Ups and Downs of Residential STRs and Transient Lodging in New Orleans (CSTR IZD expiration; Transient Lodging Study) (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.louisianalawblog.com/real-estate/the-ups-and-downs-of-residential-short-term-rentals-and-transient-lodging-in-new-orleans/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in San Diego, CA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/san-diego-ca/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (any rental of a dwelling unit for less than one month, called Short-Term Residential Occupancy or STRO) are legal citywide in San Diego but only with a city-issued STRO license, a Transient Occupancy Tax certificate, and (if renting more than 6 days/year) a Rental Unit Business Tax account. There are four license tiers: Tier 1 (any STRO totaling 20 days or less per year), Tier 2 (home share in the host's primary residence for more than 20 days/year, host present and occupying the home at least 275 days/year), Tier 3 (whole-home outside Mission Beach, capped at 1% of the city's housing stock and allocated by lottery when demand exceeds supply; 781 licenses were still available as of July 2, 2026), and Tier 4 (whole-home in Mission Beach, capped at 30% of that community's dwelling units; fully allocated with zero available as of July 2026). A host may hold only one license and operate only one dwelling unit at a time, so multi-property whole-home portfolios are effectively prohibited. Whole-home (Tier 3/4) rentals require a 2-night minimum stay and at least 90 days of rental use per year with quarterly reports. ADUs (except pre-September-2017 companion units), income-restricted units, SROs, RVs, boats, and unpermitted spaces cannot be used. Platforms may not process bookings for unlicensed listings and must report listing data to the city monthly; state law (SB 346, effective 2026) adds facilitator reporting and listing-display duties. Enforcement is active: the city obtained a stipulated judgment of up to $1.25 million against an unlicensed six-property operation in June 2026. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: not verified Notes: STRO is defined as occupancy of a dwelling unit or part thereof for less than one month (SDMC 510.0102); stays of one month or longer (calendar-day-to-same-calendar-day definition) are outside the ordinance, so the exemption threshold is 'one month,' not a fixed day count. Whole-home (unhosted) rental requires a Tier 3 license (citywide, capped at 1% of total housing units excluding Mission Beach, SDMC 510.0104(d)(4), issued by lottery if demand exceeds supply) or Tier 4 in Mission Beach (capped at 30% of that community planning area's units, SDMC 510.0104(e)(4); cap reached, 0 available as of July 2, 2026). Tier 3/4 require a 2-consecutive-night minimum stay (510.0104(d)(2), (e)(2)) and minimum 90 days/year of license use with quarterly reports (510.0107(c)). Primary residence is required only for home-share tiers: Tier 1 home share and all Tier 2 must be in the host's primary residence, and Tier 2 hosts must occupy it at least 275 days/year (510.0104(b)-(c)); no primary-residence requirement for Tier 3/4. One license per host and one STRO dwelling unit per host citywide (510.0104(a), 510.0106(a)); hosts must be natural persons. Licenses are non-transferable (510.0106(e)). Ordinance applies in all zones regardless of base zoning (official City FAQ), but ADUs are prohibited as STRO except permitted companion units existing before the September 2017 prohibition; also prohibited: income-restricted affordable units, student housing/SROs, RVs/vehicles, boats, tents/temporary structures, unpermitted garage conversions, and commercial/industrial space (official City FAQ). No citywide numeric guest cap appears in SDMC Ch. 5 Art. 10; the Good Neighbor Policy notice must state the unit's maximum allowable occupants (510.0107(g)(3)). Coastal-zone provisions sunset Jan 1, 2030 unless extended (510.0112). ## Requirements ### STRO License (Tier 1, 2, 3, or 4) (license) - Authority: City of San Diego, Office of the City Treasurer - Cost: Effective 3/1/2025: Tier 1 $33 application + $193 license; Tier 2 $33 + $284; Tier 3 $41 + $1,129; Tier 4 $41 + $1,129 (fees non-refundable, per 2-year license term) - Renewal: 2 years - Official source: https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/short-term-residential-occupancy - Notes: Required for all STRO; unlawful to operate without a license on or after May 1, 2023 (SDMC 510.0103-510.0104, O-21305/O-21464). One license per host; one dwelling unit per host; only one Tier 1 license per dwelling unit per calendar year. Tier 3/4 issued by lottery if demand exceeds supply, with waiting lists (510.0106(c)). Application requires an active TOT certificate (or concurrent application), proof of Rental Unit Business Tax payment if applicable, and proof of primary residence for home-share licenses (510.0105). Not processed if pending code enforcement or license revoked within prior 12 months. ### Transient Occupancy Tax Registration Certificate (registration) - Authority: City of San Diego, Office of the City Treasurer - Cost: $0 (no fee) - Official source: https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/tot - Notes: Required for anyone renting any structure or portion for less than one month; no exceptions (official City FAQ). Certificate number must appear on all advertisements and on the required exterior notice (SDMC 510.0107(k)-(l)). ### Rental Unit Business Tax account (other) - Authority: City of San Diego, Office of the City Treasurer - Cost: $50/yr base + $5/unit for single-family/condo and 2-10 unit properties (larger complexes: $57 base + $9/unit for 11-100 units; $150 + $8/unit for 101+); late penalty $25 or 10% (greater) plus 1%/month - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/btax/rtaxfees - Notes: Applies to owners who rent all or part of residential property more than 6 days per calendar year (official City STRO FAQ); proof of payment required for STRO license application (SDMC 510.0105(b)(2)). ### Host operating requirements (other) - Authority: City of San Diego (SDMC 510.0107-510.0108) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/stro-host-operating-requirements.pdf - Notes: Designate a local contact who responds to complaints in person or by phone within 1 hour; post an 8.5x11 exterior notice visible from the sidewalk/right-of-way with TOT certificate number, license number, and contact info; include TOT certificate and license numbers in all ads; provide a Good Neighbor Policy notice to all guests (noise limits, parking, trash, max occupants); no business signs on premises; complete a human-trafficking awareness course and post reporting guidance in the unit; keep transaction records 4 years and produce on request; Tier 3/4 submit quarterly utilization reports; unit must comply with California Fire Code (confirmed by City inspection or host affidavit at City's discretion). ## Taxes - **Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)**: 11.75% (Tax Zone 1), 12.75% (Tax Zone 2), or 13.75% (Tax Zone 3) of rent, by property location, effective May 1, 2025 under Measure C (10.50% flat through April 30, 2025) — applies to All stays of less than one month in any structure or portion, including STRO houses, condos, rooms, and spaces; zone determined by the City's address lookup map (zones tied to proximity to downtown/Convention Center); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/tot - **Rental Unit Business Tax**: $50/year base + $5/unit (single-family/condo/2-10 units); $57 + $9/unit (11-100 units); $150 + $8/unit (101+ units) — applies to Owners renting residential property more than 6 days per calendar year; due annually; paid by the owner, not collected by platforms; platform collects: no. Source: https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/btax/rtaxfees - **Tourism Marketing District (TMD) assessment**: 2.00% — applies to Lodging businesses with 70 or more rooms only; does not apply to typical STRO hosts; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/tot ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating STRO without a license is unlawful on or after May 1, 2023 (sandiego.gov STRO page; SDMC 510.0103). Regulatory actions under SDMC 510.0109: verbal warning, written warning, notice of violation, or license revocation (no escalation required); a third violation of the operating requirements (510.0107) within 12 months permits revocation, and a revoked host is barred from reapplying for 12 months (510.0105(d)). Noise/nuisance: administrative citations up to $1,000 each to the guest and the host (SDMC 510.0107(g)(6)). Code enforcement civil penalties may be assessed up to $10,000 per day and up to $400,000 total (City Building & Land Use Enforcement page). In practice: City Attorney secured a stipulated judgment and permanent injunction on June 9, 2026 against a six-property unlicensed operation — $100,000 civil penalties plus $6,079.88 costs upfront, an additional $1,150,000 suspended pending compliance (up to $1.25M total), and a ban on operating or applying for a license until 2028 (City press release nr260609a). - Platform liability: Under SDMC 510.0201 (verified code text): platforms must notify hosts of licensing and TOT requirements; must NOT process or complete any booking transaction for a unit without a valid license number listed on the City's license registry (510.0201(c)); must use reasonable efforts not to book Tier 1 hosts past the 20-day annual limit (510.0201(d)); if the platform collects rent it must collect TOT at the same time and remit monthly to the City with guest receipts separately stating TOT (510.0201(e)); must report to the City at least monthly the license number, responsible person, street address, and days booked for every listing (510.0201(f)); and must keep transaction records 4 years and produce them on request (510.0202). State law: SB 346 (2025, Ch. 751, Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act, Gov. Code sec. 50990 et seq., chaptered Oct 13, 2025) requires facilitators to report STR physical addresses/ZIP+4 (and, on request, APNs and listing URLs) to local agencies that adopt an implementing ordinance, requires listings to display any applicable local license number and TOT certification (sec. 50994), and authorizes administrative fines via Gov. Code sec. 53069.4. - Notes: Enforcement is handled by the Office of the City Treasurer (licensing) and the Development Services Department's Building & Land Use Enforcement (BLUE) division, with civil prosecutions by the City Attorney's Housing Protection Unit; complaints via Get It Done, (619) 533-6489, or dsdstrocomplaint@sandiego.gov. Applications are blocked for units with pending municipal-code enforcement actions (510.0105(c)). ## Pending changes - Coastal sunset clause: the STRO definitions and tier/cap provisions (SDMC 510.0102 and 510.0104) that are part of the certified Local Coastal Program remain in effect in the Coastal Overlay Zone only until January 1, 2030; if not amended by then, the licensing requirement will no longer be in effect in the Coastal Overlay Zone (deadline extendable for good cause by the Coastal Commission's Executive Director) (SDMC 510.0112, added by O-21464) (effective-date-pending, 2030-01-01) — https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter05/Ch05Art10Division01.pdf - Tier 3 and Tier 4 license caps recalculate every two years based on the most recent SANDAG housing estimates (1% citywide excluding Mission Beach for Tier 3; 30% of Mission Beach units for Tier 4), and cannot be reduced below the prior two-year period's total; next biennial adjustments will change available license counts (effective-date-pending) — https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter05/Ch05Art10Division01.pdf ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Tier 3 total cap: the official STRO page shows 4,825 issued and 781 remaining as of July 2, 2026 (implying a current cap of about 5,606), but the City does not publish the cap as a single stated number on that page; the 1%-of-housing-stock formula is verified at SDMC 510.0104(d)(4). - TOT tax-zone boundaries (which of the 11.75%/12.75%/13.75% rates applies to a given STR) are published only via the City's interactive address-lookup map; per-address rates could not be reduced to a verifiable text rule beyond 'zones tied to proximity to downtown/Convention Center'. - No official schedule of STRO-specific administrative citation amounts was located beyond the up-to-$1,000 noise citation referenced in SDMC 510.0107(g)(6); the $10,000/day and $400,000 civil-penalty maxima come from the City's BLUE enforcement page without a code citation on that page. - Whether the City of San Diego has adopted an ordinance invoking SB 346 (Gov. Code sec. 50990 et seq.) data-sharing authority (the state law is not self-executing) was not verified against an official source. - SB 346 effective date of January 1, 2026 is inferred from its October 13, 2025 chaptering under California's standard effective-date rule; the leginfo bill text does not state an operative date. - No numeric citywide guest/occupancy cap was found in SDMC Ch. 5 Art. 10; third-party claims of a 'bedrooms + 1' or similar guest limit could not be verified in any official source and were excluded (max_guests set to null). - The muni code PDFs served by docs.sandiego.gov carry an (8-2022) codification date and reflect no amendments to Article 10 after O-21464 (effective 8-10-2022); no 2025-2026 STRO ordinance amendments were found, but a check of recent uncodified ordinances was not performed. ## Sources - Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) - Office of the City Treasurer (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/short-term-residential-occupancy - San Diego Municipal Code Ch. 5, Art. 10, Div. 1 - Short-Term Residential Occupancy (secs. 510.0101-510.0112) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter05/Ch05Art10Division01.pdf - San Diego Municipal Code Ch. 5, Art. 10, Div. 2 - Hosting Platforms (secs. 510.0201-510.0202) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter05/Ch05Art10Division02.pdf - Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)/Tourism Marketing District (TMD) - City of San Diego (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/tot - Rental Unit Business Tax Fees - City of San Diego (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/btax/rtaxfees - STRO Ordinance Frequently Asked Questions (City Treasurer FAQ PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/trs_stro_faq.pdf - STRO Host Operating Requirements Checklist (effective May 1, 2023; revised July 2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/stro-host-operating-requirements.pdf - City Attorney press release: City secures $1.25 million judgment and shuts down illegal short-term rental operation (June 9, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/2026-06/nr260609a.pdf - Building & Land Use Enforcement - City of San Diego (civil penalty maxima) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sandiego.gov/development-services/building-land-use-enforcement - SB 346 (2025-2026) Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act - California Legislative Information (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB346 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Miami Beach, FL - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/miami-beach-fl/ ## Summary Miami Beach prohibits short-term rentals (any rental for less than six months and one day) in all single-family homes and in apartment/townhome properties in the RM-1, RM-PRD, RM-PRD-2, RPS-1, RPS-2, CD-1, RO, RO-3 and TH zoning districts, with narrow grandfathered exceptions in parts of the Flamingo Park, Espanola Way, Collins Waterfront and North Shore historic districts (entire-unit rentals only, 7-night minimum in the Collins Waterfront and North Beach exception areas). In the remaining zoning districts (e.g., RM-2, RM-3, CD-2, CD-3, MXE and other commercial/mixed-use districts), whole-unit short-term rentals are legal but the host must obtain a city Vacation/Short-Term Rental Business Tax Receipt and Resort Tax account (both numbers must appear in every listing), an approved Certificate of Use, a Florida DBPR vacation rental license, a Florida DOR sales tax registration, and a Miami-Dade tourist tax account. Guests pay roughly 14% combined tax (6% state sales tax + 1% Miami-Dade surtax + 3% Miami-Dade Convention Development Tax + 4% Miami Beach resort tax). The city's former $20,000-$100,000 fines were struck down (City of Miami Beach v. Nichols, Fla. 3d DCA 2020) and replaced with Chapter 162, F.S. limits — up to $1,000/day first violation and $5,000/day repeat — with mandatory immediate termination of the illegal occupancy; because Miami Beach's zoning ordinance predates June 1, 2011, its district-level prohibitions survive Florida's vacation-rental preemption (F.S. 509.032(7)(b)). ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 183 days Notes: Threshold is 'six months and one day' (~183 days); leases of that length or longer are not short-term rentals. Prohibited everywhere for single-family homes (now Resiliency Code Sec. 7.5.4.13(d)(E), formerly Sec. 142-905(b)(5)) and for apartments/townhomes in RM-1, RM-PRD, RM-PRD-2, RPS-1, RPS-2, CD-1, RO, RO-3, TH (formerly Sec. 142-1111(a), carried into the Resiliency Code) — city code enforcement cited both sections in July 2025 Special Magistrate cases, including one against a single-room Airbnb listing, so hosted room rentals in prohibited districts are also violations. Allowed with registrations in other districts; the city's approved-building list spans CD-2, CD-3, CPS-1, CPS-2, CPS-4, GU, MR, MXE, RM-1 (exception areas), RM-2, RM-3, RPS-3, RPS-4, SPE, TC districts. Grandfathered exception areas (Flamingo Park/Espanola Way RM-1 & TH; Collins Waterfront south of W. 24th Terrace contributing buildings; North Shore National Register district RM-1 buildings fronting Harding Ave.) require a certificate of use, entire-unit rentals only (no individual rooms), no unit rented more than once every 7 days, a 24/7 contact person, and in the Collins Waterfront path 24/7 on-site management and a 7-night minimum reservation. No primary-residence requirement, but the city requires owners to acknowledge in writing that short-term renting may forfeit their homestead exemption. ## Requirements ### Vacation/Short-Term Rental Business Tax Receipt (BTR) (registration) - Authority: City of Miami Beach (Finance/Licensing, Citizen Access Portal) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/short-term-rental-requirements/ - Notes: Occupation codes 95017300 (residential) / 95017301 (non-residential). Application requires an approved Certificate of Use, recorded deed, FEIN, Florida Annual Resale Certificate for Sales Tax, state (DBPR) license, condo/HOA letter dated within 60 days confirming STRs are permitted, written acknowledgment of possible homestead-exemption loss, disclosure of all hosting/advertising platforms used, and a notarized affidavit submitted within 2 weeks. BTR number must be displayed in every advertisement (city page, citing Sec. 102-386 and Resiliency Code 7.5.4). Failure to obtain or renew the BTR is itself fined ($1,000 first offense, $3,500 second offense imposed in July 2025 Special Magistrate cases). Fee amount not published on fetched pages. ### Certificate of Use permitting short-term rental (permit) - Authority: City of Miami Beach Planning Department - Cost: $600 application fee (Sec. 142-1111(c)(1)); $1,000 for the North Beach/Harding Avenue eligibility path (Sec. 142-1111(d)(8)(B)) — per 2020 code text - Renewal: annual (approvals issued for a one-year period; not renewed after 3+ adjudicated violation days in prior 12 months) - Official source: https://miamibeach.novusagenda.com/AgendaPublic/AttachmentViewer.ashx?AttachmentID=57778&ItemID=19065 - Notes: Required before the BTR. In grandfathered exception areas, also requires building/fire code compliance, binding written lease for each rental, 24-hour contact person posted on the premises, entire-unit rentals only, no exterior signage, and no variances permitted. ### Resort Tax account registration (registration) - Authority: City of Miami Beach Finance Department - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/finance/filepay-resort-tax/ - Notes: Register before operating; certificate number must be conspicuously displayed in every advertisement or listing. Returns filed monthly (due the 20th) or annually (due May 20) via the city's online resort tax portal; $25 manual filing fee for mailed returns. ### Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License (condominium or dwelling; single/group/collective) (license) - Authority: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants - Cost: $170/year for a single unit full-year ($150 base + $10/unit + $10 Hospitality Education Program fee; tiered up to $350 for 501+ units), plus $50 application fee for new licenses - Renewal: annual (District 1 — Miami-Dade/Monroe — renews October 1; half-year fees available) - Official source: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Notes: Required under F.S. 509.242(1)(c) when an entire unit is rented to guests more than three times a year for stays under 30 days or is advertised as regularly available to transient guests; renting individual rooms while present is exempt from the state license (though Miami Beach zoning still restricts it). Guide: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ ### Florida Department of Revenue sales tax registration (Annual Resale Certificate) (registration) - Authority: Florida Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Notes: Needed to collect and remit the 6% state sales tax plus 1% Miami-Dade discretionary surtax on rentals of six months or less; the city's BTR checklist requires the Florida Annual Resale Certificate for Sales Tax. ### Miami-Dade County tourist tax account (Convention Development Tax) (registration) - Authority: Miami-Dade County Tax Collector / Regulatory and Economic Resources - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1499797928395868 - Notes: Anyone collecting rent on transient accommodations (6 months or less) must register with the county to collect, report, and remit the 3% Convention Development Tax; monthly returns required even if no tax collected. Registration requires the Florida sales tax number, Certificate of Use, and local BTR documentation. ## Taxes - **Florida state sales tax on transient rentals**: 6% — applies to Rentals/leases of living or sleeping accommodations for six months or less; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - **Miami-Dade County discretionary sales surtax**: 1% — applies to Same transactions as state sales tax, including transient rentals in Miami-Dade County; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/forms_library/current/dr15dss.pdf - **Miami-Dade County Convention Development Tax**: 3% — applies to Transient accommodations (6 months or less) countywide except Surfside and Bal Harbour — applies in Miami Beach; the county's 2% Tourist Development Tax and 1% Professional Sports Franchise Facility Tax do NOT apply in Miami Beach (DR-15TDT footnote: total local option rate in Miami Beach is 7% = 3% county CDT + 4% city resort tax); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1499797928395868 - **Miami Beach Resort Tax (rooms)**: 4% — applies to Rent for any room(s) in hotels, motels, rooming houses or apartment houses — all transient rentals of six months or less; a separate 2% city resort tax applies to food/beverage sales; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/finance/filepay-resort-tax/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: The city's former mandatory fines of $20,000 (1st) / $40,000 (2nd) / $60,000 (3rd) / $80,000 (4th) / $100,000 (5th+ within 18 months) in Secs. 142-905(b)(5) and 142-1111 were held preempted by Chapter 162, F.S. (City of Miami Beach v. Nichols, Fla. 3d DCA, July 22, 2020, recited in the city's October 2020 amending ordinance), and the city substituted fines 'as provided in Chapter 162, Florida Statutes' — i.e., up to $1,000/day per violation (first), $5,000/day (repeat), and up to $15,000 for irreparable violations under F.S. 162.09(2)(d); the special magistrate may not waive or reduce them. July 17, 2025 Special Magistrate agenda shows this schedule in practice ($1,000 first-offense fines; $3,500 second-offense fine). Additional verified provisions: illegal transient occupancy 'must be immediately terminated' by police/code compliance (guests evicted); an additional $25,000 fine for a second offense within 18 months at properties over 5,000 sq ft; adjudication orders are recorded and become liens enforceable by foreclosure; code compliance notifies the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser/Tax Collector (homestead-exemption consequences); the city may also seek injunctions. Advertising a prohibited short-term rental is itself a violation and constitutes direct evidence raising a rebuttable presumption of illegal use. - Platform liability: Violations may be issued to 'the owner, manager, real estate broker or agent, or authorized agent, or any other individual or entity that participates in or facilitates the violation' (Sec. 142-1111(e)(3), verified in the city's ordinance text). Operators must conspicuously display the city BTR number and Resort Tax certificate number in every advertisement or listing (city page citing Sec. 102-386 and Resiliency Code 7.5.4.11(a)). Florida has no enacted statewide platform mandate: SB 280 (2024), which would have required advertising platforms to collect/remit taxes, display license numbers and remove noncompliant listings, was vetoed June 27, 2024 (flsenate.gov bill history). - Notes: Active enforcement is documented in official 2025 Special Magistrate dockets, including cases built from Airbnb listings (screenshots of advertisements used as evidence, body-worn cameras, certified mail service). The city runs a public 'Practice Safe Renting' lookup tool so renters can verify a property is authorized. Miami Beach's zoning prohibitions survive F.S. 509.032(7)(b) preemption because that paragraph 'does not apply to any local law, ordinance, or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011' (verified 2025 statute text) — and the 3d DCA ruling invalidated only the fines, not the underlying restrictions. ## Pending changes - CS/CS/SB 658 (2026) — Water Safety Requirements for the Rental of Residential and Vacation Properties: would have required DBPR-licensed vacation rentals to install specified water safety features with compliance certificates at licensure/renewal. Passed the Senate 37-0 (Feb 19, 2026) but died in House Messages on March 13, 2026; not enacted. (proposed, 2026-03-13) — https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/658 - HB 7031-E (2026 Special Session), signed as Chapter 2026-239 — omnibus taxation act that includes provisions on 'vacation rental transactions'; per the House Ways & Means analysis it bases the taxes an advertising platform must collect and remit on the total rental amount charged by the owner/operator, excluding platform service fees unless the platform owns/operates/manages the rental. Most provisions effective July 1, 2026 (now in force); full bill text of the vacation-rental sections not independently reviewed. (effective-date-pending, 2026-07-01) — https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026E/7031E - No successor to statewide vacation-rental preemption bill SB 280 (2024) — passed 27-13/60-51 but vetoed by the Governor June 27, 2024 — was enacted in the 2025 or 2026 regular sessions; the 2011 grandfathering in F.S. 509.032(7)(b) remains in the 2025 Florida Statutes, so Miami Beach's pre-2011 zoning bans remain enforceable. (proposed, 2024-06-27) — https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/280 ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Miami Beach BTR fee amount and renewal period for the Vacation/Short-Term Rental category: not published on the fetched official pages (fee schedule sits behind the Citizen Access portal); a July 2025 Special Magistrate case fined an operator for 'failing to renew' an STR BTR, implying periodic renewal, but the cycle is unverified. - Certificate of Use application fees ($600 standard exception path / $1,000 North Beach path) were verified only against the October 2020 ordinance text amending Sec. 142-1111; the current fee under the 2023 Resiliency Code recodification (Sec. 7.5.4) could not be re-verified because library.municode.com returned HTTP 403. - Full current text of Resiliency Code Sec. 7.5.4 (successor to Secs. 142-905/142-1111) unverifiable directly (municode 403); prohibited-district list and single-family prohibition were instead verified from the code sections as quoted in the city's own July 2025 Special Magistrate enforcement agenda and the 2020 ordinance. - Maximum guest/occupancy limits: no fetched official source states a numeric cap for Miami Beach STRs; max_guests set to null (do not confuse with Miami-Dade County's occupancy caps, which apply to the county's own STVR program, not inside Miami Beach). - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo collect any of the four taxes for Miami Beach hosts (platform tax agreements with the state, county, or city) could not be verified against an official source; all collectedByPlatform fields set to null. - Separate fine amounts for advertising-display violations under City Code Sec. 102-386 (BTR/resort tax numbers in listings) not verified — municode 403; only the display requirement itself is verified via the city's program page. - Exact scope of the vacation-rental/advertising-platform tax provisions in Ch. 2026-239 (HB 7031-E, effective July 1, 2026): enactment verified on flsenate.gov, but the service-fee-exclusion detail comes from a search excerpt of the House Ways & Means analysis; the analysis PDF itself returned 'document not found' on direct fetch. ## Sources - City of Miami Beach — Vacation Short Term Rentals (program page, Resiliency Code 7.5.4 cites, ad display rule) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/business/vacation-short-term-rentals/ - City of Miami Beach — Short-term Rental Requirements (BTR application checklist) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/short-term-rental-requirements/ - City of Miami Beach — Practice Safe Renting lookup tool (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://apps.miamibeachfl.gov/practicesaferenting - City of Miami Beach — File/Pay Resort Tax (4% rooms, 2% F&B, filing rules) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/finance/filepay-resort-tax/ - City of Miami Beach ordinance amending Secs. 142-905(b)(5) and 142-1111 to substitute Chapter 162 F.S. fine limits (post-Nichols, Oct. 2020; full Sec. 142-1111 text) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://miamibeach.novusagenda.com/AgendaPublic/AttachmentViewer.ashx?AttachmentID=57778&ItemID=19065 - City of Miami Beach — Special Magistrate Agenda, July 17, 2025 (active STR enforcement: Sec. 142-1111(a), Resiliency Code 7.5.4.13(d)(E), fines imposed) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://docmgmt.miamibeachfl.gov/WebLink/edoc/309321/Agenda%20July%2017,%202025.pdf?dbid=0&repo=CityClerk - City of Miami Beach — Types of Code Violations (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/code-compliance/code-violations/ - Florida Statutes (2025) s. 509.032(7)(b) — vacation rental preemption with June 1, 2011 grandfathering (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/509.032 - Florida Statutes (2025) s. 162.09 — code enforcement fine caps ($1,000/$5,000/$15,000 enhanced limits) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/162.09 - Florida DBPR — Lodging Fees (vacation rental license fees) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Florida DBPR — Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Florida Department of Revenue — Sales and Use Tax (6% rate; transient rentals; surtax) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Florida Department of Revenue — Form DR-15TDT, Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (Miami-Dade footnote: 7% in Miami Beach) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://floridarevenue.com/forms_library/current/dr15tdt.pdf - Florida Department of Revenue — Form DR-15DSS, Discretionary Sales Surtax Rates (Miami-Dade 1%) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://floridarevenue.com/forms_library/current/dr15dss.pdf - Miami-Dade County — Tourist and Restaurant Taxes (CDT 3% applies in Miami Beach; TDT/Sports taxes do not) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.miamidade.gov/global/service.page?Mduid_service=ser1499797928395868 - Florida Senate — CS/SB 280 (2024) Vacation Rentals bill history (vetoed 6/27/2024) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/280 - Florida Senate — CS/CS/SB 658 (2026) Water Safety Requirements (died in House Messages 3/13/2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/658 - Florida Senate — HB 7031-E (2026 Special Session) Taxation, Ch. 2026-239 (vacation rental transaction provisions) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026E/7031E --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Scottsdale, AZ - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/scottsdale-az/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) are legal in every residential zone in Scottsdale because Arizona state law (A.R.S. § 9-500.39) prohibits cities from banning or capping them, but Scottsdale runs one of the state's most demanding compliance regimes. A host must hold a $250/year city vacation-rental license for each property (Scottsdale Revised Code Ch. 18, Art. IX, enacted by Ord. 4566, effective Jan. 8, 2023), plus an Arizona TPT license and Maricopa County rental registration before renting. Operational duties include $500,000 liability insurance, written notification to neighbors with a sworn attestation, a 24-hour emergency contact who must respond in person within one hour, a sex-offender background check on the booking guest before every stay (waived if the platform performs it), a posted in-unit notice limiting occupancy to a single family of no more than six adults plus their related dependent children, smoke alarms, an evacuation floor-plan map, cleaning between stays, bi-monthly pest control, and pool barriers. STRs may not be used for any non-residential purpose — commercial events, weddings, retail, banquet/event-center use are prohibited (reinforced by Ord. 4719, adopted June 23, 2026), juveniles may not rent, and the city license number must appear in every advertisement. Fines are substantial (mandatory minimums of $500–$1,000 for most violations; escalating penalties up to $3,500 or three nights' rent), and three verified violations in 12 months trigger a one-year license suspension. Lodging taxes total roughly 13.97% (7.27% state/county + 1.70% city hotel + 5.0% city transient tax); platforms like Airbnb/Vrbo collect and remit for bookings made through them, but hosts must still hold a TPT license and file returns. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Yes - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 6 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: State preemption (A.R.S. § 9-500.39) bars Scottsdale from prohibiting or capping STRs or restricting them by zoning classification; the city's 2016 zoning text amendment (Ord. 4288, 3-TA-2016) added 'vacation rental or short-term rental' as a permitted use in all residential districts. No primary-residence requirement and no license cap exist. The 6-guest figure is an occupancy limit of 'a single family of one to six adults and, if any, their related dependent children' (as defined in Zoning Ordinance App. B Sec. 3.100), stated in the notice hosts must post under SRC Sec. 18-175(h) — related dependent children are in addition to the six adults. Rentals of 30+ days are not 'vacation rentals' and need no city STR license. Non-residential uses are prohibited: commercial events, retail, restaurant, banquet/event-center use, housing sex offenders, sober-living operation, adult-oriented business (SRC Sec. 18-171). HOAs may still ban STRs by private contract. ## Requirements ### City of Scottsdale Vacation Rental License (license) - Authority: City of Scottsdale Tax and Business Licensing - Cost: $250 per property per year (non-refundable, includes renewals) - Renewal: annual (valid 1 year from issuance; non-transferable) - Official source: https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=REVISED_CODEVO1_CH18PUNUPRMA_ARTIXVARESHRMRE - Notes: SRC Secs. 18-151—18-153 (Ord. 4566, adopted 10/25/2022, eff. 1/8/2023). One license per dwelling unit. City must issue or deny within 7 business days of complete application. Application requires TPT license proof, emergency contact, owner/designee attestation of no sex-offender registration or disqualifying felony (Sec. 18-154). Operating unlicensed: fine of not less than $1,000 per violation, non-suspendable (Sec. 18-151(d)); failure to apply after written city notice adds $1,000 per 30-day period (Sec. 18-152(b)). Apply via aca-prod.accela.com/scottsdale; confirmed on city owners page and licensing guide (scottsdaleaz.gov, updated 7/1/2026). ### Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) License (license) - Authority: Arizona Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax/short-term-lodging - Notes: Required per rental property before offering it for rent (A.R.S. § 42-5042(A), quoted in Scottsdale's official Transient Lodging brochure). TPT number is prerequisite for the city license. TPT license number must be listed on every advertisement; state penalty $250 first offense / $1,000 subsequent (A.R.S. § 42-1121.02). Use region codes MAR (county) and SC (city); NAICS 721199. Must file returns (including $0 returns) even when a platform remits. ### Maricopa County Residential Rental Property Registration (registration) - Authority: Maricopa County Assessor - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/codes-and-ordinances/vacation-and-short-term-rentals/information-for-owners-and-operators - Notes: Required by A.R.S. § 33-1902; per the city's official licensing guide it is illegal to rent before registering with the Maricopa County Assessor (mcassessor.maricopa.gov). ### Liability insurance ($500,000 minimum) (insurance) - Authority: City of Scottsdale - Cost: varies (market rate) - Renewal: continuous - Official source: https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=REVISED_CODEVO1_CH18PUNUPRMA_ARTIXVARESHRMRE - Notes: SRC Sec. 18-173: at least $500,000 aggregate per property, or every transaction conducted through an online lodging marketplace providing equal/greater primary coverage. Proof due to city within 30 days of licensure and on demand. Violation: minimum $500 fine (reducible to $100 once insured). ### Neighbor notification and compliance attestation (other) - Authority: City of Scottsdale - Cost: not verified - Renewal: re-notify within 15 business days whenever contact info changes - Official source: https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=REVISED_CODEVO1_CH18PUNUPRMA_ARTIXVARESHRMRE - Notes: SRC Sec. 18-191: before first offering the rental (existing rentals: within 30 days of licensure), written notice to all adjacent single-family properties and those directly/diagonally across the street (or all units on the same floor in multi-family), containing license number, property address, and name/address/24-hour phone of emergency contact; owner then files an attestation with the city. Violation: minimum $500 fine (reducible to $100 on compliance). ### 24-hour emergency contact with 1-hour in-person response (other) - Authority: City of Scottsdale - Cost: not verified - Renewal: update within 10 business days of any change (SRC Sec. 18-160) - Official source: https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=REVISED_CODEVO1_CH18PUNUPRMA_ARTIXVARESHRMRE - Notes: SRC Secs. 18-154(a)(4), 18-172: emergency contact must be a real person and, when requested by public safety personnel, respond in person within 1 hour. Minimum fines: $500 for failure to respond, $250 for failure to arrive within the hour, $500 for owners who knowingly/recklessly let the contact fail. ### Sex-offender background check on booking guest (other) - Authority: City of Scottsdale - Cost: not verified - Renewal: before every stay (no later than 24 hours prior) - Official source: https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=REVISED_CODEVO1_CH18PUNUPRMA_ARTIXVARESHRMRE - Notes: SRC Sec. 18-176: owner/designee must check the booking person against the U.S. DOJ national sex offender public website no later than 24 hours before each stay and retain the printout for 12 months (inspectable on demand). Mandatory minimum $1,000 fine, non-suspendable. Requirement is satisfied/waived if the online lodging marketplace performs the check (consistent with A.R.S. § 9-500.39). ### Health/safety operational requirements and posted in-unit notice (other) - Authority: City of Scottsdale - Cost: not verified - Renewal: continuous - Official source: https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=REVISED_CODEVO1_CH18PUNUPRMA_ARTIXVARESHRMRE - Notes: SRC Sec. 18-175 (as amended by Ord. 4609, 8/22/2023): working smoke alarms maintained per NFPA 72; posted floor-plan map with egress routes and emergency info; cleaning between stays; at least bi-monthly pest control; trash set-out rules; pool/spa/hot tub barrier compliance per SRC Ch. 31; and a prescribed 14-point laminated notice on the front and back doors listing prohibited uses, the 6-adult single-family occupancy limit, the 24-hour contact, and the city license number. Ads must also display the city license number (Sec. 18-174; minimum $500 fine, reducible to $100). Juveniles may not rent, and owners may not knowingly rent to juveniles (Sec. 18-178, Ord. 4627, 5/6/2024; minimum $1,000 fine). ## Taxes - **Arizona/Maricopa County Transient Lodging TPT (business code 025)**: 7.27% of gross lodging income (combined state 5.6%-base + county excise; ADOR rate table effective May 1, 2026). Note: platform-facilitated income is instead taxed under Online Lodging Marketplace code 325 at 5.72% for Maricopa, remitted by the platform. — applies to All rental stays under 30 consecutive days, including cleaning/pet/no-show/cancellation fees and forfeited deposits; platform collects: yes. Source: https://azdor.gov/sites/default/files/document/TPT_RATETABLE_05012026.pdf - **City of Scottsdale Hotel/Motel Privilege Tax (business code 044)**: 1.70% of gross income (reduced from 1.75% by Ord. 4676, effective July 1, 2025) — applies to Lodging furnished for less than 30 consecutive days within Scottsdale; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/taxes/hotel-motel.pdf?sfvrsn=daeb9596_1 - **City of Scottsdale Additional Transient Tax (business code 144)**: 5.0% of gross income charged for lodging furnished to a transient (<30 days) — applies to Transient lodging income including resort fees, no-show and cancellation revenue; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/taxes/hotel-motel.pdf?sfvrsn=daeb9596_1 ## Enforcement - Penalties: City verified-violation penalties (SRC Sec. 18-177, mirroring A.R.S. § 9-500.39): 1st violation up to $500 or one night's advertised rent (whichever greater); 2nd up to $1,000 or two nights' rent; 3rd+ up to $3,500 or three nights' rent, within a 12-month period. Operating without a license: fine of not less than $1,000 per violation, court may not suspend any part (Sec. 18-151(d)); +$1,000 per 30 days for failing to apply after written notice (Sec. 18-152(b)). Mandatory minimum $1,000 fines for background-check violations (Sec. 18-176) and renting to juveniles (Sec. 18-178); minimum $500 fines for insurance, advertising, neighbor-notification, and emergency-response failures (Secs. 18-172—18-174, 18-191). License suspension for 1 year (reducible to 6 months) after 3 verified violations in 12 months or 1 serious violation (felony, serious injury/wrongful death, housing sex offenders, event/retail use) (Sec. 18-158); judicial suspension up to 12 months for felony acts causing death or serious injury (Sec. 18-159); 1-year reapplication ban after denial/revocation (Sec. 18-157). State-level: ADOR fines $250 (first) / $1,000 (subsequent) for missing TPT license or ad number (A.R.S. § 42-1121.02, per city Transient Lodging brochure). - Platform liability: Online lodging marketplaces registered with ADOR are responsible for collecting and remitting state, county, and city TPT on bookings they facilitate (A.R.S. Title 42; azdor.gov Short-Term Lodging page); hosts deduct that income with code 775 but must keep filing returns. A marketplace's guest sex-offender check and its >=$500k primary liability coverage each satisfy the corresponding city requirement (SRC Secs. 18-173, 18-176; A.R.S. § 9-500.39). The city license number must appear on each listing; listings referencing a Scottsdale location are prima facie evidence of operation (Sec. 18-151(c)). - Notes: Scottsdale runs a dedicated STR enforcement program: an STR Resource Center (str.scottsdaleaz.gov) with a public license map, a complaint line (480-312-RENT) and ScottsdaleEZ online complaints, and a nuisance-party ordinance (SRC 18-121) holding owners accountable for unruly gatherings. Ordinance 4719 (June 2026) added an 'event center' definition so police can act against party/event houses even without catching the event in progress. ## Pending changes - Scottsdale Ordinance No. 4719: adds a formal 'event center' definition to the Scottsdale Revised Code to strengthen enforcement against STRs used for weddings, corporate events, ticketed parties, and other commercial gatherings (ordinary residential gatherings exempt). Adopted by City Council June 23, 2026; not yet reflected in the Municode codification (current version June 10, 2026) and the city release does not state the effective date. (effective-date-pending, 2026-06-23) — https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/scottsdale-news/details/scottsdale-closes-enforcement-gap-on-commercial-events-at-short-term-rentals - Arizona HB 2429 (2026, 57th Leg. 2nd Reg. Sess.): would have let cities limit STR overnight occupancy to two adults per sleeping area plus two additional persons (minors excluded) and extend the verified-violation lookback from 12 to 24 months. Passed the House 37-14 in March 2026 but stalled in the Senate without a committee hearing; did not become law this session. Likely to be reintroduced. (proposed, 2026-03-11) — https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/HB2429H.pdf ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Effective date of Ordinance 4719: adoption (June 23, 2026) is verified via the city's official news release, but the release does not state an effective date and the ordinance is not yet in the Municode codification (version June 10, 2026). Arizona general-law ordinances typically take effect 30 days after adoption (~July 23, 2026), but this was not verified for this specific ordinance. - Legislative history attribution (SB 1350 of 2016 creating the preemption, SB 1168 of 2022 adding local licensing authority): the current text of A.R.S. § 9-500.39 and SB 1350 were verified against azleg.gov/city records, but the SB 1168 session law itself was not fetched; the licensing/penalty provisions it added are verified as present in the current statute. - State TPT license application fee and Maricopa County rental-registration fee: requirements verified against official sources, but exact dollar amounts were not verified and are set to null (do not assume $12/location or $0 without checking aztaxes.gov and mcassessor.maricopa.gov). - HB 2429's failure to advance in the Senate is verified only via news reports (KJZZ, Sedona Red Rock News, AZ Capitol Times); the azleg.gov bill-status page could not be read directly (dynamic page). - Occupancy: the 6-adult single-family limit appears in the mandatory posted notice under SRC 18-175(h) and references the Zoning Ordinance definition of 'family'; the underlying zoning definition text (App. B Sec. 3.100) was not itself fetched. - Scottsdale's 5.0% transient tax and 1.70% hotel rate are from the city's July 2025 brochure and ADOR's Scottsdale city profile; ADOR rate table Table 2 (city rates page) was not separately extracted to triple-check, though the two fetched official sources agree. ## Sources - A.R.S. § 9-500.39 — Vacation rentals; short-term rentals; regulation (state preemption) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.azleg.gov/ars/9/00500-39.htm - Scottsdale Revised Code, Ch. 18, Art. IX — Vacation Rentals and Short-Term Rentals (Secs. 18-150—18-191), code version June 10, 2026 (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://library.municode.com/az/scottsdale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=REVISED_CODEVO1_CH18PUNUPRMA_ARTIXVARESHRMRE - City of Scottsdale — Vacation and Short-Term Rentals (main page, updated Jul 1, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/codes-and-ordinances/vacation-and-short-term-rentals - City of Scottsdale — Information for Owners and Operators (updated Jul 1, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/codes-and-ordinances/vacation-and-short-term-rentals/information-for-owners-and-operators - City of Scottsdale — Short-Term/Vacation Rental Licensing Process Guide (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/licenses/short-term-vacation-rental-licensing-process-guide.pdf?sfvrsn=ca4d237e_2 - City of Scottsdale — How to Apply for a Short-Term Rental License (PDF; shows $250.00 license fee at checkout) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/licenses/str---how-to-apply-for-a-short-term-rental-license.pdf?sfvrsn=aa92e1c4_2 - City of Scottsdale — Transient Lodging tax brochure (TPT requirements, business codes, ADOR penalties) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/taxes/short-term-rental.pdf?sfvrsn=bffbd08b_1 - City of Scottsdale — Hotel/Motel Privilege Tax brochure, July 2025 (1.70% code 044 + 5.0% transient tax code 144) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/docs/default-source/scottsdaleaz/taxes/hotel-motel.pdf?sfvrsn=daeb9596_1 - Arizona Department of Revenue — Short-Term Lodging (TPT license, OLM collection, codes 025/044/144, deduction 775) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax/short-term-lodging - Arizona Department of Revenue — TPT Rate Table effective May 1, 2026 (Maricopa: 025 Transient Lodging 7.27%; 325 OLM 5.72%) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://azdor.gov/sites/default/files/document/TPT_RATETABLE_05012026.pdf - Arizona Department of Revenue — Model City Tax Code, Scottsdale city profile (Ord. 4676: privilege tax 1.70% effective July 1, 2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://azdor.gov/model-city-tax-code/city-profile/scottsdale - City of Scottsdale news release — 'Scottsdale closes enforcement gap on commercial events at short-term rentals' (Ordinance 4719, adopted June 23, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/scottsdale-news/details/scottsdale-closes-enforcement-gap-on-commercial-events-at-short-term-rentals - Scottsdale City Council Report, Nov 14, 2016 — 3-TA-2016 / Ordinance 4288 (zoning conformance with SB 1350; STRs permitted in residential districts) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://ww2.scottsdaleaz.gov/Asset67928.aspx - KJZZ — 'Arizona short-term rental bill now goes after repeat bad actors to limit overnight occupancy' (HB 2429 status) (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2026-03-11/arizona-short-term-rental-bill-now-goes-after-repeat-bad-actors-to-limit-overnight-occupancy - Arizona Legislature — HB 2429 House Engrossed text (57th Leg., 2nd Reg. Sess., 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/HB2429H.pdf --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Honolulu, HI - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/honolulu-hi/ ## Summary On Oahu, renting a dwelling for fewer than 30 consecutive days is illegal except in resort-zoned districts, a few mapped apartment-zoned areas (the Waikiki Special District apartment precinct mauka of Kuhio Avenue on two specified tax-map-key lots, A-1/A-2 areas near the Ko Olina and Turtle Bay resorts, and an A-2 area contiguous to the Hoakalei Resort, per the figures enacted by Ordinances 25-2 and 25-52), or under a grandfathered nonconforming use certificate (NUC) issued for pre-October 22, 1986 operations — new NUCs are not issued. Eligible operators must register each unit with the Department of Planning and Permitting via the HNL Build portal ($1,000 initial, $500 annual renewal, each plus a 2.35% city service fee), carry $1,000,000 liability insurance, hold state GET and TAT licenses and pay the city OTAT, and include their registration/NUC number and tax map key in every ad. Hosted 'bed and breakfast home' rentals require the owner or permanent resident on site and are limited to two rooms with up to two adult guests per room; unhosted 'transient vacation units' are limited to two adults per bedroom. The ordinance text sets a 90-consecutive-day minimum rental term for unregistered homes, but a federal permanent injunction (D. Haw., Dec. 21, 2023) bars the city from enforcing that against 30-89 day rentals lawfully operating before October 23, 2022, and DPP currently treats 30+ day rentals as outside the STR program. Violators face civil fines up to $10,000 per day. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Both hosted (bed and breakfast home) and unhosted (transient vacation unit, TVU) rentals under 30 days are allowed only in resort zoning districts, the specific apartment-zoned areas mapped in Ordinances 25-2/25-52 (Waikiki apartment precinct mauka of Kuhio Ave on TMKs 2-6-025:005 and 2-6-028:011; A-1/A-2 near Ko Olina; A-1 near Turtle Bay; A-2 contiguous to Hoakalei), or under a grandfathered NUC (pre-10/22/1986; no new NUCs issued). Primary residence is not required for TVUs, but a B&B home requires the owner/permanent resident to be present during rental (max two rooms, up to two adult guests per room; for registration, B&Bs must show a real property tax home exemption and >=50% ownership interest, per Ord 22-7/24-14). Occupancy: no more than two adults may sleep in each transient occupant bedroom; no absolute per-unit guest cap verified. Minimum-stay nuance: ROH (as enacted by Ord 22-7 and carried into the recodified LUO by Ord 25-2/25-52) defines the minimum non-STR rental term as 90 consecutive days, but the federal court's December 21, 2023 permanent injunction in HILSTRA v. City & County of Honolulu bars enforcement of Ord 22-7 'insofar as it prohibits 30-89 day home rentals lawfully in existence at its effective date [Oct 23, 2022], or the advertisement of such rentals, in any district.' DPP's official position (Jan 2025 Zoning Committee update) is that it can only enforce Ord 22-7 prospectively, treats pre-22-7 rentals as nonconforming uses, and in practice enforces the sub-30-day line; DPP's current FAQ states rentals of 30+ consecutive days are not STRs. ## Requirements ### STR registration (bed and breakfast home or transient vacation unit) (registration) - Authority: City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) - Cost: $1,000 initial registration per unit, plus 2.35% city service fee (ROH §6-41.1, as amended by Ord 24-14; fee confirmed in DPP Jan 2025 update) - Renewal: Annual; $500 renewal plus 2.35% city service fee; file no earlier than 3 months and no later than 1 month before certificate expiration - Official source: https://www.honolulu.gov/dpp/permitting/str/str-faq/ - Notes: Register via the HNL Build portal; each unit registered separately; certificate valid one year from issuance. Initial application requires title report (or BFS real property tax records), state GET and TAT licenses and city (OTAT) transient accommodations tax registration, HOA/condo association letter confirming STRs are permitted, tax clearances on renewal, and evidence of insurance. Registration opened October 24, 2022; no deadline. Zoning verification request available for $300. ### Liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: ROH §21-5.70-3 (as enacted by Ord 25-2, amended by Ord 25-52; originally Ord 22-7/24-14) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be maintained at all times; evidence due at registration and on director's request at renewal - Official source: https://files.amlegal.com/pdffiles/Honolulu/ORD25-052.pdf - Notes: Minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence commercial general liability insurance, or homeowner's insurance with business liability coverage (umbrella coverage acceptable); hosting-platform-provided coverage may satisfy the requirement if it meets the minimums. ### State transient accommodations tax (TAT) license and general excise tax (GET) license (license) - Authority: Hawaii Department of Taxation (HRS ch. 237D and 237) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://files.hawaii.gov/tax/legal/taxfacts/tf2025-96-2.pdf - Notes: Operators furnishing transient accommodations (under 180 days) must register for and hold state TAT and GET licenses; both are prerequisites to city STR registration (Ord 22-7/24-14). License fee amounts not verified in fetched sources. ### Nonconforming use certificate (NUC) annual renewal (grandfathered STRs only) (permit) - Authority: DPP - Cost: $500 per renewal (ROH §6-41.1 fee schedule as amended by Ord 24-14) - Renewal: Annual; renewal window September 1 - October 15 each year; certificates not renewed by deadline expire - Official source: https://www.honolulu.gov/dpp/permitting/str/ - Notes: NUCs cover STRs grandfathered from before October 22, 1986; no new NUCs are issued; NUC may transfer to a new owner if renewed before expiration. ### Advertising compliance (other) - Authority: DPP (ROH §21-5.70-3, as amended by Ord 25-52) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.honolulu.gov/dpp/permitting/str/str-faq/ - Notes: Every ad for a rental under 30 days must include the STR registration or NUC number and the property's tax map key. Ads for unregistered dwellings for terms under 90 consecutive days are unlawful; unregistered listings may not show daily or less-than-three-month rates and must state: 'This property may not be rented for less than 90 consecutive days. Rental prices will not be reduced or adjusted based on the number of days the rental is actually used or occupied.' (Enforcement against lawfully preexisting 30-89 day rentals is barred by the 2023 federal injunction.) ## Taxes - **Hawaii Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT)**: 11.00% (increased from 10.25% effective January 1, 2026 by Act 96, SLH 2025, the 'green fee') — applies to Gross rental proceeds from furnishing transient accommodations (stays under 180 days); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://files.hawaii.gov/tax/news/announce/ann25-03.pdf - **Oahu Transient Accommodations Tax (OTAT)**: 3% — applies to Gross rental proceeds attributable to Oahu for transient accommodations let for less than 180 consecutive days (ROH ch. 8A, Ord 21-33, effective December 14, 2021); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.honolulu.gov/bfs/wp-content/uploads/sites/62/2024/06/Final_OTAT_FAQs_2.15.23.pdf - **General Excise Tax (GET) + Oahu county surcharge**: 4.0% GET plus 0.5% Honolulu county surcharge (surcharge effective through December 31, 2030); maximum pass-on rate 4.712% — applies to Gross income from rental activity; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://tax.hawaii.gov/geninfo/countysurcharge/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating an unregistered/illegal STR: civil fines of up to $10,000 initial and up to $10,000 per day for continuing violations (ROH §21-2.150-2 as amended by Ord 22-7, which raised the caps from $1,000/$5,000); in addition to daily fines, the DPP director may impose a fine equal to the total rent received during the violation period (Ord 22-7). Unlawful advertising: after a 7-day removal notice, an initial fine of up to $5,000 plus up to $10,000 for each day the ad remains on public display (ROH §21-5.70-3 as amended by Ord 25-52); an unlawful ad is prima facie evidence an STR is operating at the address, with the burden on the owner to rebut. DPP compliance notices warn operators of 'fines of up to $10,000 per day' (DPP STR Update, Jan 16, 2025). - Platform liability: Hosting platforms may not provide, collect, or receive fees for booking services for B&B homes or TVUs unless the unit has a current registration or NUC number; platforms may not collect fees for ancillary services (insurance, concierge, catering, etc.) for unregistered units. Violations of the hosting-platform article carry civil fines of not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000 for each day the violation continues (ROH §21-2A.10/§21-2A.40 as amended by Ord 22-7). - Notes: DPP tracks compliance via an STR Compliance Map and accepts complaints through its Request for Investigation portal; DPP collected $2,610,025 in STR registration fees from 10/22/2022 to 1/14/2025 and uses a collections agency (Aargon) for unpaid fines. Federal court (HILSTRA v. City & County of Honolulu, No. 22-cv-00247-DKW-RT, D. Haw., order Dec. 21, 2023, granting summary judgment on HRS §46-4(a) preemption grounds) permanently enjoined enforcing Ord 22-7 insofar as it prohibits 30-89 day home rentals lawfully in existence on October 23, 2022, or their advertisement; judgment entered for plaintiff and case closed. ## Pending changes - State Act 17 (SLH 2024, SB 2919, signed May 3, 2024) amended county zoning authority (HRS 46-4) to let counties regulate the time, place, manner, and duration of transient accommodations and amortize/phase out STR uses in residential and agricultural zones, addressing the preemption basis of the HILSTRA injunction. Honolulu has since re-enacted its 90-day minimum and STR framework in the recodified LUO (Ord 25-2, bulk effective September 30, 2025; corrected by Ord 25-52, passed November 5, 2025), but no Honolulu phase-out of existing grandfathered/nonconforming STRs had been enacted or verified as proposed as of 2026-07-16. (proposed, 2024-05-03) — https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/office-of-the-governor-news-release-gov-green-signs-sb-2919-into-law-to-empower-county-regulation-of-short-term-rentals-provides-affordable-housing-progress-update/ ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Operating-violation penalty amounts (initial up to $10,000; up to $10,000/day; disgorgement of rent received) were verified in the enacted text of Ordinance 22-7 (amending ROH §21-2.150-2 and §21-2A.40) and are consistent with DPP's Jan 2025 'up to $10,000 per day' statement, but the full recodified enforcement sections of the new LUO (Ordinance 25-2, ROH 2021 ed.) could not be fetched (12MB+ PDF), so the current codified section numbers/amounts for operating (non-advertising) violations were not independently re-verified post-recodification. - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo or other platforms collect and remit Hawaii TAT, OTAT, or GET on hosts' behalf could not be verified against an official source; the city's OTAT FAQ requires operators to remit OTAT separately to the city, so collectedByPlatform is set to null for all taxes. - Ordinance 25-52's exact mayoral approval date was not shown in the certified copy fetched (Council passed third reading Nov 5, 2025; the ordinance 'takes effect upon its approval'); DPP already cites it as current law. - The enforceable minimum stay for residential-district rentals established AFTER October 23, 2022 is legally unsettled: the codified LUO says 90 consecutive days (re-enacted by Ord 25-2/25-52 after Act 17 (2024) removed the state-preemption obstacle), the 2023 permanent injunction protects only rentals lawfully in existence before Ord 22-7's effective date, and DPP's public FAQ currently draws the STR line at 30 days; min_stay_exempt_days is set to 30 to reflect DPP's stated enforcement position, not the ordinance text. - No absolute maximum guest count exists in the verified sources (limit is two adults per transient occupant bedroom; B&B homes capped at two guest rooms with up to two adults each), so max_guests is null. - State GET/TAT license registration fee amounts (e.g., one-time GET license fee) were not verified in the fetched official sources. - Whether the city appealed the December 21, 2023 HILSTRA judgment was not verified; the order directed entry of judgment and closure of the case, and DPP's January 2025 presentation treats the injunction as operative. ## Sources - DPP Short-Term Rentals main page (City and County of Honolulu) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.honolulu.gov/dpp/permitting/str/ - DPP Short-Term Rental FAQ (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.honolulu.gov/dpp/permitting/str/str-faq/ - Ordinance 22-7 (Bill 41 (2021), CD2) - Relating to Transient Accommodations (official city posting) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.honolulu.gov/dpp/wp-content/uploads/sites/56/2024/07/ORD22-007.pdf - Ordinance 24-14 (Bill 53 (2023), CD2) - Registration Requirements for B&B Homes and TVUs (city ordinance posting via American Legal Publishing) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://files.amlegal.com/pdffiles/Honolulu/ORD24-014.pdf - Ordinance 25-52 (Bill 62 (2025), CD1) - B&B/TVU standards amendments and permitted-area figures (city ordinance posting via American Legal Publishing) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://files.amlegal.com/pdffiles/Honolulu/ORD25-052.pdf - Bill 62 (2025), CD1 certified text (Honolulu legislative documents, hnldoc.ehawaii.gov) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/document-download?id=26191 - DPP Land Use Ordinance Update page (Ordinance 25-2 signing and effective dates) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.honolulu.gov/dpp/land-use-ordinance-update/ - HILSTRA v. City & County of Honolulu, No. 22-cv-00247-DKW-RT (D. Haw. Dec. 21, 2023), Order granting summary judgment and permanent injunction (Dkt. 85, via GovInfo/U.S. Courts) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-hid-1_22-cv-00247/pdf/USCOURTS-hid-1_22-cv-00247-2.pdf - Hawaii Department of Taxation Announcement 2025-03 (Act 96 TAT increase to 11% effective Jan 1, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://files.hawaii.gov/tax/news/announce/ann25-03.pdf - Hawaii DOTAX Tax Facts 96-2, Transient Accommodations Tax (rev. May 2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://files.hawaii.gov/tax/legal/taxfacts/tf2025-96-2.pdf - Hawaii DOTAX County Surcharge page (GET 4% + 0.5% Oahu surcharge; 4.712% max pass-on) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://tax.hawaii.gov/geninfo/countysurcharge/ - City and County of Honolulu BFS - Oahu Transient Accommodations Tax FAQs (OTAT 3%, Ord 21-33) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.honolulu.gov/bfs/wp-content/uploads/sites/62/2024/06/Final_OTAT_FAQs_2.15.23.pdf - DPP Short-Term Rental Update, City Council Zoning Committee presentation, Jan 16, 2025 (fees collected, 2.35% service fee, 90 vs 30 day enforcement position, $10,000/day warning) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/document-download?id=23448 - Governor of Hawaii news release - Gov. Green signs SB 2919 (Act 17, SLH 2024) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/office-of-the-governor-news-release-gov-green-signs-sb-2919-into-law-to-empower-county-regulation-of-short-term-rentals-provides-affordable-housing-progress-update/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in San Francisco, CA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/san-francisco-ca/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) are legal in San Francisco only in the host's own primary residence, under Administrative Code Chapter 41A. The host must be the 'permanent resident' of the unit (occupying it at least 275 nights per calendar year and having lived there 60 days before applying), must hold a Business Registration Certificate from the Treasurer & Tax Collector, and must obtain a Short-Term Residential Rental certificate from the Office of Short-Term Rentals ($925 non-refundable application fee, valid 2 years). Hosted stays (host present overnight) have no annual night limit; un-hosted stays are capped at 90 nights per calendar year. Hosts must carry at least $500,000 liability insurance (unless the platform provides coverage), file quarterly rental reports even for zero activity, and collect the 14% Transient Occupancy Tax. Whole units that are not the operator's primary residence cannot legally be rented short-term, and many unit types (BMR/public housing, SROs, ADUs, Ellis Act buildings, Treasure Island/Presidio/Fort Mason) are ineligible. Enforcement is active: penalties start at $484 per day per unit, platforms must verify registration before taking bookings, and violations can be referred to the City Attorney. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Both hosted and un-hosted rentals are lawful ONLY in the host's registered primary residence (permanent resident = at least 275 nights/year in the unit; 60 days residence before applying). Un-hosted rentals capped at 90 nights per calendar year; hosted rentals (host present in the unit overnight with guests) have no night cap. Dedicated/non-primary-residence whole-home STRs are effectively prohibited. Ineligible units per OSTR FAQ: income-restricted (BMR)/public housing, student housing, SROs (except seasonal), Ellis Act-withdrawn buildings, ADUs, commercial spaces, group housing, units in Treasure Island, Fort Mason, or the Presidio, and outdoor sleeping quarters. Rent-controlled units: host may not charge guests more per month than the host pays in rent. Leases and HOA rules may separately prohibit STRs (not enforced by OSTR). No citywide max-guest count verified in official sources. OSTR's 'Maintain Your Certified Host Status' page also states hosts cannot offer 'more than five (5) individual short-term rental reservations' (apparently simultaneous reservations) — flagged in needs_review for exact scope. Verified against sf.gov Guide, sfplanning.org STR FAQ / Become a Certified Host / Maintain Your Certified Host Status, all fetched 2026-07-16. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Residential Rental Certificate (registration with Office of Short-Term Rentals) (registration) - Authority: Office of Short-Term Rentals, SF Planning Department - Cost: $925 non-refundable application fee per 2 years (fee as posted 2025-2026) - Renewal: Every 2 years (certificate valid 2 years from approval; OSTR emails renewal instructions ~1 month before expiration) - Official source: https://sfplanning.org/str/faqs-short-term-rentals - Notes: Requires proof of primary residency (2 documents), 60 days prior residence, intent to occupy 275+ nights/year, and a Business Registration Certificate first. Earlier published fee levels ($450-$725/2 yrs) are outdated; current official FAQ states $925. ### Business Registration Certificate (registration) - Authority: SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annually, due May 31 - Official source: https://www.sf.gov/guide-opening-short-term-residential-rental - Notes: Must register the business type as 'Accommodations' at the residential unit's address before applying to OSTR. Fee varies by gross receipts; amount not verified against an official source this session. ### Property liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: Office of Short-Term Rentals (Admin Code Ch. 41A) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://sfplanning.org/str/become-certified-host - Notes: Liability insurance of not less than $500,000 covering short-term rental use. Waived if hosting exclusively through a platform that provides equivalent coverage (e.g., Airbnb, VRBO per sf.gov guide). Note: the commonly-cited $1M figure is NOT what official SF pages state — official pages say $500,000. ### Quarterly rental activity reports (other) - Authority: Office of Short-Term Rentals - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Quarterly — due within 30 days after each quarter ending Mar 31/Jun 30/Sep 30/Dec 31 - Official source: https://sfplanning.org/str/maintain-your-certified-host-status - Notes: All certified hosts must report the number of hosted and un-hosted nights each quarter, including a zero report if there were no stays. ### Transient Occupancy Tax collection/remittance (Certificate of Authority unless platform files) (other) - Authority: SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://sftreasurer.org/business/taxes-fees/transient-occupancy-tax-tot - Notes: Hosts must collect 14% TOT on stays under 30 days. If the host operates exclusively through a Qualified Website Company (Airbnb, Interval International, misterb&b), the QWC collects, remits, and files all TOT on the host's behalf. ### Business Personal Property Statement (Form 571-STR) (other) - Authority: SF Office of the Assessor-Recorder (per sf.gov STR guide) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual filing - Official source: https://www.sf.gov/guide-opening-short-term-residential-rental - Notes: STR hosts must file Business Personal Property Tax Form 571-STR; details/thresholds not further verified this session. ## Taxes - **Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT / hotel tax)**: 14% — applies to Rent for accommodations of less than 30 days; guest pays, host/operator collects and remits; platform collects: yes. Source: https://sftreasurer.org/business/taxes-fees/transient-occupancy-tax-tot - **Tourism Improvement District (TID) assessment**: 2.25% (Zone 1) / 2.00% (Zone 2) — applies to Gross revenue from tourist accommodations within TID zones; may be passed to guests as a separate line item (Moscone Expansion District assessment also applies within its district); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://sftreasurer.org/business/taxes-fees/transient-occupancy-tax-tot ## Enforcement - Penalties: Administrative penalties per OSTR (sfplanning.org FAQ and Complaints & Enforcement pages, fetched 2026-07-16): at least $484 per day per dwelling unit from Notice of Violation until abated; $968 per day per unit for a 2nd violation; repeat violations referred to the City Attorney for civil and/or criminal penalties. Structure per Ordinance 104-16 amending Admin Code Sec. 41A.6(d) (official ordinance PDF, sfbos.archive.sf.gov, fetched 2026-07-16): up to 4x the standard hourly administrative rate ($121) per unit per day for an initial violation, 8x for a second, 12x for third and subsequent. Civil penalties: owners, business entities, or hosting platforms in violation liable for up to $1,000 per day (Sec. 41A.5(d)(3)); only the City may obtain civil penalties. Criminal: renting or listing in violation without correcting is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 fine and/or up to 6 months county jail, each unit a separate offense (Sec. 41A.5(e)). Units with multiple violations are removed from the Registry for 1 year and barred from all platforms, with up to $1,000/day for continued listing (Sec. 41A.6(d)(2)). Private right of action: after a complaint and a Director determination via administrative hearing, the City or any Interested Party (permanent resident of the building, the HOA, the owner, etc.) may bring civil proceedings for injunctive and monetary relief against an owner/business entity, with attorney's fees to the prevailing party (Ord. 218-14, Sec. 41A.5(d)); interested parties cannot recover the $1,000/day civil penalties. - Platform liability: Verified against Ordinance 104-16 (official PDF) and OSTR's Hosting Platform Administrative Guidelines (sfplanning.org PDF implementing Admin Code Sec. 41A.5(g)(4)(C), fetched 2026-07-16): hosting platforms must exercise reasonable care to verify a unit is lawfully registered on the City Registry BEFORE providing and collecting fees for booking services (via OSTR API, mandatory registration-number field plus monthly listing spreadsheet to OSTR, or certificate-upload verification). Platforms become liable if they provide booking services more than 2 business days after OSTR notifies them a listing is ineligible. Platforms must keep host/transaction records for 3 years and respond to OSTR information requests within 1 business day per listing, subject to administrative penalties and civil penalties up to $1,000/day (Ord. 104-16). Platforms are also subject to the tiered administrative penalties (4x/8x/12x $121/day per failure) and misdemeanor liability for unlawful listings. - Notes: Complaints may be filed with OSTR (including anonymously, 628.652.7599). Example enforcement cited on the official page: City Attorney pursued a $5.5M penalty against owners of illegal Airbnb rentals. The platform verification duty is the regime associated with the Airbnb v. City of San Francisco litigation settled in 2017; the settlement itself was not verified against an official source this session (see needs_review). ## Pending changes - California SB 346 (2025) — 'Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025' (Gov. Code Secs. 50993-50996): authorizes cities/counties that adopt an implementing ordinance to require short-term rental facilitators (platforms) to report each rental's physical address, license number, APN, and TOT certification, to include local license numbers in listings, and permits administrative fines and TOT audits of facilitators. Opt-in, not self-executing, and expressly does not preempt stricter local regimes like SF Chapter 41A. Chaptered 2025-10-13. (effective-date-pending, 2025-10-13) — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB346 ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Renewal fee for the OSTR certificate: official pages confirm the $925 non-refundable application fee and 2-year validity, but do not state whether the renewal/reapplication fee equals $925; verify against the current Planning fee schedule. - Business Registration Certificate cost: varies by business size/receipts; no dollar amount verified against an official source (set to null). - The 'no more than five (5) individual short-term rental reservations' statement on the Maintain Your Certified Host Status page: exact meaning (simultaneous reservations per unit?) and the underlying code section were not verified; the codified Chapter 41A text could not be fetched (codelibrary.amlegal.com returned 403 to all methods tried). - Current codified Chapter 41A text (post-2016 amendments) unverified directly due to amlegal 403; penalty structure verified from the 2014/2016 ordinance PDFs plus current OSTR pages ($484/$968 daily figures match the 4x/8x formula at the $121 hourly rate). The 'standard hourly administrative rate' may have been adjusted since; OSTR pages still publish $484/$968 as of fetch date. - Airbnb, Inc. v. City & County of San Francisco (N.D. Cal. 2016) and the 2017 settlement establishing platform pass-through registration: the verification regime it produced IS verified via the official OSTR Platform Guidelines and Ord. 104-16, but the lawsuit/settlement itself was not verified against an official source this session. - SB 346 (2025) effective date: chaptered 2025-10-13; the fetched summary said 'effective upon approval,' which is atypical for a non-urgency statute (normally January 1, 2026) — confirm the operative date and whether San Francisco has adopted (or needs) an implementing ordinance under it. - Tourism Improvement District (2.25%/2.00%) and Moscone Expansion District assessments: rates verified on the Treasurer's TOT page, but whether small residential STR hosts (vs. tourist hotels) owe TID/MED assessments was not conclusively verified. - An April 2025 news item (citizenportal.ai) describing Board of Supervisors STR amendments could not be corroborated on any official SF source and contains claims inconsistent with the long-standing 2014 program; treated as unreliable and excluded. - max_guests set to null: no citywide per-unit guest cap found on official OSTR pages; building/housing code occupancy limits may still apply. ## Sources - Guide to opening a short-term residential rental — SF.gov (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.sf.gov/guide-opening-short-term-residential-rental - FAQs on Short-Term Rentals — SF Planning, Office of Short-Term Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sfplanning.org/str/faqs-short-term-rentals - Become a Certified Host — SF Planning, Office of Short-Term Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sfplanning.org/str/become-certified-host - Maintain Your Certified Host Status — SF Planning, Office of Short-Term Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sfplanning.org/str/maintain-your-certified-host-status - Complaints and Enforcement — SF Planning, Office of Short-Term Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sfplanning.org/str/complaints-and-enforcement - Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) — SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sftreasurer.org/business/taxes-fees/transient-occupancy-tax-tot - OSTR Short-Term Rental Guidelines for Hosting Platforms (implementing Admin Code Sec. 41A.5(g)(4)(C)) — official PDF (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sfplanning.org/sites/default/files/documents/ostr/OSTR_Platforms_Admin_Guidelines.pdf - Ordinance No. 104-16 (File 160423) — Admin Code Ch. 41A hosting platform verification and penalties — SF Board of Supervisors archive (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sfbos.archive.sf.gov/ftp/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/ordinances16/o0104-16.pdf - Ordinance No. 218-14 — original short-term residential rental legalization amending Ch. 41A — SF Board of Supervisors archive (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://sfbos.archive.sf.gov/ftp/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/ordinances14/o0218-14.pdf - SB 346 (2025-2026) Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 — California Legislative Information (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB346 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Seattle, WA - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/seattle-wa/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (any dwelling unit rented for fewer than 30 consecutive nights) are legal citywide in Seattle in most lawfully established dwelling units, but every operator needs two city credentials: a Seattle business license tax certificate and a $75/unit/year STR regulatory license (SMC Ch. 6.600, effective Jan 1, 2019), with the license number posted on every listing in the format STR-OPLI-##-######. Operators are capped at one dwelling unit, or two units if one of them is the operator's primary residence — so a host may run a single non-primary whole-home STR, but cannot scale beyond that unless grandfathered as a pre-September 30, 2017 legacy operator (with extra allowances in the Downtown and First Hill/Capitol Hill urban centers). Units that are not part of the operator's primary residence must also register with the city's Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) program. STRs are not allowed in RVs, tents, garages, boats, live-work units, caretaker's quarters, or shoreline floating homes. Washington state law (RCW 64.37) adds a $1M liability-insurance requirement (or platform-provided equivalent), safety/posting duties, and tax obligations; guests in Seattle pay a combined 15.7% lodging tax (including the 7% King County convention and trade center tax). Unlicensed operation draws $500 then $1,000 citations, and repeat violations can be charged as a misdemeanor. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: SMC 6.600.040.B (Ord. 125490): an operator may offer no more than ONE dwelling unit as an STR, or a maximum of TWO units if one of them is the operator's primary residence. So one unhosted, non-primary-residence whole-home rental is allowed with licenses; a second unit is allowed only if the other is the operator's primary residence. Legacy exceptions for operators active before Sept 30, 2017: citywide legacy operators may keep up to two units (and add a third if it is their primary residence after first renewal); operators in the Downtown Urban Center (south of Olive Way, north of Cherry St) and, for post-2012 buildings of <=5 units, the First Hill/Capitol Hill Urban Center may continue pre-existing units plus one additional (SMC 6.600.040.B.1-3, with documentary proof required per B.4). Rentals of 30+ consecutive nights are not STRs (SMC 23.84A.024; RCW 64.37.010). STRs prohibited in RVs, tents, garages, boats, non-dwelling spaces, live-work units, caretaker's quarters, and floating homes/shoreline waterfront residences (SDCI, SMC 23.42.060, Ord. 125483). No STR-specific citywide guest cap was verified. ## Requirements ### Seattle Business License Tax Certificate (license) - Authority: City of Seattle Office of City Finance / License and Tax Administration - Cost: $73 for 2026 new applications (renewal fee tiered by prior-year taxable revenue; half-year fee if starting July 1 or later; $10 per branch location) - Renewal: annual (expires Dec 31) - Official source: https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/CityFinance/Business%20Licenses/BLTC%20Application%20Packet-2026%20rate.pdf - Notes: Apply via FileLocal (www.filelocal-wa.gov); allow 48 hours before applying for the STR regulatory license. The 2026 small-business exemption (<=$4,000 gross, no place of business in city) does NOT apply to activities requiring a regulatory license, so STR operators still need this certificate. ### Short-Term Rental Operator License (regulatory license) (license) - Authority: City of Seattle (SMC Ch. 6.600, Ord. 125490) - Cost: $75 per dwelling unit per year - Renewal: annual (valid 12 months from issuance) - Official source: https://www.seattle.gov/business-regulations/short-term-rentals - Notes: Apply through the Seattle Services Portal. License number must appear on every listing in format STR-OPLI-##-######. Fee set at $75/unit in SMC 6.600.090.B; Director reviews fees annually for cost recovery. ### RRIO Registration (Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance) (registration) - Authority: Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.seattle.gov/sdci/codes/common-code-questions/short-term-rentals - Notes: Required before the STR regulatory license for units NOT within the operator's primary residence; unit subject to inspection for housing/building maintenance standards. RRIO fee not verified. ### Liability insurance (state) (insurance) - Authority: Washington State (RCW 64.37.050) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.37.050 - Notes: Operator must maintain primary liability coverage of not less than $1,000,000 aggregate, OR conduct every STR transaction through a platform providing equal or greater primary liability coverage. ### State consumer-safety duties (other) - Authority: Washington State (RCW 64.37.030) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.37&full=true - Notes: Provide contact info available during stays; comply with carbon monoxide alarm requirements; post in the unit: street address, emergency contacts, floor plan with fire exits, maximum occupancy, operator contact info. First violation = warning letter; subsequent = class 2 civil infraction. ### WA Department of Revenue tax registration and remittance (registration) - Authority: Washington State Department of Revenue (RCW 64.37.020; DOR Lodging Guide) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://dor.wa.gov/education/industry-guides/lodging-guide/lodging-transient-short-term - Notes: Transient lodging (under 30 days) is taxable under the Retailing B&O classification and operators must collect retail sales tax and applicable lodging taxes, unless a platform collects and remits them on the operator's behalf (RCW 64.37.020). ### STR Platform License (for booking platforms) (license) - Authority: City of Seattle (SMC 6.600.040.A, 6.600.060) - Cost: $4.00 per night booked, paid quarterly (due Jan 30, Apr 30, Jul 30, Oct 30) - Official source: https://www.seattle.gov/business-regulations/short-term-rentals - Notes: Platforms must hold a platform license, verify operator license numbers on listings before providing booking services, remove listings on city notice, report monthly (licensed operators/units/URLs, 15th of each month) and quarterly (operator and nights-booked counts). Per-night fee originally set at $0 in Ord. 125490 with annual Director's Rule adjustment for cost recovery; current $4.00/night per seattle.gov. B&B operators listing on platforms need a separate $75/year B&B operator license plus a WA state transient accommodation license. ## Taxes - **Combined lodging taxes on Seattle short-term rentals (state + local retail sales tax + convention and trade center tax)**: 15.7% total (Q2 2026, DOR 'Seattle - Lodging: Short-term rental' line, location code 1726/6026) — applies to Gross lodging charges for stays under 30 consecutive nights, including cleaning, pet, damage-waiver and similar fees; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://dor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/Q226_Lodging_flyer.pdf - **King County Convention and Trade Center Tax (component of the 15.7% above)**: 7.0% in Seattle — applies to Lodging stays under 30 days in King County; applies to ALL lodging businesses regardless of unit count since Jan 1, 2019, including short-term rentals; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://dor.wa.gov/education/industry-guides/lodging-guide/convention-and-trade-center-tax - **Washington Retailing B&O tax (state) on lodging income**: rate not verified in this research — applies to Gross income from transient lodging sales; platform collects: no. Source: https://dor.wa.gov/education/industry-guides/lodging-guide/lodging-transient-short-term ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operators/B&B operators: $500 citation for a first violation; $1,000 for each second or subsequent violation within 5 years; each day may be a separate violation (SMC 6.600.120, Ord. 125490). Two or more citations or notices of violation within 3 years can be charged as a misdemeanor (SMC 6.600.130). Platforms: $500/day per violation for the first 10 days, $1,000/day thereafter (SMC 6.600.110). Land-use (zoning) violations: $150-$500 per day plus inspection costs (SDCI, per seattle.gov). Seattle.gov also states operating without a business license tax certificate can draw a $513 citation. - Platform liability: Platforms are directly regulated: they must hold a Seattle platform license, verify that listings display valid operator license numbers BEFORE providing booking services, remove noncompliant listings upon city notification, file monthly operator reports and quarterly nights-booked reports, pay the $4.00/night-booked fee, inform operators of tax duties, and give the Director records access consistent with federal law (SMC 6.600.060; Ord. 125490). Under state law platforms must register with the WA Department of Revenue, notify operators of tax and safety obligations, and warn that personal insurance may not cover STR activity (RCW 64.37.040). - Notes: City licensing enforcement is handled by Finance and Administrative Services / City Finance (STR@seattle.gov, 206-386-1267); zoning/building enforcement by SDCI. State safety violations: warning letter first, then class 2 civil infraction (RCW 64.37.030). ## Pending changes - ESSB 5576 (official companion HB 1763; related 2026 House vehicle HB 2559, which advanced through House Finance Jan 29, 2026 and to Appropriations Feb 3, 2026): would authorize counties, cities, and towns to impose a special excise tax of up to 4% on short-term rental lodging facilitated through a platform, with revenue dedicated to affordable/workforce/supportive housing and rental assistance (up to 15% retainable for administration); tax could not be imposed before April 1, 2026 under the engrossed Senate version. Passed the WA Senate 27-21 on March 11, 2025, stalled in the House, reintroduced January 12, 2026, and as of July 16, 2026 remains in Senate Ways & Means — not enacted. If it passes, Seattle could layer up to 4% on top of the current 15.7%. (proposed, 2026-01-12) — https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5576&Year=2025 ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Current codified SMC 6.600 text could not be fetched (library.municode.com returned HTTP 403); unit caps, fees, and penalty amounts were verified against Ordinance 125490 as adopted (official Legistar full text) and corroborated by current seattle.gov program pages, but any post-2017 amendments to Ch. 6.600 were not independently confirmed. - The $513 citation figure for operating without a business license tax certificate comes from automated extraction of the seattle.gov STR page and should be re-confirmed against the page/SMC 5.55 before publication. - No STR-specific maximum-guest cap was verified; a general land-use household occupancy limit (reportedly max 8 persons per dwelling unit) appears in third-party summaries but was not verified against official code, so max_guests is null. - RRIO registration fee amount not verified (requirement itself verified on seattle.gov). - Washington state business license / DOR registration fee for operators not verified. - Whether platforms are legally REQUIRED to collect all Seattle lodging taxes as marketplace facilitators (RCW 82.08.0531) was not independently verified; RCW 64.37.020 confirms only that operators are relieved when a platform collects and remits — hence collectedByPlatform is null for guest taxes. - Seattle city B&O (business license) tax rates/thresholds on STR income not verified; operators must file returns even when no tax is due (per 2026 BLTC instructions, SMC 5.55). - Breakdown of the 15.7% total lodging rate beyond the 7% convention center component (state 6.5% + local + RTA per DOR footnote) was not itemized from an official source. - Companion bill HB 2559 details (April 2027 start date) are from news coverage only; the officially verified vehicle is ESSB 5576. ## Sources - Short-Term Rentals - Business Regulations (operator, platform, B&B licensing) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.seattle.gov/business-regulations/short-term-rentals - Short-Term Rentals - SDCI Common Code Questions (land use, RRIO, enforcement) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.seattle.gov/sdci/codes/common-code-questions/short-term-rentals - Seattle CB 119081 / Ordinance 125490 full text (SMC Ch. 6.600 Short-Term Rentals: licensing, unit caps, legacy exceptions, fees, penalties) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://seattle.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3151927&GUID=F7CF643C-4633-4EDF-961A-D1CC0DF7D382&FullText=1 - Seattle CB 119082 / Ordinance 125483 full text (land use: SMC 23.42.060, 23.84A definitions, RRIO amendment) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://seattle.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3151928&GUID=EEFF882C-B64C-49DC-823A-67676A832B9C&FullText=1 - 2026 Application for Seattle Business License Tax Certificate (fee $73, expiry, exemption rules) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/CityFinance/Business%20Licenses/BLTC%20Application%20Packet-2026%20rate.pdf - RCW Chapter 64.37 Short-Term Rentals (definitions, taxes, safety, platform duties) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.37&full=true - RCW 64.37.050 Liability insurance ($1M or platform coverage) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.37.050 - WA DOR Lodging Guide - Lodging taxes (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://dor.wa.gov/education/industry-guides/lodging-guide/lodging-taxes - WA DOR Lodging Guide - Lodging transient (short-term) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://dor.wa.gov/education/industry-guides/lodging-guide/lodging-transient-short-term - WA DOR Convention and Trade Center Tax (applies to all King County lodging since 1/1/2019) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://dor.wa.gov/education/industry-guides/lodging-guide/convention-and-trade-center-tax - WA DOR Lodging Rates and Changes flyer, Q2 2026 (Seattle short-term rental: 15.7% total, 7% convention center tax) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://dor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/Q226_Lodging_flyer.pdf - WA Legislature bill summary, SB 5576 (2025-26) short-term rental local-option tax (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5576&Year=2025 - Senate Bill Report, ESSB 5576 (up to 4% local STR tax; not before April 1, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Htm/Bill%20Reports/Senate/5576-S.E%20SBR%20APS%2025.htm --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Chicago, IL - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/chicago-il/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (31 days or fewer booked through a platform) are legal in Chicago but tightly controlled under the Shared Housing Ordinance (MCC Ch. 4-13, 4-14, 4-16, 4-17 and 4-6-300). Every unit needs an approved BACP shared housing registration ($250/year) before it is advertised or rented; hosts with 2+ registered units also need a $500 two-year Shared Housing Unit Operator License, and units rented outside a licensed platform need a vacation rental (regulated business) license instead. Units must be lawfully established dwellings with 6 or fewer sleeping rooms and must not be in a voter-petitioned Restricted Residential Zone (concentrated in Wards 13 and 23), on the Prohibited Buildings List (~2,400 buildings whose owners opted out), or on the Scofflaw/Problem Landlord lists. Single-family homes and units in 2-4 unit buildings must be the host's primary residence with max 1 rental per building; in 5+ unit buildings there is no primary-residence rule but no more than one-quarter of units or 6 units (whichever is less) may be STRs. Occupancy is capped at 1 person per 125 sq ft, rentals under 10 hours and overlapping bookings are banned, and guests pay a 10.5% city tax (4.5% hotel tax + 6% surcharge) plus Cook County and Illinois hotel taxes. Fines run $2,500-$10,000 per offense and the city actively enforces, including a 2026 lawsuit against Airbnb; platforms (which must hold city intermediary licenses) register units in bulk and remit city taxes for hosts. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Not verified - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 32 days Notes: Primary residence requirement depends on building type: required for single-family homes and 2-4 unit buildings (max 1 active rental per building, primary residence defined as lived in at least 245 days/year, MCC 4-14-010); NOT required in buildings with 5+ units, capped at the lesser of one-quarter of units or 6 units per building (BACP 2026 guide; MCC 4-14-060). Exceptions via Commissioner's Adjustment ($360 application fee), active-military duty, or legacy vacation rental licenses held as of 6/22/2016. No fixed guest cap; maximum occupancy is 1 person per 125 sq ft of floor area or building-code capacity, whichever is less (MCC 4-14-050(b)). Rentals of 32+ days do not require registration (BACP 2026 guide). Rentals under 10 consecutive hours, more than one rental per 10-hour period, overlapping bookings, serving alcohol to guests, and hosting parties/events for compensation ('egregious condition') are prohibited. Units in RRZ precincts, on the Prohibited Buildings List, Scofflaw List, or Problem Landlord List, or barred by HOA bylaws/lease terms are ineligible. Hosts must be natural persons (MCC 4-13-260(a)(8)). ## Requirements ### Shared Housing Unit Registration (registration) - Authority: Chicago Dept. of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) - Cost: $250 per year - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/sharedhousingregistrationguide2026.pdf - Notes: Required before advertising or renting any unit for 31 days or fewer via a platform; apply via the Shared Housing Registration Portal (chicago.gov/sharedhousing). Platforms bulk-register listed units (MCC 4-13-230/4-14-020) but BACP determines eligibility; registration number must appear on every listing. Fee raised from $150 to $250 effective 2026-01-01. ### Shared Housing Unit Operator License (SHUOL) (license) - Authority: BACP - Cost: $500 per 2-year license - Renewal: 2 years - Official source: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/shuollicensingguide2026.pdf - Notes: Required for any host with 2 or more shared housing registrations (MCC Ch. 4-16); issued only to individuals (sole proprietor), one per host, in addition to per-unit registrations. Fee raised from $250 to $500 effective 2026-01-01. ### Vacation Rental License (Regulated Business License) (license) - Authority: BACP - Cost: not verified - Renewal: 2 years - Official source: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/sharedhousingordinanceamendments.pdf - Notes: Units rented short-term outside the shared-housing/platform registration path need a vacation rental license under MCC 4-6-300 (same building-type/primary-residence limits, insurance, guest-record and posting duties). BACP's 2026 fee notice lists Regulated Business License at $1,000/2 years but does not name vacation rentals specifically, so cost is left null - see needs_review. ### Insurance (vacation rental licensees) (insurance) - Authority: MCC 4-6-300(f)(1) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/sharedhousingordinanceamendments.pdf - Notes: Vacation rental licensees must carry homeowner's fire/hazard/liability insurance plus commercial general liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence naming the City as additional insured. For platform-booked shared housing units, the licensed intermediary must provide $1,000,000-per-occurrence liability coverage for guests (MCC 4-13-220(b)). ### Short Term Residential Rental Intermediary License (platforms, e.g., Airbnb) (license) - Authority: BACP (MCC 4-13-200) - Cost: $250-$10,000 per year (tiered by unit count) plus $60 per unit - Renewal: annual - Official source: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/COFA/AldermanicRequestReports/2025/COFA_Aldermanic%20Request_short%20term%20rental%20taxes%20and%20fees.pdf - Notes: Platforms must hold a city license, bulk-register hosts' units, remit taxes, provide guest liability insurance, remove ineligible listings, and file registration reports twice monthly plus data reports to BACP and aldermen (MCC 4-13-220 through 4-13-240; monthly data reporting strengthened by SO2024-0013637, passed 2025-05-21). Tiered license fees per COFA/BACP: $250 (1-9 units) up to $10,000 (1,000+ units), plus $60/unit. ## Taxes - **Chicago Hotel Accommodations Tax**: 4.5% of gross rental or leasing charge — applies to All hotel accommodations including vacation rentals and shared housing units (MCC 3-24). Licensed intermediaries remit city taxes and surcharges on hosts' behalf per BACP 2026 registration guide; hosts booking off-platform must open a tax account and remit directly.; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/supp_info/revenue/tax_list/hotel_accommodationstax.html - **Chicago Vacation Rental and Shared Housing Surcharge**: 6% of gross rental or leasing charge (4% Shared Housing Surcharge funding homeless services + 2% Domestic Violence Surcharge), for a 10.5% total city rate — applies to Vacation rentals and shared housing units only (effective 12/1/2018; was 4% before); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/supp_info/revenue/tax_list/hotel_accommodationstax.html - **Cook County Hotel Accommodations Tax**: 1% of gross rental or leasing charge — applies to Short-term lodging in Cook County, including home share rentals (per City of Chicago COFA analysis, Nov. 2025); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/COFA/AldermanicRequestReports/2025/COFA_Aldermanic%20Request_short%20term%20rental%20taxes%20and%20fees.pdf - **Illinois Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax**: 6% of 94% of gross receipts — applies to Rentals of rooms/dwellings for periods under 30 days; short-term rentals are included in the definition of 'hotel', and hosting platforms meeting the 're-renter' definition are directly subject effective 7/1/2025 (IDOR Bulletin FY 2025-28); stays of 30+ consecutive days under binding contract (permanent residents) are exempt; platform collects: yes. Source: https://tax.illinois.gov/research/taxinformation/excise/hotel.html ## Enforcement - Penalties: Violations of the Shared Housing Ordinance carry fines of $2,500-$10,000 per offense (BACP Short-Term Shared Housing Registration Guide, 2026). Under the posted code text: operating a vacation rental without a license is $2,500-$3,000 per offense with each day a separate offense (MCC 4-6-300(i)); permitting criminal activity/egregious conditions is $2,500-$5,000 per offense (MCC 4-14-050(a)); renting a unit after final ineligibility notice escalates from $500-$1,000 (within 14 days) to $1,500-$3,000 (days 15-27) to $5,000 (day 28+, each day separate) (MCC 4-14-050(i)); failure to remove an ineligible listing is $1,500-$5,000 (MCC 4-14-060(g)). Registration may be suspended or revoked for a single egregious condition (drug trafficking, prostitution, gang activity, violence, pay-to-enter parties) or 2+ incidents of illegal activity/objectionable conditions in 12 months (BACP 2026 guide); revocation lasts at least 2 years (MCC 4-14-090(d)); exceeding the 5+ unit building cap exposes ALL registrations/licenses in the building to revocation (MCC 4-14-090(b)); corporation counsel may seek injunctions. - Platform liability: Platforms operate under city intermediary/advertising-platform licenses and are fined $1,500-$3,000 per offense per day for violating Chapter 4-13 (MCC 4-13-410); they must remove listings the commissioner rules ineligible, register units in bulk, report data (twice-monthly registration reports; bimonthly departmental and aldermanic reports; monthly reporting strengthened by SO2024-0013637, passed 2025-05-21), provide $1M guest liability insurance, and remit city taxes. Enforcement is active: the city sued Airbnb, Airbnb Living LLC and a host in Cook County Circuit Court for processing bookings for unregistered/unlicensed units and consumer-protection violations, seeking fines, disgorgement and injunctive relief (litigation active as of June 2026; CBS Chicago). - Notes: BACP maintains the ineligibility list, Prohibited Buildings List (2,414 building entries on the city data portal as of 2026-07-16), and works with the City Clerk's Restricted Residential Zone list. Guest registration records must be kept 3 years. Building commissioner may mandate inspections; SHUO-operated units subject to inspection at least every 2 years (MCC 4-16-230). ## Pending changes - Renewal of Restricted Residential Zone designations for 23rd Ward precincts 4, 28, 29, 30 and 32 (prohibiting additional shared housing units and vacation rentals for another 4-year term) - illustrates the ongoing precinct petition/renewal cycle under MCC 4-17; RRZ ordinances last 4 years and are renewable without a new petition (passed-not-effective, 2026-06-17) — https://chicago.councilmatic.org/legislation/o2026-0025367/ - Chicago Tourism Improvement District 1.5% transaction charge effective 5/1/2026 applies only to licensed hotels with 100+ rooms in specified downtown ZIP codes - it does NOT apply to shared housing/vacation rentals, but watch for guest confusion with the hotel stack (effective-date-pending, 2026-05-01) — https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/supp_info/revenue/tax_list/hotel_accommodationstax.html ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Current consolidated Municipal Code text could not be fetched from codelibrary.amlegal.com (HTTP 403 even with browser headers); the code compilation PDF posted on chicago.gov reflects the 2016/2017 ordinance text. Current fee ($250/yr) and fine range ($2,500-$10,000 per offense) are verified via the official BACP 2026 guides and fee notice, but the exact current statutory text of the penalty sections (4-14-090 etc., amended since 2017) was not verified line-by-line; the section-level penalty figures quoted in enforcement come from the 2016/2017 code text and may have been raised by later amendments (COFA's Nov 2025 report still cited $1,500-$3,000 general fines while the BACP 2026 guide says $2,500-$10,000). - Vacation rental license cost set to null: BACP's 1/1/2026 fee notice lists 'Regulated Business License: $1,000 for a two-year license' and MCC 4-6-300 classifies vacation rentals as regulated business licenses, but no official source explicitly states the 2026 vacation rental license fee. - COFA (Nov 2025) states a 27.75% composite tax burden by including 10.25% Illinois/Chicago sales tax on rentals under 6 months; this sales-tax component could not be verified against an IDOR source (lodging is normally subject to HOOT rather than retail sales tax), so only the city 10.5% + Cook County 1% + state HOOT 6%-of-94% are listed as verified taxes. Total verified guest-facing burden is approximately 17.1%. - Cook County 1% hotel tax verified only via the City of Chicago COFA report, not a Cook County source; whether platforms collect the county tax was not verified against an official source. - Count of currently active Restricted Residential Zone precincts not precisely determined: the data portal dataset shows 192 records (79 original restrictions, 58 renewals, 55 redistricting amendments) across 75 distinct ward-precincts, overwhelmingly in Wards 13 and 23 (plus isolated precincts in Wards 11, 19, 41), and the City Clerk's paginated list shows ~4 pages; some zones may have lapsed (RRZ ordinances expire after 4 years unless renewed). Hosts must check the City Clerk RRZ list for their specific precinct. - No pending city-wide STR ordinance amendments (beyond routine RRZ petitions/renewals) were identified as of 2026-07-16, but City Clerk 'House Share Active Petitions' page was not enumerated. - Maximum-occupancy advertising requirements effective May 2025 (SO2024-0013637) verified via official COFA report and Councilmatic record; the signed ordinance text itself was not fetched. ## Sources - BACP Short-Term Shared Housing Registration Guide (2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/sharedhousingregistrationguide2026.pdf - BACP Shared Housing Unit Operator Licensing Guide (2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/shuollicensingguide2026.pdf - BACP Business License Fee Updates effective January 1, 2026 (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/20260127newfees.pdf - City of Chicago Dept. of Finance - Hotel Accommodations Tax; Vacation Rental and Shared Housing Surcharge; Tourism Improvement District (7520/7520S/7520T) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/supp_info/revenue/tax_list/hotel_accommodationstax.html - Council Office of Financial Analysis - Aldermanic Request: Short-Term Rental Taxes and Fees (Mar 2025, updated Nov 2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/COFA/AldermanicRequestReports/2025/COFA_Aldermanic%20Request_short%20term%20rental%20taxes%20and%20fees.pdf - Municipal Code of Chicago compilation posted by BACP - MCC 4-6-300 (Vacation Rentals), Ch. 4-13 (Intermediaries/Platforms), Ch. 4-14 (Shared Housing Units), Ch. 4-16 (SHUO), Ch. 4-17 (Restricted Residential Zones) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/bacp/Small%20Business%20Center/sharedhousingordinanceamendments.pdf - Illinois Dept. of Revenue - Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://tax.illinois.gov/research/taxinformation/excise/hotel.html - Illinois Dept. of Revenue - Bulletin FY 2025-28: HOOT Updates for Hosting Platforms for Short-Term Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://tax.illinois.gov/research/publications/bulletins/fy-2025-28.html - Chicago Data Portal - House Share Restricted Residential Zone Precincts (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://data.cityofchicago.org/Buildings/House-Share-Restricted-Residential-Zone-Precincts/8eww-pamb - Chicago Data Portal - House Share Prohibited Buildings List (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://data.cityofchicago.org/Buildings/House-Share-Prohibited-Buildings-List/7bzs-jsyj - Office of the City Clerk - House Share Restricted Precincts (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.chicityclerk.com/houseshare/restricted-precincts - Chicago Councilmatic - SO2024-0013637 (STR data reporting/advertising amendments, passed 2025-05-21) (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://chicago.councilmatic.org/legislation/o2024-0013637/ - Chicago Councilmatic - O2026-0025367 (23rd Ward RRZ renewals, passed 2026-06-17) (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://chicago.councilmatic.org/legislation/o2026-0025367/ - CBS Chicago - City of Chicago sues Airbnb for violating Shared Housing Ordinance (updated 2026-06-24) (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-sues-airbnb-violating-shared-housing-ordinance-consumer-protection/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Gatlinburg, TN - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/gatlinburg-tn/ ## Summary Short-term rentals ('tourist residencies') are legal and widespread in Gatlinburg but require a permit. Any dwelling rented to tourists for less than 30 days must obtain an annual Tourist Residency Permit from the building official and pass an annual fire/life-safety inspection (Gatlinburg Municipal Code Title 5, Ch. 7, §§ 5-701 to 5-705). The base permit fee is $200 per residence (covers up to two bedrooms) plus $75 for each additional bedroom (§ 5-703). Zoning limits location: tourist residences are permitted in R-1, R-2, R-3 residential and C-1 Tourist Commercial districts but are expressly prohibited in the R-1A and R-2A residential districts (Zoning Ordinance §§ 701.5, 702.1, 704.1, 706.9). No primary-residence requirement and no city-wide cap on the number of permits. Guest lodging is taxed at roughly 12.75% (7% TN state sales tax + 2.75% Sevier County local option sales tax + 3% Gatlinburg hotel/motel tax), and operators also owe a 1.25% city gross-receipts privilege tax. Tennessee's Short-Term Rental Unit Act (T.C.A. §§ 13-7-601 to 13-7-606) grandfathers pre-existing STRs and bars the city from retroactively banning them. Penalty for operating without a permit is a fine up to $50 per rental (§ 5-705). ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Whole-home STR ('tourist residency') is allowed but conditional on zoning: permitted in R-1, R-2, R-3 and C-1 Tourist Commercial districts (Zoning Ord. §§ 701.5, 703.1, 705.1, 706.9) and prohibited in R-1A (§ 702.1) and R-2A (§ 704.1). Municipal Code § 5-701 defines a tourist residency as renting a residence 'on an overnight, weekly or other basis of less than thirty days duration' to tourists/visitors, so rentals of 30+ days fall outside the permit requirement (min_stay_exempt_days = 30). Note: some vendor guides cite '89 days'; that figure conflates the hotel/motel tax 'transient' definition (less than 90 continuing days, § 5-601(4)) with the permit definition. Hosted renting of rooms in one's principal dwelling is treated as a home occupation limited to five tourist rooms with one off-street space per room (Zoning Ord. § 409.2). No fixed max-guest number in code; occupancy is set by the building official under Life Safety 101/IBC, and a threshold of >12 occupants (or >3 stories / >5,000 sq ft) reclassifies the dwelling and removes the fire-sprinkler exemption (§ 5-701(1)-(2)). ## Requirements ### Tourist Residency Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Gatlinburg Building Official / Building & Planning Department - Cost: $200 base per residence (includes up to 2 bedrooms) + $75 per additional bedroom - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/system/files/codes/combined/Gatlinburg-code.pdf - Notes: Required for every tourist residence (Municipal Code §§ 5-702, 5-703). Owner or the overnight rental agent must obtain it (§ 5-704). Fee set by § 5-703. ### Annual Tourist Residency Inspection (fire/life-safety) (inspection) - Authority: City of Gatlinburg Building Official - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual (concurrent with permit) - Official source: https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/system/files/codes/combined/Gatlinburg-code.pdf - Notes: Municipal Code § 5-702 requires an annual inspection. Structures are reviewed under adopted building codes and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code (§ 5-701). Dwellings >3 stories, >5,000 sq ft, or >12 occupants are classified R-1/R-3 and must have an approved fire sprinkler system (no exemption); smaller units qualify for the T.C.A. § 68-120-101(a)(8)(A) sprinkler exemption. ### Zoning verification / permitted-use compliance (permit) - Authority: City of Gatlinburg Building & Planning Department - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://cms9files1.revize.com/gatlinburg/planning/Municipal%20Zoning%20Ordinance-2022.pdf - Notes: Property must lie in a district where tourist residences are permitted. Prohibited in R-1A (Zoning Ord. § 702.1) and R-2A (§ 704.1); permitted in R-1 (§ 701.5), R-2 (§ 703.1), R-3 (§ 705.1) and C-1 Tourist Commercial (§ 706.9). R-1 tourist residences must meet off-street parking requirements: minimum 2 on-site spaces (1 for single-bedroom units) per § 701.5.1, plus administrative site-plan review (§ 701.5.3). ### City business / gross-receipts privilege registration (license) - Authority: City of Gatlinburg Department of Finance - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/system/files/codes/combined/Gatlinburg-code.pdf - Notes: The city levies a 1.25% gross-receipts privilege tax on every business, expressly including renting rooms/accommodations to transients (Municipal Code § 5-201), and has adopted the state Business Tax Act (§ 5-401). Operators must register and remit accordingly. Exact standard business-license fee (commonly $15 city + $15 county under TN law) was not confirmed against an official source in this pass. ## Taxes - **Tennessee state sales tax (on lodging)**: 7% — applies to Gross consideration for accommodations/short-term lodging; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.tn.gov/revenue/taxes/sales-and-use-tax.html - **Sevier County local option sales tax**: 2.75% — applies to Gross consideration for accommodations/short-term lodging within Sevier County (incl. Gatlinburg); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tacir/documents/LocOptSalTaxMap.pdf - **Gatlinburg Hotel/Motel (occupancy) Tax**: 3% — applies to Privilege of transient occupancy (less than 90 continuing days) of any hotel/tourist residence in the city; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/system/files/codes/combined/Gatlinburg-code.pdf - **Gatlinburg city gross-receipts privilege tax**: 1.25% — applies to Gross receipts of every business in the city, including renting accommodations to transients (paid by the operator); platform collects: no. Source: https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/system/files/codes/combined/Gatlinburg-code.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Renting a tourist residence without first obtaining a Tourist Residency Permit is a violation, with each rental a separate offense; upon conviction the fine is not to exceed $50.00 per violation (Municipal Code § 5-705). - Platform liability: Under Tennessee law (effective Jan. 1, 2021), short-term rental unit marketplaces (Airbnb, Vrbo) must collect and remit the state and local sales tax and the local occupancy tax directly to the TN Department of Revenue for stays under 30 continuous days (see tn.gov local occupancy tax page). Whether platforms remit Gatlinburg's separate city 3% hotel/motel tax and the city gross-receipts tax is not established by the sources reviewed. - Notes: Sevier County's separate 3% county lodging tax does NOT apply inside Gatlinburg city limits (Sevier County Trustee). Tennessee's Short-Term Rental Unit Act (T.C.A. §§ 13-7-601 to 13-7-606) grandfathers STRs in use before a prohibiting ordinance and limits the city's ability to ban existing units; grandfather status ends on sale/transfer, 30 months of non-use, or three violations of local law (T.C.A. § 13-7-603). As of mid-2026 no reported enforcement crackdown. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Exact standard business-license fee for STR operators (city and county, commonly $15 each under TN Business Tax Act) not confirmed against an official City of Gatlinburg source; § 5-401 adopts the state Business Tax Act but does not state a dollar fee. - Whether Gatlinburg's city 3% hotel/motel tax and 1.25% gross-receipts privilege tax are collected/remitted by platforms (Airbnb/Vrbo) versus remitted directly by the operator to the city Department of Finance - state law only clearly covers state/local sales and local occupancy tax marketplace collection. - City of Gatlinburg official permit page (gatlinburgtn.gov) is behind a JavaScript/Cloudflare challenge and could not be machine-fetched; permit fee ($200 + $75/bedroom), annual renewal, and inspection requirements were instead verified against the MTAS-hosted Gatlinburg Municipal Code, which is the authoritative codified source. - Sevier County local option rate of 2.75% is derived from the official TACIR combined rate of 9.75% for Sevier minus the 7% state rate; not read off a per-jurisdiction line item. - Application-specific requirements sometimes cited by vendors (proof of insurance, 24/7 local contact, posted occupancy/parking plan) appear on the city's online application but were not verifiable in the codified ordinance or a fetchable official page. ## Sources - Gatlinburg Municipal Code (Title 5 Ch. 7 Tourist Residency Permits; Ch. 6 Hotel/Motel Tax; Ch. 2 Privilege Tax) - MTAS (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/system/files/codes/combined/Gatlinburg-code.pdf - City of Gatlinburg Municipal Zoning Ordinance (updated through 2022) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://cms9files1.revize.com/gatlinburg/planning/Municipal%20Zoning%20Ordinance-2022.pdf - Apply For A Tourist Residency Permit - City of Gatlinburg (official page; behind JS challenge, not machine-fetchable this pass) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.gatlinburgtn.gov/page/apply-for-a-tourist-residency-permit - Summary of the Short-Term Rental Unit Act - MTAS (T.C.A. 13-7-601 et seq.) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/reference/summary-short-term-rental-unit-act - Section 13-7-603 - Effect of ordinance regulating STR use (Justia — unofficial mirror of TN Code; statute substance also covered by the official MTAS summary above) (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-13/chapter-7/part-6/section-13-7-603/ - Tennessee Department of Revenue - Sales and Use Tax (7% state rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/revenue/taxes/sales-and-use-tax.html - Tennessee Department of Revenue - Local Sales Tax (2.75% local option cap) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/revenue/taxes/sales-and-use-tax/local-sales-tax.html - TACIR - Combined State and Local Option Sales Tax Rates (Sevier County 9.75%) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tacir/documents/LocOptSalTaxMap.pdf - Tennessee Department of Revenue - Local Occupancy Tax (marketplace collection since 2021) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.tn.gov/revenue/taxes/local-occupancy-tax.html - Sevier County Trustee - Lodging Tax (county 3% does not apply in Gatlinburg) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.seviercountytn.gov/government/county_officials/county_trustee/lodging_tax.php --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Palm Springs, CA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-16 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/palm-springs-ca/ ## Summary Palm Springs allows short-term 'vacation rentals' (unhosted, owner not present) and 'homeshares' (owner present) only as ancillary uses of single-family homes, and only under Chapter 5.25 of the Municipal Code (restated by Ordinance 2075, adopted Nov 28, 2022). A rental is any stay of 28 consecutive days or less; stays of 29+ days are unregulated. Each requires an annual Vacation Rental/Homeshare Registration Certificate, an annual building/fire/safety inspection, proof of at least $500,000 liability insurance, and a $25 Transient Occupancy Tax permit. Per Resolution 25344 (adopted Sept 25, 2025, effective Dec 1, 2025) the annual registration fee is $1,046 for a Vacation Rental, $523 for a Junior Vacation Rental (limited to 6 contracts/year, exempt from the density cap), and $261 for a Homeshare. Annual contract caps: New Permittees (application filed after Oct 17, 2022) are limited to 26 rental contracts per calendar year; Existing Permittees (on/before Oct 17, 2022) are limited to 32, plus up to 4 additional third-quarter contracts (36 max) — Ordinance 2118 (adopted Nov 12, 2025) cancelled a reduction that was to take effect Jan 1, 2026. A 20% neighborhood density cap applies (no new certificate where a neighborhood is already at or above 20% vacation-rental-to-household ratio); roughly 10 of 66 neighborhoods are at the cap. Occupancy is 2 overnight guests per bedroom (1BR=2 up to 6BR=12) plus 2 minors age 12 and under; estate homes (5+ bedrooms) need a Land Use Permit and are capped at 5-6 bedroom use. An owner may hold only one certificate. Taxes are 11.5% Transient Occupancy Tax plus a 1% GPSTBID assessment on stays under 28 days. Operating without a certificate triggers TOT liability plus penalties/interest, a $5,000 administrative fine, and permanent ineligibility to operate a vacation rental in the city. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 29 days Notes: Unhosted whole-home rentals ('Vacation Rentals') are permitted but conditional on obtaining a Vacation Rental Registration Certificate AND the property's neighborhood being below the 20% density cap (PSMC Ch. 5.25 / Ordinance 2075); new certificates are not issued in neighborhoods at or above 20% vacation-rental-to-household ratio. Hosted rentals ('Homeshares', owner present for the entire stay) are permitted with a Homeshare certificate and are exempt from annual contract limits and the Contract Summary Tool. A 'vacation rental' is a rental of a single-family dwelling for 28 consecutive days or less without the owner present; stays of 29 days or more are long-term and not regulated by the ordinance. Only single-family dwellings qualify — rentals in apartments are prohibited. An owner may benefit from only one Vacation Rental or Homeshare certificate at a time. max_guests is bedroom-dependent: overnight occupancy is 2 per bedroom (1BR=2, 2BR=4, 3BR=6, 4BR=8, 5BR=10, 6BR=12) plus two minors age 12 and under; daytime occupancy is overnight +4. Estate Homes (single-family dwellings with 5+ bedrooms) require a Land Use Permit and certificates are issued only for 5- or 6-bedroom use regardless of total bedrooms. ## Requirements ### Vacation Rental Registration Certificate (registration) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, Department of Special Program Compliance (DSPC) - Cost: $1,046 per year (new/annual) - Renewal: Annual, requires passing building/fire/safety inspection - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals-1098 - Notes: Required for unhosted whole-home short-term rentals under PSMC Ch. 5.25. Fee set by Resolution 25344 (adopted Sept 25, 2025, effective Dec 1, 2025). Subject to 20% neighborhood density cap and annual contract limits (26/year New Permittees; 32 + up to 4 Q3 = 36/year Existing Permittees). One certificate per owner. ### Junior Vacation Rental Registration Certificate (registration) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, DSPC - Cost: $523 per year (new/annual) - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals-1098 - Notes: Reduced-fee certificate limited to 6 rental contracts per year. Neighborhood percentage (density) caps do NOT apply to Junior certificates. All other operational, TOT, and penalty rules apply. Fee per Resolution 25344 (effective Dec 1, 2025). ### Homeshare Registration Certificate (registration) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, DSPC - Cost: $261 per year (new/annual) - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals-1098 - Notes: For hosted stays of 28 consecutive days or less where the owner is present during the entire stay. Exempt from annual contract limits and the Contract Summary Tool requirement. Fee per Resolution 25344 (effective Dec 1, 2025). ### Annual Building, Fire and Safety Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, DSPC - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required at each new application and annual renewal - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/87996/638466182387670000 - Notes: DSPC schedules and conducts an annual safety inspection; owner, agent, or representative must be present. First step in a multi-department permit approval process. Verified from the official Vacation Rental FAQ PDF (dated 11.5.25). ### Liability Insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, DSPC - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be maintained for the full term of the certificate - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/87996/638466182387670000 - Notes: Owner must carry a short-term rental or personal liability policy with a minimum limit of $500,000 per occurrence. City need not be named as additional insured. Evidence required at application. Verified from official VR FAQ PDF and the Vacation Rental Certificate page. ### Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, Finance & Treasury - Cost: $25 (one-time, non-refundable) - Renewal: One-time - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals/applying-for-a-vr-certificate/vacation-rental-certificate - Notes: A separate TOT permit is required to register for and remit transient occupancy tax. Verified from the official Vacation Rental Certificate application page and FAQ PDF. ### Estate Home Land Use Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, DSPC / Planning - Cost: $647 (one-time) - Renewal: One-time (with addendum requirements) - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals-1098 - Notes: Required for Estate Homes — single-family dwellings with 5 or more bedrooms. Certificates issued only for 5- or 6-bedroom use. Fee $647 per Resolution 25344 (effective Dec 1, 2025); note the VR Certificate page separately lists $453 for this permit (see needs_review). ### Contract Summary Tool filing (per stay) (other) - Authority: City of Palm Springs, DSPC - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Filed in advance of each guest stay - Official source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/87996/638466182387670000 - Notes: Vacation Rental operators must submit a Contract Summary in advance of each guest stay using the online tool (requires City ID number and TOT number). Used to enforce annual contract caps. Does NOT apply to Homeshares. Verified from official VR FAQ PDF. ## Taxes - **Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)**: 11.5% — applies to Vacation rentals and homeshares (transient stays of 28 days or less); 13.5% rate applies only to Group Meeting hotels; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/finance-treasury/transient-occupancy-tax-tot - **Greater Palm Springs Tourism Business Improvement District (GPSTBID) Assessment**: 1% — applies to Gross rental revenue on vacation rental and homeshare short-term stays of less than 28 days (assessment effective since July 1, 2021); platform collects: no. Source: https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals/vacation-rental-tot-information ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating a vacation rental without a valid registration certificate makes the operator liable for transient occupancy tax under PSMC Ch. 3.24 (including penalties and interest), a $5,000.00 administrative fine, and permanent ineligibility to operate a vacation rental in the City (per PSMC Ch. 5.25 and the official VR FAQ). Statewide, California SB 60 (2021, Chapter 307; Gov. Code 25132 & 36900) caps fines for health-or-safety-infraction violations of an STR ordinance at $1,500 (first), $3,000 (second within a year), and $5,000 (each additional within a year). - Platform liability: California SB 346 (2025, Chapter 751; signed Oct 13, 2025, effective Jan 1, 2026) authorizes cities/counties to require short-term rental facilitators (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) to report property data (physical address incl. 9-digit ZIP, and if needed APN/listing URL) no more often than quarterly, to include any local license number and TOT certification in listings, and imposes administrative fines and audit authority for non-compliance. - Notes: Enforcement administered by the Department of Special Program Compliance (DSPC). A 24/7 Vacation Rental Hotline ((760) 322-8383) handles active complaints. Operational standard conditions include no outside amplified music/noise, one car per bedroom, and trash/screening rules. HOA properties may register only with a letter from the HOA board/management confirming STR use does not violate the CC&Rs. ## Pending changes - Ordinance 2118 (adopted Nov 12, 2025) amended PSMC 5.25.070(b) to REMOVE a scheduled reduction in the annual vacation-rental contract cap for 'Existing Permittees' that would otherwise have taken effect Jan 1, 2026 — the cap remains 32 contracts/year plus up to 4 additional third-quarter contracts (36 maximum). (passed-not-effective, 2025-11-12) — https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals-1098 - City Council considering amendments to the ordinance addressing co-owned housing units (e.g., Pacaso-style fractional ownership) relative to the vacation rental program. (proposed, 2024-2025) — https://thepalmspringspost.com/city-considers-slight-rule-changes-for-ordinance-focused-on-co-owned-housing-properties-like-pacaso/ ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Vacation Rental annual registration fee: the main VR program page cites $1,046 per Resolution 25344 (effective Dec 1, 2025), but the Vacation Rental Certificate application page lists $1,072 (and Estate Home Land Use Permit at $453 vs $647 on the program page). Could not reconcile which figure is currently charged — the $1,046/$647 figures have a clear resolution and effective date so were used as primary; verify against the live Comprehensive Fee Schedule. - Municipal code section text (ecode360.com / library.qcode.us) could not be fetched directly — both portals return HTTP 403 to non-interactive requests and render section text via JavaScript. Contract caps, occupancy limits, definitions, and penalties were verified from official City program pages and the official Vacation Rental FAQ PDF rather than from the primary code section text itself; recommend a manual read of PSMC 5.25.070 (operational requirements) and 5.25.060 (application) to confirm exact statutory wording. - Fetch-method note (CEO review 2026-07-16): palmspringsca.gov blocks all non-interactive access (Akamai 403, incl. headless browser), so city-page claims were verified against Internet Archive captures of the exact official URLs — program page snapshot 2026-05-10, VR FAQ PDF snapshot 2026-04-26 (both post-date the Dec 1, 2025 fee change). Review pass independently re-fetched both archives and confirmed fees ($1,046/$523/$261/$647), contract caps (26; 32+4 Q3), Ordinance 2118, 20% density cap, 28-day definition, $500K insurance, $5,000 penalty, 11.5% TOT, and the occupancy chart verbatim. SB 60/SB 346 verified live on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Re-verify against the live pages when the watch pipeline or a browser session can reach them. - Whether platforms (Airbnb/Vrbo) directly collect and remit the 11.5% TOT for Palm Springs listings could not be confirmed from an official source; owner/operator is the responsible remitter of record. - Exact current count of neighborhoods at or above the 20% density cap (reported as ~10 of 66) is from secondary sources; the official Vacation Rental Density webpage/map should be consulted for the live count. ## Sources - Vacation Rentals — City of Palm Springs (program page; Ordinance 2075/2118, fees, contract caps, 20% density cap) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals-1098 - Vacation Rental FAQ's (official PDF, 11.5.25) — definitions, occupancy chart, Junior/Homeshare/Estate Home, inspection, insurance, penalties (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.palmspringsca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/87996/638466182387670000 - Vacation Rental Certificate — City of Palm Springs (application requirements, insurance, TOT permit, fees) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals/applying-for-a-vr-certificate/vacation-rental-certificate - Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) — City of Palm Springs Finance & Treasury (11.5% VR rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/finance-treasury/transient-occupancy-tax-tot - Vacation Rental TOT and TBID Information — City of Palm Springs (1% GPSTBID on stays under 28 days) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals/vacation-rental-tot-information - PSMC Chapter 5.25 Vacation Rentals (municipal code portal) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://ecode360.com/42991918 - PSMC Chapter 3.24 Transient Occupancy Tax — 3.24.020 Definitions (municipal code portal) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://library.qcode.us/lib/palm_springs_ca/pub/municipal_code/item/title_3-division_i-chapter_3_24-3_24_020 - Vacation Rental Neighborhood Percentage (Density) Information — City of Palm Springs (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://www.palmspringsca.gov/government/departments/special-program-compliance/vacation-rentals/vacation-rental-density - California SB 60 (2021, Chapter 307) — STR ordinance maximum fines (official CA Legislature) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB60 - California SB 346 (2025, Chapter 751) — STR facilitator data sharing (official CA Legislature) (official, accessed 2026-07-16): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB346 - With rental numbers falling, City Council keeps 36-contract cap for older vacation rental permits — The Palm Springs Post (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://thepalmspringspost.com/with-rental-numbers-falling-city-council-keeps-36-contract-cap-for-older-vacation-rental-permits/ - City leaders move to update ordinance focused on co-owned housing (Pacaso) — The Palm Springs Post (news, accessed 2026-07-16): https://thepalmspringspost.com/city-considers-slight-rule-changes-for-ordinance-focused-on-co-owned-housing-properties-like-pacaso/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Las Vegas, NV - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/las-vegas-nv/ ## Summary The incorporated City of Las Vegas allows short-term residential rentals (STRs, rentals of a residential unit for fewer than 31 consecutive days) only under a restrictive owner-occupied model. A separate city business license is required for each unit (LVMC Ch. 6.75); the annual license fee is $500 and the Conditional Use Verification (CUV) application is free. To be eligible the applicant must be the owner of the parcel and occupy the unit as their primary residence, and must continue to reside and sleep in their own bedroom throughout each rental period (absence only for employment/errands) — so non-owner-occupied whole-home STRs are not permitted for new licenses. The home may have no more than three bedrooms (including the owner's), must sit at least 660 feet from any other STR and 2,500 feet from a resort hotel (per NRS 463.01865), and STRs are prohibited in apartment buildings and in common-interest communities unless the governing documents expressly authorize them (LVMC 19.12.070; 6.75.020). Occupancy is capped at two persons per bedroom excluding children under 12 (about 6 for a compliant 3-bedroom home), with an absolute ceiling of 16 persons (LVMC 6.75.090). Required: $500,000 liability insurance, a 24-hour local contact, a Code Enforcement home inspection, and HOA/association written consent where applicable. Hosts collect and remit a transient lodging (room) tax of 13.00% outside, or 13.38% inside, the Primary Gaming Corridor; hosting platforms ('accommodations facilitators' under AB363) must themselves hold a $3,000/yr city license and collect/remit the tax. Operating without a license carries a civil fine of $1,000-$10,000 per violation, assessable per day (LVMC 6.02.460). NOTE: This file covers ONLY the incorporated City of Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Strip and most of the metro area are in UNINCORPORATED CLARK COUNTY, which has its own separate, stricter STR regime (Clark County Code Ch. 7.100, including a permit moratorium/lottery and 1,000-ft separation) — do not apply City of Las Vegas rules there. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: No - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: 6 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 31 days Notes: STR = commercial rental of a residential unit (or room within it) for fewer than 31 consecutive calendar days (LVMC 6.75.010; 19.18.020). Owner-occupancy is mandatory: no new license unless the applicant qualifies as owner of the parcel and is a resident occupying that unit as his/her primary residence, and the unit is owner-occupied during each rental period, meaning the owner continues to reside and sleep in a bedroom at the unit throughout the rental — absence attributable only to employment or typical personal/household errands (LVMC 6.75.020(C)). Therefore fully unhosted/non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are not permitted for new licensees (a limited set of pre-July-2017 non-owner-occupied licenses could persist under grandfathering, with a 2-night minimum stay vs. 1-night for owner-occupied, per LVMC 6.75.090(K)). Bedroom cap: no more than three bedrooms including the owner's (LVMC 19.12.070 Conditional Use Reg #7; city one-page overview CD-10187-07-24). max_guests shown as 6 = two persons per bedroom excluding children under 12 applied to the 3-bedroom cap (LVMC 6.75.090(B)(1)); the code also fixes an absolute ceiling of 16 persons at any time (6.75.090(B)(3)) and the Uniform Housing Code limit (16.20), whichever is lowest. min_stay_exempt_days = 31 reflects that stays of 31+ consecutive days fall outside the STR definition entirely. Additional eligibility limits (LVMC 6.75.020(D)): no more than one license per residential unit; no person may hold 5+ STR licenses tied to the same Nevada business license; issuance barred if it would put >10% of units in a multifamily building into transient lodging; barred in apartment buildings entirely (6.75.020(E), 19.12.070 #9); barred in common-interest communities unless governing documents expressly authorize transient rental. Allowed zoning: primarily residential districts as a conditional use, plus P-O/O/C-1/C-2/C-PB only in the residential component of mixed-use/legal-nonconforming units. Weddings, parties, receptions and similar events are prohibited (LVMC 6.75.090(H)). ## Requirements ### Short-Term Residential Rental business license (one per unit) (license) - Authority: City of Las Vegas, Department of Community Development - Business Licensing Division - Cost: $500 per year, per residential unit (paid in advance) - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/Short-Term_Rental-One_Page_Overview.pdf - Notes: Required before offering or operating an STR; where multiple dwelling units exist on one property each must be licensed individually (LVMC 6.75.020(A)). Only the owner occupying the unit as a primary residence is eligible (6.75.020(C)-(D)). $500 annual fee confirmed by the city's official Business Licensing one-page overview (CD-10187-07-24, rev. 07-24). ### Conditional Use Verification (CUV) - land use review + home inspection (permit) - Authority: City of Las Vegas Planning Division & Code Enforcement - Cost: Free ($0) application - Official source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/Short-Term_Rental-One_Page_Overview.pdf - Notes: Must be obtained before the business license. Applicant submits a free CUV (justification letter, site plan, floor plan); Planning reviews location/zoning eligibility, then Code Enforcement conducts a home inspection verifying occupancy safety, bedroom count, and permits, after which Planning gives final approval. Conditional use standards (660 ft from other STRs, 2,500 ft from resort hotel, 3-bedroom max, owner-occupancy) are in LVMC 19.12.070. ### Commercial general liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Las Vegas (LVMC 6.75.040(H) & 6.75.090(J)) - Cost: Minimum $500,000 coverage (premium varies) - Renewal: Must be maintained continuously; certificate filed with the Department before operating and on request - Official source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/21-0576-TXT1_Content-Packet-for-Short-Term-Residential-Rental.pdf - Notes: Proof of (or a commitment to provide) current, valid liability insurance of at least $500,000 is required with the application (LVMC 6.75.040(H)); operator must obtain and continuously maintain it and file a certificate of insurance (LVMC 6.75.090(J)). ### 24-hour local contact / responsible person (other) - Authority: City of Las Vegas (LVMC 6.75.040(C) & 6.75.090(E)) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/planning/Short-Term-Rental-Ordinance.pdf - Notes: A local 24-hour contact must be able to respond to complaints within two hours; contact info must be posted on a placard on the exterior of the unit. Units with more than five bedrooms must engage a licensed security company (NRS Ch. 648) as the complaint-response agent (LVMC 6.75.090(E)). ### HOA / common-interest community written authorization (other) - Authority: City of Las Vegas (LVMC 6.75.020(D)(5) & 6.75.040(F)) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/21-0576-TXT1_Content-Packet-for-Short-Term-Residential-Rental.pdf - Notes: If the unit is in a common-interest community, a license is barred unless the community's governing documents expressly authorize transient rental; the applicant must provide documentation and bears the burden of demonstrating express authorization (LVMC 6.75.040(F)). City one-page overview also lists written HOA permission where applicable. ### Accommodations Facilitator (hosting platform) license (license) - Authority: City of Las Vegas (LVMC 6.75.122 & 6.75.124) - Cost: $3,000 per year (paid in advance) - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/21-0576-TXT1_Content-Packet-for-Short-Term-Residential-Rental.pdf - Notes: Applies to platforms such as Airbnb/Vrbo (mandated by 2021 AB363). A facilitator must be licensed before brokering STRs, must verify each listed STR holds a city business license, include the license number in listings, collect/remit room tax, and file quarterly reports (LVMC 6.75.122, 6.75.124 [$3,000 fee], 6.75.128, 6.75.130). Not a fee borne by individual hosts. ## Taxes - **Transient lodging (room) tax**: 13.00% outside the Primary Gaming Corridor; 13.38% inside the Primary Gaming Corridor — applies to Gross room revenue for the first 30 days of a guest's stay, including cleaning fees, service/booking fees, resort fees, pet fees and other mandatory charges (excludes the tax itself); stays of 31+ continuous days become a resident-guest exemption; platform collects: yes. Source: https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/RoomTaxPacket.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating/making available an STR WITHOUT a license: civil fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 per violation, set by severity, good faith, and violation history (LVMC 6.02.460(D)). Violation of Ch. 6.75 by a license holder (STR operator or accommodations facilitator): civil fine of $1,000 per single violation OR the nightly rental value, whichever is greater (LVMC 6.02.460(C)). A separate fine may be assessed for each day a violation continues (LVMC 6.02.460(E)). General misdemeanor penalty up to $1,000 and/or up to 6 months, each day a separate offense (Ord. 6585 sec. 20). The Director may suspend or revoke a license after a second or subsequent violation within any 24-month period (LVMC 6.75.110). Late room tax: 10% penalty plus 1.5% interest per month, plus loss of the 2% on-time collection discount, and possible tax lien/foreclosure (LVMC 4.20.100; RoomTaxPacket). - Platform liability: Hosting platforms ('accommodations facilitators') must hold a $3,000/yr city license (LVMC 6.75.122/124), must verify a listed STR has a city business license before facilitating it, include the license number in listings, collect and remit transient lodging tax monthly, and file quarterly reports (LVMC 6.75.128/130). The Department may issue subpoenas to facilitators for records relevant to suspected violations (LVMC 6.75.140). Facilitator violations of Ch. 6.75 are subject to the $1,000-or-nightly-value civil fine (LVMC 6.02.460(C)). - Notes: Complaints run through a 24-hour hotline (702-229-3500). Prohibited on-site: outside noise audible 50 ft from source, obstructive parking, trash in public view, and events such as weddings/parties/bachelor(ette) gatherings. Per press/secondary reporting (discovery only, not an official cite), the City intensified proactive verification of the owner-occupancy requirement in 2024-2025 and revoked licenses where owners were found not to reside on-site. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Exact effective/adoption date of the AB363 conformance amendment (Bill 21-0576) was not independently confirmed against an official adopting ordinance number; the amendment text was verified from the city's official content packet PDF and its substantive provisions are corroborated by the city's current (rev. March 2026) Room Tax Packet and the current one-page overview, indicating it is in force. - max_guests is derived (2 persons/bedroom excluding children under 12, applied to the 3-bedroom cap = 6). The code's explicit numeric ceilings are the lowest of: 2/bedroom, Uniform Housing Code (LVMC 16.20) limits, or 16 persons absolute (LVMC 6.75.090(B)). A specific unit's max could be lower per UHC/inspection. - collectedByPlatform=true reflects that licensed accommodations facilitators (e.g., Airbnb) are required to collect and remit room tax (LVMC 6.75.128, 4.20.070); however, hosts remain responsible for their own business license and monthly room-tax report and must remit tax for any stays booked outside a licensed facilitator. Airbnb/Vrbo's current City-of-Las-Vegas-specific collection status was not verified on an official Airbnb/city page during this task. - 2024-2025 enhanced owner-occupancy enforcement and any 2025-2026 proposed City ordinance changes are based on secondary/news reporting only; no official City of Las Vegas pending-ordinance document was located, so pending_changes is left empty rather than citing non-official sources. ## Sources - LVMC Chapter 6.75 Short-Term Residential Rental - AB363 conformance ordinance content packet (Bill 21-0576-TXT1), amending LVMC Titles 4, 6 & 19 (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/21-0576-TXT1_Content-Packet-for-Short-Term-Residential-Rental.pdf - Short-Term Rental Ordinance - Bill No. 2017-16 / Ordinance No. 6585 (base LVMC Ch. 6.75 & UDC 19.12.070) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/planning/Short-Term-Rental-Ordinance.pdf - City of Las Vegas Business Licensing - 'Can My Home Become a Short-Term Rental?' one-page overview (CD-10187-07-24) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/Short-Term_Rental-One_Page_Overview.pdf - City of Las Vegas Transient Lodging Establishment Room Tax Instructions & Guidelines (rev. March 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://files.lasvegasnevada.gov/business-licensing/RoomTaxPacket.pdf - City of Las Vegas - Short-Term Rentals (Code Enforcement page) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Business/Planning-Zoning/Code-Enforcement/Short-Term-Rentals - City of Las Vegas - Short-Term Rentals FAQ (city blog) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/News/Blog/Detail/short-term-rentals-faq - LVMC Chapter 6.75 (Municode index - blocked to automated fetch; corroborates section structure) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://library.municode.com/nv/las_vegas/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6BUTALIRE_CH6.75SHRMRERE - Steadily - Airbnb & short-term rental laws in Las Vegas 2026 (discovery only) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.steadily.com/blog/airbnb-short-term-rental-laws-regulations-las-vegas --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Kissimmee, FL - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/kissimmee-fl/ ## Summary In the City of Kissimmee, renting a residential dwelling for less than 30 days is prohibited in residential districts except inside the city's Short-Term Rental Overlay (STRO) district, and only where the use was approved through a planned unit development (SRPUD/MUPUD) or as a conditional use under City Code (Land Development Code) § 14-6-44 (or was grandfathered before the STRO regulations). A scattered single-family home in an ordinary Kissimmee neighborhood cannot legally operate as a short-term rental. Table 4-1 lists short-term rentals as a conditional use in five higher-density residential districts (including RB-1, RB-2, RC-1 and RC-2), but only when the parcel also carries the STRO overlay classification. New STR/time-share developments must meet strict standards under § 14-6-44.C: minimum two acres and 12 dwelling units, direct collector/arterial access, a 15-foot vegetated or walled buffer, a mandatory property owners' association, and 80% owner acceptance for conversions. Florida's preemption statute (Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)(b)) bars the city from prohibiting vacation rentals outright or regulating their duration/frequency, but only for rules adopted after June 1, 2011; Kissimmee's overlay/PUD framework operates within that constraint. Statewide, a host must hold a Florida DBPR vacation rental license (transient public lodging establishment) and register with the Florida Department of Revenue. Guests pay roughly 13.5% in taxes: 6% Florida state sales tax + 1.5% Osceola County discretionary sales surtax (both to the DOR) + 6% Osceola County Tourist Development Tax (remitted directly to the Osceola County Tax Collector, which does NOT contract with Airbnb/Vrbo). The 2024 statewide preemption bill (CS/SB 280) was vetoed by Gov. DeSantis in June 2024 and no 2025 or 2026 replacement has become law, so the pre-existing framework governs. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: City Code § 14-6-44.B: 'The rental of a dwelling for less than 30 days in a residential district is prohibited' except (1) the dwelling is in an SRPUD or MUPUD district within an STRO district and was approved for short-term rental/time-share use during PUD approval (or approved before STRO regulations and still in effect), or (2) the dwelling is approved as a conditional use in a residential district (per Table 4-1) within an STRO district (or grandfathered). Short-term rental is defined in Chapter 14-2 as 'a residential dwelling intended for rental for a period of less than 30 days,' so stays of 30+ days are not short-term rentals (min_stay_exempt_days=30). Table 4-1 (Schedule of Uses for Residential Standard Districts) shows 'Short-term rentals if the housing type is allowed' as a Conditional Use (C) in five residential districts (identified as including RB-1, RB-2, RC-1, RC-2; exact 5-district set flagged in needs_review), governed by § 14-6-44. Per § 14-4-7.C, STR/time-share developments are only allowed in the STRO district if listed as permitted/conditional in Table 4-1 and comply with § 14-6-44. There is no owner-occupancy/primary-residence requirement and no numeric guest cap in § 14-6-44 (the framework is overlay/development-based, not occupancy-based). The code prohibition speaks to renting 'a dwelling'; it does not expressly carve out hosted/single-room rentals, so hosted_allowed is marked conditional pending confirmation (rooming houses are separately listed as a conditional use in RC-1/RC-2). New-development standards (§ 14-6-44.C): min 2 acres and 12 units, collector/arterial access, 15-ft buffer, property owners' association, 80% owner acceptance for conversions, and city/county/state licenses must be obtained. ## Requirements ### Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License (Dwelling or Condominium) (license) - Authority: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants - Cost: $50 application fee + $10 Hospitality Education Program fee + license fee (sliding scale by unit count and full/half-year cycle; approx. $170/yr for a single unit) per Rule 61C-1.002, F.A.C. - Renewal: Annual; renewal date varies by county district (October–June) - Official source: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Notes: Required for a 'vacation rental' — any unit or group of units in a condominium/cooperative or any single-family, two-family, three-family or four-family house rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days, or advertised/held out as regularly so rented (Fla. Stat. §§ 509.013, 509.242(1)(c)). License types: Dwelling vs. Condominium; Single (one unit), Group (units in one building/complex), or Collective (separate properties, capped at 75 units per district). Renting a single room within an owner-occupied home is generally not a 'vacation rental' subject to DBPR licensing. Exact license fee flagged in needs_review (varies by district/renewal cycle). ### Florida Sales & Use Tax Certificate of Registration (transient rentals) (registration) - Authority: Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) - Cost: Free to register online (Form DR-1); $5 if registering by paper. Yields Certificate of Registration (Form DR-11) - Renewal: No periodic renewal fee; collector must file sales/transient-rental returns (monthly, or less frequently based on tax volume) - Official source: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Notes: Anyone renting short-term living/sleeping accommodations (vacation houses, condominiums, etc.) for six months or less must register with the DOR, collect 6% state sales tax plus the Osceola 1.5% discretionary sales surtax, and remit via Form DR-15. Registration cost ($5 paper vs. free online) flagged in needs_review as not re-verified against a current DOR fee page in this pass. ### Osceola County Tourist Development Tax account & remittance (registration) - Authority: Osceola County Tax Collector (Office of the Tax Collector) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: File and remit by the 20th of the month following the rental period; monthly filing (quarterly/annual may be permitted based on volume) - Official source: https://osceolataxcollector.org/tourist-development-taxtes/ - Notes: The person receiving the rent must register with, collect, and remit the 6% Osceola Tourist Development Tax directly to the Osceola County Tax Collector for any rental of less than 180 days. Osceola County is NOT contracted with Airbnb, Vrbo, Evolve or similar platforms, so the host/agent — not the platform — is responsible for collecting and remitting the TDT. Exact filing-frequency thresholds flagged in needs_review. ### City of Kissimmee Conditional Use / PUD approval for short-term rental (permit) - Authority: City of Kissimmee Development Services Department (Planning; Development Review Committee / Planning Advisory Board) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://library.municode.com/fl/kissimmee/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH14-6STACTEOTUS_PTIIISTSPUS_14-6-44SHRMRETIARDW - Notes: A short-term rental in a residential district is only lawful if approved through the planned-unit-development process (SRPUD/MUPUD within an STRO district) or as a conditional use in a residential district within an STRO district, per § 14-6-44.B and Table 4-1 (§ 14-4). New STR developments must meet § 14-6-44.C standards (2 acres/12 units, collector-arterial access, buffer, POA, 80% conversion acceptance). Application/permit fees are set by a separate city fee schedule/resolution and were not verified against an official source — cost is null (see needs_review). ### City of Kissimmee Local Business Tax Receipt (short-term rental) (license) - Authority: City of Kissimmee (Business Tax) / and Osceola County local business tax where applicable - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://library.municode.com/fl/kissimmee/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH14-6STACTEOTUS_PTIIISTSPUS_14-6-44SHRMRETIARDW - Notes: § 14-6-44.C.8 requires that 'applicable city, county, and state licenses shall be obtained' for short-term rental/time-share dwellings, which includes a local business tax receipt for operating the business, and a fire/life-safety inspection is commonly required before issuance. The specific BTR fee is set by the city's local business tax schedule and was not verified against an official source — cost null (see needs_review). The requirement that a room/dwelling meet the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code is the safety area Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7) leaves to local government. ## Taxes - **Florida State Sales Tax (transient/short-term rentals)**: 6% — applies to Total rental charge for living/sleeping accommodations rented for six months or less (includes mandatory cleaning/resort fees); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15tdt.pdf - **Osceola County Discretionary Sales Surtax**: 1.5% (1% eff. 9/1/1990 exp. 12/31/2045 + 0.5% eff. 1/1/2017 exp. 12/31/2036) — applies to Same base as state sales tax on transient rentals; the $5,000 single-sale cap that applies to tangible personal property does not limit surtax on transient rentals. Reported/remitted to the Florida DOR with state sales tax on Form DR-15; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - **Osceola County Tourist Development Tax (TDT)**: 6% — applies to Total rental amount for any short-term rental of less than 180 days (hotels, condos, single-family homes, RVs, boats), including mandatory cleaning/resort/equipment fees; platform collects: no. Source: https://osceolataxcollector.org/tourist-development-taxtes/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating a short-term rental in a residential district outside the STRO overlay, or without the required PUD/conditional-use approval and licenses, is a zoning/land-development-code violation enforced by City of Kissimmee Code Enforcement (with potential injunctive relief and Florida code-enforcement-board fines). Specific per-day fine amounts for Kissimmee were not verified against an official source in this pass — see needs_review. - Platform liability: No city-level platform delisting or license-display mandate was found; Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)(b)) preempts cities from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating duration/frequency for rules adopted after June 1, 2011. Osceola County does not contract with Airbnb/Vrbo/Evolve for Tourist Development Tax, so those platforms do not collect or remit the county TDT — the host/agent must. - Notes: The overlay/PUD framework is the city's principal control: it channels short-term rentals into the STRO district (historically the W192 / Vine Street tourist corridor) and the large gated STR/time-share communities there, while keeping <30-day rentals out of standard single-family neighborhoods. Enforcement fine schedules and any dedicated STR code-enforcement program should be confirmed with the city. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Exact set of the five residential zoning districts where Table 4-1 lists short-term rentals as a conditional use — confirmed to include RB-1, RB-2, RC-1, RC-2; the fifth (likely RA-4) should be confirmed from the aligned Table 4-1 grid on municode. - Whether hosted / single-room rentals in an owner-occupied home are permitted — § 14-6-44.B prohibits renting 'a dwelling' for <30 days in residential districts without carving out room rentals; rooming houses are separately a conditional use in RC-1/RC-2. City interpretation not verified. - City of Kissimmee Conditional Use Permit application/hearing fee — set by a separate fee schedule/resolution, not verified against an official source (cost left null). - City of Kissimmee (and any Osceola County) Local Business Tax Receipt fee for short-term rentals and whether a fire/life-safety inspection is mandated before issuance — not verified against an official source (cost left null). - Kissimmee code-enforcement penalty/fine schedule for STR/zoning violations — specific per-day fine amounts not verified against an official source. - Exact Florida DBPR vacation rental license fee for a single dwelling/condo unit — sliding scale under Rule 61C-1.002 varies by county district and full/half-year renewal cycle; only the $50 application + $10 hospitality-education components and an approx. $170/yr single-unit figure were seen on the DBPR guide. - Florida DOR sales-tax registration fee ($5 paper vs. free online) not re-verified against a current DOR fee page in this pass. - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo collect Florida state 6% sales tax + 1.5% surtax on Kissimmee bookings — marked null; the county TDT is confirmed NOT platform-collected, but platform collection of the state-administered taxes was not confirmed against an official DOR source. ## Sources - City of Kissimmee Code of Ordinances § 14-6-44 — Short-Term Rentals and Time-Share Dwellings (residential-district prohibition + STRO/PUD/conditional-use exceptions + new-development standards) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://library.municode.com/fl/kissimmee/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH14-6STACTEOTUS_PTIIISTSPUS_14-6-44SHRMRETIARDW - City of Kissimmee Code of Ordinances Chapter 14-4 (Zoning) — § 14-4-7.C Short-Term Rental Overlay (STRO) District & Table 4-1 Schedule of Uses (STR = conditional use in designated residential districts) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://library.municode.com/fl/kissimmee/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH14-4ZO - City of Kissimmee Code of Ordinances Chapter 14-2 (Terms Defined) — definition of 'Short-term rental' (residential dwelling intended for rental for less than 30 days) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://library.municode.com/fl/kissimmee/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH14-2TEDE - Osceola County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Tax (6% rate, <180 days, host remits directly, county NOT contracted with platforms) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://osceolataxcollector.org/tourist-development-taxtes/ - Florida DOR Form DR-15TDT — Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (Osceola 6.0%, collected by County; state 6% sales tax + surtax to DOR) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15tdt.pdf - Florida DOR Form DR-15DSS — Discretionary Sales Surtax Information CY2026 (Osceola total surtax 1.5%) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - Florida DBPR — Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (license types, definition, fees, Fla. Stat. 509.242) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Florida DOR — Sales and Use Tax (registration requirement for renting short-term accommodations; Certificate of Registration DR-11) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7) — preemption: local law may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate duration/frequency (grandfather: adopted on/before June 1, 2011) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0509/Sections/0509.032.html - The Florida Senate — CS/SB 280 (2024) Vacation Rentals (bill history; vetoed by Gov. DeSantis June 2024) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/280 - The Florida Senate — SB 48 (2026) (ADU/housing bill; confirmed NOT a vacation-rental preemption bill; died in House 3/13/2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/48 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Boston, MA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/boston-ma/ ## Summary Boston permits short-term rentals (stays under 28 consecutive days) only for owner-occupants of their primary residence, under the 2018 Short-Term Residential Rentals ordinance (Boston Municipal Code ch. 9-14, effective January 1, 2019). Investor-owned, absentee, and tenant-operated units are ineligible: an Operator must be the owner and reside in the unit at least nine of twelve months. Three unit types are allowed, each up to 365 days/year: Limited Share (a room in the owner's occupied primary residence, hosted; max 6 guests, $25/yr), Home Share (the owner's whole primary-residence unit while away; max 10 guests, $200/yr), and Owner-Adjacent (a second unit in an owner-occupied two- or three-family building; $200/yr). Registration with the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) is mandatory (BMC 9-14.6), operators must carry $1,000,000 liability insurance (G.L. c. 175 s. 4F) unless the platform provides equal coverage, and units subject to affordability covenants, leasing prohibitions, or Problem-Property status are ineligible (BMC 9-14.4A). Fines are $300/day for offering an ineligible unit and $100/day for operating unregistered (BMC 9-14.9). Booking agents (platforms) must sign data-sharing/enforcement agreements with the City, de-list unregistered or ineligible units, and report monthly, or be barred from doing business in Boston (BMC 9-14.10, 9-14.11). A Boston STR guest pays roughly 14.95% in room-occupancy taxes (5.7% state + 6.5% Boston local option + 2.75% Convention Center fee), rising to ~17.95% where the 3% Community Impact Fee applies (owner-adjacent 2-3 family units and operators with multiple units); platforms collect and remit these under G.L. c. 64G. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: 10 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 28 days Notes: Whole-home unhosted rental is allowed ONLY where the unit is the owner-operator's primary residence (Home Share Unit, BMC 9-14.2/9-14.5(c), max 5 bedrooms or 10 guests, whichever is fewer) or is a single Owner-Adjacent Unit in an owner-occupied two- or three-family dwelling all owned by the same owner-occupant (9-14.5(d)). Investor/absentee whole-home rentals are prohibited. Hosted rental is a Limited Share Unit: a portion of the owner's occupied primary residence while the Operator is present, max 3 bedrooms or 6 guests (whichever is fewer), one bedroom reserved for the Operator (9-14.2). Primary Residence = Operator resides there at least 9 of 12 months, proven by 2+ documents (utility bill, voter/motor-vehicle registration, deed, lease, driver's license, or residential-exemption proof) (9-14.2). Short-Term Rental is defined as occupancy for fewer than 28 consecutive days (9-14.2); stays of 28+ days fall outside the ordinance. Note the state room-occupancy tax uses a 31-day threshold (rentals of 31+ consecutive days are exempt from the excise, G.L. c. 64G). Furnished institutional/business stays with a minimum of 10 days are not treated as short-term rentals (9-14.4B(d)). Only one owner may register as Operator per unit, and an Operator may offer only one whole-unit listing at a time (9-14.5). ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Registration (Inspectional Services Department) (registration) - Authority: City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) - Cost: $25/year (Limited Share Unit); $200/year (Home Share Unit); $200/year (Owner-Adjacent Unit) - Renewal: Annual; valid one-year term January 1 - December 31 (BMC 9-14.6(a)) - Official source: https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/document-file-08-2018/short-term_rental_ordinance.pdf - Notes: BMC 9-14.6(b): Limited Share $25.00; Home Share $200.00; Owner-Adjacent $200.00. Operator must be the owner, certify primary residence and unit eligibility, and provide 24/7 local-contact info able to respond in person within 2 hours if the operator is absent (9-14.5(f)). Registration is tied to both the unit and the operator and does not transfer on sale; new owners must re-register (9-14.6(c)). Registration number must appear on every listing. Confirmed current on boston.gov ISD Short-Term Rentals page (accessed 2026-07-17). ### Liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: Commonwealth of Massachusetts (G.L. c. 175 s. 4F) - Cost: Minimum $1,000,000 coverage per short-term rental (premium varies) - Renewal: Must be maintained continuously while operating - Official source: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXII/Chapter175/Section4F - Notes: Operator must maintain liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 to defend and indemnify the operator and any tenants/owners in the building for bodily injury and property damage arising from the short-term rental, UNLESS the rental is offered through a hosting platform that maintains equal or greater coverage (G.L. c. 175 s. 4F). ### Business certificate (DBA) with City Clerk (license) - Authority: City of Boston City Clerk - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.boston.gov/departments/inspectional-services/short-term-rentals - Notes: Boston.gov ISD Short-Term Rentals page lists obtaining a business certificate from the City Clerk among host obligations. Fee/renewal not stated on the STR page; set null pending verification of the City Clerk business-certificate schedule. ### Abutter notification (other) - Authority: City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/document-file-08-2018/short-term_rental_ordinance.pdf - Notes: Within 30 days of approved registration, the Operator must notify abutters (any residential dwelling within 300 feet) that the unit has been registered as a short-term rental, and must post interior signage showing fire-extinguisher/exit/alarm locations (BMC 9-14.5(j)). ## Taxes - **State room occupancy excise**: 5.7% (5% statutory base plus 0.7% surtax) — applies to Rent for short-term rentals of 31 or fewer consecutive days; platform collects: yes. Source: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIX/Chapter64G/Section3 - **Boston local option room occupancy excise**: 6.5% — applies to Rent for short-term rentals located in Boston; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dls-gw.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdpage.aspx?rdreport=localoptions.room_tax_impact_fee - **Convention Center Financing fee**: 2.75% — applies to Rent for room occupancy (incl. short-term rentals) in Boston, Cambridge, Springfield, Worcester, West Springfield, Chicopee; platform collects: yes. Source: https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/server/api/core/bitstreams/31bf150d-1fdd-415d-9497-d4a8f5224fa0/content - **Community Impact Fee (short-term rentals)**: 3% — applies to Short-term rentals in Boston that are owner-occupied two- or three-family units, or where the operator has 2+ STR units in Boston (professionally managed); platform collects: yes. Source: https://dls-gw.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdpage.aspx?rdreport=localoptions.room_tax_impact_fee ## Enforcement - Penalties: BMC 9-14.9: offering an ineligible unit as a short-term rental (or a booking agent accepting a fee for one) is fined $300 per violation per day (9-14.9(a)); operating an eligible unit without registering, or while registration is suspended, is fined $100 per violation per day (9-14.9(b)); failure to comply with a notice of violation is $100 per violation per day (9-14.9(c)). Each day is a separate violation. Enforced via the M.G.L. c. 40 s. 21D noncriminal disposition process and the M.G.L. c. 40U 'Green Ticket' law (9-14.10(a)); the Commissioner may also seek an injunction. - Platform liability: Booking agents (platforms) must enter agreements with the City to remove listings that exceed day limits, are ineligible, or lack a valid City registration number; any booking agent that fails to enter such an agreement is prohibited from conducting business in Boston (BMC 9-14.10(b)). Booking agents must file monthly electronic reports of Boston listings, including location, room-vs-whole-unit, and nights occupied (BMC 9-14.11). Under G.L. c. 64G, the booking agent/intermediary collects and remits room-occupancy taxes. - Notes: Ineligible units (BMC 9-14.4A): below-market/income-restricted units or those under affordability covenants; units where law prohibits leasing/subletting; units in 'Problem Properties' or 'Public Nuisance Properties' (or owned by owners of such properties); and units with 3+ violations of ch. 9-14 in six months or 3+ nuisance-type violations in six months. Units with outstanding building/sanitary/zoning/fire violations have registration suspended until cured (9-14.5(g)). Lodging houses and bed-and-breakfasts holding valid ISD certificates as of the ordinance's effective date must register but are exempt from the 9-14.5 unit limits (9-14.4B). ISD files an annual report with the City Clerk (Section 2 of the ordinance). ## Pending changes - No material substantive amendment to Boston ch. 9-14 identified for 2024-2026; ISD registration framework and fees ($25/$200/$200) remain in force. Boston University Initiative on Cities published a November 2025 study on STR regulation, compliance, and housing impact, informing ongoing council discussion but not itself a rule change. (proposed, 2025-11-07) — https://www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/11/07/short-term-rentals-in-boston-regulation-compliance-and-impact/ ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - State room occupancy excise stated as 5.7%: the fetched statute (G.L. c. 64G s. 3) codifies a 5% base rate; the additional 0.7% is an uncodified surtax cited by MA DOR (TIR materials) but not present in the fetched statute text. The 5.7% figure is corroborated by MA DOR TIR 01-15 (archives.lib.state.ma.us). mass.gov/info-details/room-occupancy-excise-tax returned HTTP 403 to non-interactive fetch and could not be captured directly. - Community Impact Fee (3%) applicability to Boston STRs is verified via the MA DOR/DLS local-options report (Boston adopted at 3%, eff. 7/1/2019, with both the professionally-managed and owner-occupied 2-3 family options marked 'Yes'). The precise statutory scope is G.L. c. 64G s. 3D; that specific section text was not separately fetched. - Business certificate (DBA) requirement is listed on the boston.gov ISD Short-Term Rentals page but its fee and renewal terms were not verified against the City Clerk's fee schedule; cost/renewal set to null. - State DOR operator registration in the Massachusetts STR registry (via MassTaxConnect) is generally required under G.L. c. 64G but was not captured as a separate requirement because the mass.gov registration page returned HTTP 403; platforms typically register/remit on operators' behalf. - Convention Center Financing fee's application to short-term rentals is inferred: the fee is administered as a tax under c. 64G (per TIR 01-15) and c. 64G was extended to short-term rentals effective 7/1/2019; TIR 01-15 predates the STR law and does not itself mention STRs. ## Sources - An Ordinance Allowing Short-Term Residential Rentals in the City of Boston (BMC ch. 9-14, full text PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/document-file-08-2018/short-term_rental_ordinance.pdf - Short-Term Rentals - City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.boston.gov/departments/inspectional-services/short-term-rentals - M.G.L. c. 64G s. 3 - Room occupancy excise (5% base rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIX/Chapter64G/Section3 - M.G.L. c. 64G s. 3A - Local option excise (Boston up to 6.5%) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIX/Chapter64G/Section3A - M.G.L. c. 175 s. 4F - Short-term rental $1,000,000 liability insurance (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXII/Chapter175/Section4F - MA DOR/DLS - Room Tax & Impact Fee Effective Dates & Rates (Boston: 6.5% local excise + 3% community impact fee, eff. 7/1/2019) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dls-gw.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdpage.aspx?rdreport=localoptions.room_tax_impact_fee - MA DOR TIR 01-15 - Convention Center Financing 2.75% fee on room occupancy (St. 1997, c. 152; administered under c. 64G) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/server/api/core/bitstreams/31bf150d-1fdd-415d-9497-d4a8f5224fa0/content - Councilors vote to pass amended short-term rental ordinance - Boston.gov (news) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.boston.gov/news/councilors-vote-pass-amended-short-term-rental-ordinance - Short-Term Rentals in Boston: Regulation, Compliance, and Impact - BU Initiative on Cities (Nov 2025) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/11/07/short-term-rentals-in-boston-regulation-compliance-and-impact/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Washington, DC - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/washington-dc/ ## Summary Short-term rentals are legal in Washington, DC but only in the host's PRIMARY RESIDENCE (property eligible for the homestead deduction under DC Code § 47-850), per the Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018 (DC Law 22-307, codified at DC Code § 30-201.01 et seq., enforced since 2022). A basic business license with a 'Short-Term Rental' endorsement allows HOSTED rentals (host present) with no annual night cap; a 'Short-Term Rental: Vacation Rental' endorsement allows UNHOSTED whole-home rentals but is capped at 90 nights cumulatively per calendar year (§ 30-201.06(e)) unless the host obtains a work- or medical-hardship exemption (§ 30-201.06(f)). The license costs $99.00 for two years and requires liability insurance of at least $500,000 (statute § 30-201.02(b); may be provided by the booking service), a Certificate of Clean Hands, and HOA/condo consent where applicable. Occupancy is capped at 8 guests or 2 per bedroom, whichever is greater, and individual stays are limited to 30 consecutive nights (DLCP). DC levies a 15.95% transient accommodations sales tax (temporarily raised from 14.95%, effective Apr 1, 2023 through Mar 30, 2027; OTR Tax Notice 2023-01), which booking services must collect and remit (§ 30-201.08). Unlicensed operation draws civil penalties of $500 / $2,000 / $6,000 for first/second/third violations (§ 30-201.10). A pending Short-Term Rental Regulation Amendment Act of 2026 (introduced Mar 13, 2026) would let renters host, allow a licensed second property, and consolidate the two endorsement types. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 31 days Notes: Unhosted whole-home rentals are permitted only under the 'Short-Term Rental: Vacation Rental' endorsement, capped at 90 nights cumulatively per calendar year (DC Code § 30-201.06(e)) unless an exemption is granted under § 30-201.06(f) (host's employer requires work outside DC >90 days, or host leaves DC for serious-health-condition treatment/family care >90 days). Property must be the host's primary residence, i.e. eligible for the homestead deduction under § 47-850 (§ 30-201.02(d); § 30-201.01). Accessory dwelling units / English basements qualify if homestead-eligible (DLCP). Hosted rentals (host present) have no annual night cap. Occupancy limited to 8 guests OR 2 per bedroom, whichever is greater (DLCP); statute also cross-references occupancy limits in DCMR Titles 11, 12, 14 (§ 30-201.02(e)). Individual stays limited to a maximum of 30 consecutive nights (DLCP); stays longer than 30 nights fall outside the STR regime (min_stay_exempt_days=31 reflects this, per DLCP; exact statutory 'transient guest' night threshold not independently confirmed). ## Requirements ### Basic Business License with 'Short-Term Rental' endorsement (hosted) (license) - Authority: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) - Cost: $99.00 per 2-year license - Renewal: Every 2 years; automatic renewal option upon fee payment - Official source: https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/operating-short-term-rental-district-columbia - Notes: Required for hosted STRs (host present). No annual night cap. Statutory basis: DC Code § 30-201.02(a), § 30-201.03. A separate discovery source (theoffersheet) cited $104.50; DLCP's own page states $99.00 for two years — see needs_review. ### Basic Business License with 'Short-Term Rental: Vacation Rental' endorsement (unhosted) (license) - Authority: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) - Cost: $99.00 per 2-year license - Renewal: Every 2 years; automatic renewal option upon fee payment - Official source: https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/operating-short-term-rental-district-columbia - Notes: Required for unhosted whole-home rentals (host absent). Capped at 90 nights cumulatively per calendar year (§ 30-201.06(e)) absent an exemption (§ 30-201.06(f)). Statutory basis: DC Code § 30-201.02(a). ### Liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: DC Code § 30-201.02(b) - Cost: At least $500,000 in coverage (may be provided by the booking service) - Renewal: Must be maintained current while operating - Official source: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/30-201.02 - Notes: Statute § 30-201.02(b) requires liability insurance of at least $500,000. DLCP's application guidance references proof of a $250,000 minimum — discrepancy noted in needs_review. Coverage may be furnished by the booking/hosting platform. ### Certificate of Clean Hands (other) - Authority: DC Office of Tax and Revenue (via DLCP application) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be dated within 30 days of application - Official source: https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/operating-short-term-rental-district-columbia - Notes: Certificate of Clean Hands issued within the last 30 days in the property owner's name, confirming no outstanding DC tax/fee debts. ### HOA/condo/co-op consent attestation (other) - Authority: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/operating-short-term-rental-district-columbia - Notes: Where the property is part of an association, owner must attest that governing documents allow short-term/vacation rentals or provide written permission from the association. Statutory basis: § 30-201.03. ### Safety self-certification (smoke/CO detectors, fire extinguisher, egress) (inspection) - Authority: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: At each license period - Official source: https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/operating-short-term-rental-district-columbia - Notes: Applicant self-certifies compliance with the Housing Code and Property Maintenance Code: unobstructed egress, working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and a portable fire extinguisher. No pre-license physical inspection; self-certification. ## Taxes - **Sales and use tax on transient accommodations**: 15.95% (temporarily increased from 14.95%, effective Apr 1, 2023 through Mar 30, 2027; reverts to 14.95% thereafter) — applies to Gross receipts from rooms, lodgings, or accommodations furnished to transients, including short-term rentals; platform collects: yes. Source: https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/release/otr-tax-notice-2023-01-sales-and-use-tax-rate-increase-transient-accommodations ## Enforcement - Penalties: Civil penalties for hosts operating without a valid license/endorsement: $500 for the first violation, $2,000 for the second, and $6,000 for the third plus revocation of the STR license endorsement (DC Code § 30-201.10). The Mayor may adjust these penalties by rulemaking. - Platform liability: Booking services are liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 for each booking transaction made in violation of the subchapter (§ 30-201.10 / § 30-201.08). Platforms must let hosts display the license endorsement number, must stop booking a listing within 5 business days of notice that a license was suspended/revoked, must submit monthly transaction reports to DLCP (host name, address, endorsement number, dates, rates), must retain records for 2 years, and must collect/remit transient occupancy taxes (§ 30-201.08). - Notes: DLCP monitors booking-service listings and, on discovering a violation, immediately notifies the booking service and host (§ 30-201.09). The Department may refer violations to the Office of the Attorney General; the Office of the Chief Financial Officer handles tax-related violations. Enforced under DC Law 22-307, active enforcement since 2022. ## Pending changes - Short-Term Rental Regulation Amendment Act of 2026 — would allow renters (not just owners) to host at their primary residence (except rent-stabilized units or where the lease prohibits), permit a licensed second property in DC (subject to a 90-night cap when unoccupied), create a new 'special event' license category for Mayor-designated events, consolidate the 'Short-Term Rental' and 'Vacation Rental' endorsements into a single category, and refine key definitions. (proposed, 2026-03-13) — https://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-announces-new-short-term-rental-legislation-create-more-economic-opportunities ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - License fee discrepancy: DLCP's official 'Operating a Short-Term Rental' page states $99.00 for a two-year license; a discovery-only vendor source cited $104.50. Used the DLCP figure ($99.00). Recommend re-confirming the exact current fee on the DLCP application/fee schedule. - Insurance amount discrepancy: DC Code § 30-201.02(b) requires liability insurance of at least $500,000, but DLCP application guidance references a $250,000 minimum. Used the statutory $500,000 as the requirement; the $250,000 may be an application-intake threshold. Confirm which controls. - 30-consecutive-night per-stay limit and the 8-guest / 2-per-bedroom occupancy cap are sourced to the DLCP page (official). The precise statutory definition of 'transient guest' / night threshold (used for min_stay_exempt_days=31) was not independently confirmed in § 30-201.01 during fetch — verify against the full definitions section. - OTR Tax Notice 2023-01 confirms the 15.95% transient-accommodations rate applies to 'any place in which rooms/lodgings/accommodations are regularly furnished'; it does not name short-term rentals explicitly. Applicability to STRs is corroborated by § 30-201.08's requirement that booking services collect transient occupancy taxes. Confirm no separate STR-specific rate. - max_guests set to null deliberately (CEO review 2026-07-17): the DLCP occupancy rule is 8 guests OR 2 per bedroom whichever is GREATER, so no single integer cap exists; see legality.notes. ## Sources - DLCP — Operating a Short-Term Rental in the District of Columbia (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/operating-short-term-rental-district-columbia - DC Code § 30-201.01 — Definitions (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/30-201.01 - DC Code § 30-201.02 — Restrictions on short-term rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/30-201.02 - DC Code § 30-201.06 — Requirements for short-term rentals (90-night cap and exemptions) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/30-201.06 - DC Code § 30-201.08 — Requirements for booking services (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/30-201.08 - DC Code § 30-201.09 — Enforcement (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/30-201.09 - DC Code § 30-201.10 — Penalties (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/30-201.10 - DC Law 22-307 — Short-Term Rental Regulation Act of 2018 (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/laws/22-307 - OTR Tax Notice 2023-01 — Sales and Use Tax Rate Increase on Transient Accommodations (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/release/otr-tax-notice-2023-01-sales-and-use-tax-rate-increase-transient-accommodations - Mayor Bowser Announces New Short-Term Rental Legislation (Amendment Act of 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-announces-new-short-term-rental-legislation-create-more-economic-opportunities --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Dallas, TX - Status: **LIGHTLY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/dallas-tx/ ## Summary Dallas passed two short-term rental (STR) ordinances on June 14, 2023: a ZONING ordinance (amending Chapters 51/51A of the Dallas Development Code) that makes STR lodging a permitted use only in multifamily, mixed-use, central-area, office, commercial and urban-corridor districts and effectively bans it from single-family residential neighborhoods; and a REGISTRATION ordinance (new City Code Chapter 42B) requiring annual registration ($404/yr, reinspection $234), inspection, a 24/7 local responsible party, a 2-night minimum stay, occupancy of 3 persons per bedroom capped at 12, and one STR per rentable unit. However, BOTH ordinances are currently UNENFORCEABLE: a Dallas County district court entered a temporary injunction on December 6, 2023 barring enforcement, and the Fifth Court of Appeals affirmed that injunction in a memorandum opinion issued July 18, 2025 (No. 05-23-01309-CV, disposition reversed-and-affirmed-in-part), finding the challengers likely to succeed on their constitutional/due-course-of-law claims. The City filed a petition for review with the Texas Supreme Court on October 16, 2025 (pending as of 2026-07-17), seeking to enforce the ban before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. So TODAY a host may legally operate an STR anywhere in Dallas, including single-family neighborhoods, without STR-specific registration; the only rules actually enforced are the City's pre-existing hotel occupancy tax (7% City + 6% State), minimum property standards, noise, and nuisance codes (per the City's own Code Compliance page). If the injunction is lifted, the on-books de facto ban and Chapter 42B registration regime would spring back into effect. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Yes - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 12 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: ENFORCEABLE TODAY: STRs may operate in any zoning district, including single-family, because enforcement of both 2023 STR ordinances is enjoined (temporary injunction 12/6/2023, affirmed by Fifth Court of Appeals 7/18/2025, No. 05-23-01309-CV; City's petition for review pending at Texas Supreme Court, filed 10/16/2025). ON THE BOOKS BUT ENJOINED: the zoning ordinance (Ch. 51/51A amendment, passed 6/14/2023) permits STR lodging by-right only in multifamily (MF-1 through MF-4), mixed-use (MU-1/2/3), central-area (CA-1/2), office (MO/GO), commercial and urban-corridor districts and bans it from single-family districts; the registration ordinance (Ch. 42B, passed 6/14/2023) caps occupancy at 3 persons per bedroom / 12 total, sets a 2-night minimum stay, limits one STR per rentable unit, and requires one off-street parking space per STR bedroom. Neither ordinance imposes a primary-residence requirement. STR is defined as renting for fewer than 30 consecutive days (or one month, whichever is less). ## Requirements ### Hotel Occupancy Tax registration (STRs treated as hotels) (registration) - Authority: City of Dallas, City Controller's Office - Special Collections Unit (Hotel Occupancy Tax) - Cost: No stated registration fee; tax is 7% of net room receipts - Renewal: Registration form kept on file; updated on ownership/management/name change - Official source: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/controllersoffice/DCH%20Documents/pdf/PDF-Short%20Term%20Rental.pdf - Notes: CURRENTLY ENFORCED (not part of the enjoined 2023 ordinances). Every STR must register and remit HOT via dallas.munirevs.com. City Code Article V, Hotel Occupancy Tax governs. Registered STRs must also obtain a state HOT number (Texas Comptroller). ### Short-Term Rental Registration (City Code Chapter 42B) (registration) - Authority: City of Dallas, Code Compliance Services - Cost: $404.00 per year (annual registration fee; initial inspection included) - Renewal: Annual; reinspection fee $234.00 if property must be reinspected - Official source: http://citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com/resolutions/2023/06-14-23/23-0833.pdf - Notes: ENJOINED / NOT CURRENTLY ENFORCED per the City's Code Compliance STR page (temporary injunction 12/6/2023). Chapter 42B (added by ordinance passed 6/14/2023) requires: complete application, proof of ownership, certificate of occupancy, HOT registration number, a designated Local Responsible Party contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, passing a property inspection, and posting the registration and certificate of occupancy. Operational limits: max occupancy 3 persons/bedroom capped at 12 total; minimum allowable rental period 2 nights; no more than one STR per rentable unit. Two-strikes provision (two or more citations in the preceding year). Fee figure ($404/$234) is from the enacted 2023 ordinance PDF; the currently codified amount on the amLegal code library may have been amended (see needs_review). ### Zoning / land-use compliance for STR lodging (Chapters 51 & 51A, Dallas Development Code) (permit) - Authority: City of Dallas, Planning & Urban Design / Planning & Development - Cost: not verified - Official source: http://citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com/resolutions/2023/06-14-23/23-0844.pdf - Notes: ENJOINED / NOT CURRENTLY ENFORCED. Ordinance passed 6/14/2023 amending Chapter 51 (Ord. 10962) and Chapter 51A (Ord. 19455) to create a 'Short-term rental lodging' use permitted by-right only in MF-1 through MF-4 multifamily, MU-1/2/3 mixed-use, CA-1/2 central-area, MO/GO office, commercial and urban-corridor districts, and NOT in single-family residential districts (effectively a ban there). Requires a certificate of occupancy in a district where the use is permitted and one off-street parking space per STR bedroom. Penalty up to $2,000. Because of the injunction, STRs currently operate in single-family districts notwithstanding this ordinance. ## Taxes - **City of Dallas Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT)**: 7% of net room receipts — applies to Short-term rentals (defined as hotels for HOT purposes) rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/controllersoffice/DCH%20Documents/pdf/PDF-Short%20Term%20Rental.pdf - **Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax**: 6% of the cost of a room — applies to Short-term rentals / hotels statewide (stays under 30 days); platform collects: yes. Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: On the books but ENJOINED: Chapter 42B (registration) violations are punishable by a fine not to exceed $500; the zoning ordinance (Ch. 51/51A) carries a penalty not to exceed $2,000. Enforcement of both STR ordinances has been barred since the 12/6/2023 temporary injunction. Currently enforceable: HOT tax liabilities, fines, penalties and interest for non-payment; minimum property standards (Chapter 27); disturbing-noise and private-nuisance ordinances; and habitual-nuisance-property designation under Chapter 27. - Platform liability: The enjoined Chapter 42B names hosting platforms among regulated parties, but no STR-specific platform liability is enforceable today due to the injunction. Platforms do collect the 6% Texas state HOT. - Notes: Per the City of Dallas Code Compliance short-term rentals page (Wayback snapshot 2026-07-03): 'On December 6, 2023, a temporary injunction was filed prohibiting the enforcement of the two short-term rental ordinances. In the meantime, the City will continue enforcement of its existing ordinances.' The Fifth Court of Appeals affirmed the injunction (memorandum opinion 7/18/2025, No. 05-23-01309-CV); City filed a petition for review with the Texas Supreme Court on 10/16/2025 (pending). ## Pending changes - City of Dallas v. Dallas Short-Term Rental Alliance (No. 05-23-01309-CV): Fifth Court of Appeals affirmed the temporary injunction barring enforcement of both 2023 STR ordinances in a memorandum opinion issued 7/18/2025 (disposition reversed-and-affirmed-in-part). The City filed a Petition for Review in the Texas Supreme Court on 10/16/2025, which remains pending. If the Supreme Court lifts the injunction, the single-family-district ban and Chapter 42B registration regime would become enforceable. (effective-date-pending, 2025-10-16) — https://search.txcourts.gov/Case.aspx?cn=05-23-01309-CV&coa=coa05 - City leaders are pushing to reinstate and enforce the 2023 STR ban ahead of the June 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing the need for enforcement authority; the Texas Supreme Court had not ruled as of mid-2026. (proposed, 2025-10-22) — https://www.keranews.org/business-economy/2025-10-22/dallas-wants-scotx-to-lift-a-block-on-its-short-term-rentals-ban-before-2026-fifa-world-cup ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Registration fee: the enacted 2023 ordinance PDF (City Secretary item 23-0833) states $404.00/yr and a $234.00 reinspection fee. Secondary summaries of the currently codified Chapter 42B (amLegal) report a lower figure ($248 / $144 reinspection), suggesting a possible post-2023 fee amendment. The amLegal code library is Cloudflare-gated and could not be directly fetched to confirm the current codified fee. Moot while the ordinance is enjoined, but verify against amLegal 42B-5 before publishing. - City Code Compliance STR page was read via an Internet Archive capture (snapshot 2026-07-03) of the official URL because the live dallascityhall.com pages timed out / had TLS errors during this task. The injunction-notice text was verbatim from that snapshot. - Fifth Court of Appeals 7/18/2025 memorandum opinion disposition is 'reversed and affirmed in part' per the official txcourts.gov docket; the exact portion reversed vs. affirmed was not read from the opinion PDF. News sources characterize the net result as the temporary injunction being affirmed (STRs continue operating). The opinion PDF itself was not fetched. - City of Dallas 7% HOT: whether Airbnb/Vrbo collect and remit the City (local) HOT on behalf of Dallas STR hosts was not confirmed on an official source (set to null). State 6% HOT platform collection is set true based on the Comptroller's general guidance that third-party rental companies may be responsible; the specific Airbnb/Vrbo state-collection arrangement was not confirmed on an official page in this task. - Specific assigned ordinance numbers for the two 6/14/2023 ordinances were not confirmed from the official PDFs (headers were OCR-garbled); cited by City Secretary agenda item numbers (23-0833 registration/Ch.42B, 23-0844 zoning/Ch.51-51A) and effective date instead. - Zoning: any per-structure density cap on STR units within multifamily/mixed-use buildings (secondary sources mention a ~3% or 20-unit threshold) was not verified from the official ordinance text; the ordinance references a density limit but the exact percentage was not confirmed. ## Sources - City of Dallas Code Compliance - Short-Term Rentals (injunction notice; Wayback snapshot 2026-07-03 of official page) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dallascityhall.com/departments/codecompliance/short-term-rentals/Pages/default.aspx - Enacted ordinance adding City Code Chapter 42B, Short-Term Rentals (passed 6/14/2023) - City Secretary PDF (official, accessed 2026-07-17): http://citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com/resolutions/2023/06-14-23/23-0833.pdf - Enacted ordinance amending Chapters 51 & 51A (STR lodging zoning; passed 6/14/2023) - City Secretary PDF (official, accessed 2026-07-17): http://citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com/resolutions/2023/06-14-23/23-0844.pdf - City of Dallas Controller's Office - Short-Term Rentals (Hotel Occupancy Tax), 7% City HOT (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dallascityhall.com/departments/controllersoffice/DCH%20Documents/pdf/PDF-Short%20Term%20Rental.pdf - Texas Comptroller - Hotel Occupancy Tax (6% state rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ - Texas Courts docket - City of Dallas v. Dallas Short-Term Rental Alliance, No. 05-23-01309-CV (opinion 7/18/2025; petition for review filed 10/16/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://search.txcourts.gov/Case.aspx?cn=05-23-01309-CV&coa=coa05 - Dallas City Code Chapter 42B (Short-Term Rentals) - American Legal Publishing code library (Cloudflare-gated; not directly fetched) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/dallas/latest/dallas_tx/0-0-0-130547 - KERA News - Dallas wants SCOTX to lift block on short-term rental ban before 2026 FIFA World Cup (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.keranews.org/business-economy/2025-10-22/dallas-wants-scotx-to-lift-a-block-on-its-short-term-rentals-ban-before-2026-fifa-world-cup - Spectrum News - Dallas short-term rental battle goes to Texas Supreme Court (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2025/11/17/dallas-short-term-rental-battle- - Dallas Observer - Dallas Short-Term Rental Owners Win in Court Again, Keep Operating (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-short-term-rental-owners-win-again-keep-operating-21728205/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Charleston, SC - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/charleston-sc/ ## Summary Charleston legalized short-term rentals (stays of 1-29 consecutive days) citywide in a tightly limited form under Ordinance 2018-043 (ratified April 10, 2018, effective 90 days later). In all residential areas the STR must be an accessory use at the record owner's primary residence: the owner must qualify as a 'Resident' (physically living there at least 183 days/year, 4% owner-occupied assessment ratio, voting address and driver's license at the property) and must be residing overnight on the property while STR guests are present, so non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are prohibited everywhere except commercially zoned lots inside the Cannonborough-Elliotborough Short Term Rental (ST) Overlay Zone, where Commercial STR permits allow up to 9 investor-owned units per lot. Only one STR unit per property, max 4 adults (18+), one extra off-street parking space, $1M liability insurance, and permit number on every listing are required. Permits come from the zoning administrator after a 15-day public posting, cost $345 (zoning/application review fee effective Jan 1, 2024) plus fire review fees (~$105) and a business license ($64 base + $3.90 per $1,000 income), and must be renewed annually. Category 1 (Old and Historic District) additionally requires the building to be individually listed on the National Register; Category 2 (rest of the peninsula) requires a building 50+ years old; Category 3 covers off-peninsula areas. Violations are misdemeanors with each day a separate offense and lead to permit revocation (no new permit for 24 months). Lodging taxes total 14% in the Charleston County portion of the city. A city proposal to replace the 4-adult cap with fire-marshal-set occupancy limited to 8 guests was deferred by the Planning Commission on July 15, 2026, and state preemption/tax bills (H.3861, H.3876, S.442) were pending in the 2025-2026 session as of July 17, 2026. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: 4 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Sec. 54-120 defines an STR as sleeping accommodations for 1-29 consecutive days; 30+ day rentals are outside the ordinance. Residential STRs (Sec. 54-208, 54-208.1/.2/.3) require the record owner to be a 'Resident' (>=183 days/year at the property, 4% homeowner assessment ratio, legal voting address and driver's license there; single/dual-member LLCs may qualify with sworn statement) and to be 'residing overnight on the property while Residential STR guests are present' (Sec. 54-208(b)(1)). Max 4 adults (18 and older) per STR; only 1 STR unit per property. Non-owner-occupied ('Commercial') STRs are prohibited except on commercially zoned lots (CT, LB, GB, UC, MU-1, MU-1/WH, MU-2, MU-2/WH districts) entirely within the Cannonborough-Elliotborough ST Overlay Zone (Sec. 54-227), max 9 units per lot (10+ requires Sec. 54-220 accommodations-use approval); affordable/workforce housing units may not be converted. Sec. 54-204.3 makes it unlawful to advertise or rent any accommodations use in any base zoning district without city approval. Category 1 (Old and Historic District) requires the STR to be in a structure individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Category 2 (peninsula outside O&H District and overlay) requires a building constructed 50+ years ago; Category 3 (off-peninsula) has no building-age test. All categories require 1 additional off-street parking space and no applicant with a permit revoked in the prior 24 months. ## Requirements ### Residential Short Term Rental Permit (Category 1, 2, or 3) (permit) - Authority: City of Charleston Zoning Division / Zoning Administrator (Dept. of Planning, Preservation & Sustainability) - Cost: $345 zoning and application review fee (effective Jan 1, 2024; was $200) - Renewal: Annual; permit valid 1 year from issuance and must be renewed by the original date of issuance with a recertification application and fee - Official source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1855/Applicable-Fees - Notes: Ordinance 2018-043 / Sec. 54-208, 54-208.1-.3: notarized application with floor plans, site plan showing STR unit and required off-street parking, photos, and signed acknowledgment; 15-consecutive-day notice posted on the property, then 5 business days for appeals before issuance. Operational rules (Sec. 54-208(b)): owner residing overnight during rentals, no STR signage, guest register with names/addresses/phones/dates, permit number on all listings (Airbnb, VRBO/Homeaway, FlipKey, etc.), rental packet and posted permit/rules in the unit, only one STR unit rented/listed per property. Permit states max number of guests. See also https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1840/Short-Term-Rental-Permit-Information and the ordinance PDF https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18216 ### Commercial Short Term Rental Permit (ST Overlay Zone only) (permit) - Authority: City of Charleston Zoning Division / Zoning Administrator - Cost: $345 zoning and application review fee (city STR fee page does not distinguish residential vs. commercial applications) - Renewal: Annual; valid 1 year, renewable with notarized recertification and application fee (Sec. 54-227(b)(8)) - Official source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18216 - Notes: Sec. 54-227: only for conversion of an existing conforming/legal nonconforming dwelling unit on a commercially zoned lot (CT, LB, GB, UC, MU-1, MU-1/WH, MU-2, MU-2/WH) entirely within the Cannonborough-Elliotborough ST Overlay Zone. No owner-occupancy requirement; rented to one family at a time, max 4 unrelated people, 1-29 days; max 9 STR units per lot; unit may not be a designated affordable/workforce housing unit; no exterior signs; no new construction of Commercial STRs; no additional parking required for converted units. Bed and Breakfast permits (1-10 units, resident owner 183+ days/year) also available only within the overlay. ### Fire inspection and plan review (inspection) - Authority: City of Charleston Fire Marshal - Cost: $40 application fee + $32.61 plan review fee + $32.61 inspection fee, collected when the permit is received - Official source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1855/Applicable-Fees - Notes: Listed on the city's STR Applicable Fees page as of 2026. (The city's 2021 FAQ PDF gave an older breakdown of $40 base + $32.21 plan review + $32.61 per floor; the current fees page controls.) ### City of Charleston business license (license) - Authority: City of Charleston Revenue Collections - Cost: $64 base fee plus $3.90 per additional $1,000 of expected income - Renewal: Annual; business licenses expire December 31 - Official source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1855/Applicable-Fees - Notes: Required in all cases per Sec. 54-208(b)(6) (compliance with all business license and revenue collection laws of the city, applicable county, and state). Renewal cycle per city STR FAQ (https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30035/FAQs-for-STR-083121). ### General liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Charleston (Zoning Ordinance Sec. 54-208(b)(4)) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be kept in full force at all times the STR is operated - Official source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18216 - Notes: Record owner must maintain a general liability policy with a company authorized to do business in South Carolina insuring against personal injury (including death) and property damage with limits of no less than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence. ## Taxes - **South Carolina sales tax**: 5% — applies to Rental charges for accommodations furnished for less than 90 consecutive days; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.sc.gov/tax/accommodations - **South Carolina state accommodations tax**: 2% — applies to Rental charges for accommodations furnished for less than 90 consecutive days; SCDOR states that when an online travel company books and accepts payment, it is responsible for the tax on the full booking amount; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.sc.gov/tax/accommodations - **Local sales taxes remitted with the state return (Charleston County portion of the city)**: 3% total (1% local option sales tax + 1% county transportation tax + 1% school district/education tax); Berkeley County portion also totals 3% in these local sales taxes per the city's table — applies to Accommodations rentals, per the City of Charleston's STR accommodations tax breakdown; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2339/Accommodations-Tax-for-STRs - **Charleston County local accommodations tax**: 2% (applies to city properties located in Charleston County; not applied to the Berkeley County portion of the city) — applies to Short-term accommodations rentals; owner is ultimately responsible for remitting to the county; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2339/Accommodations-Tax-for-STRs - **City of Charleston local accommodations tax**: 2% — applies to Short-term accommodations rentals citywide; total lodging tax burden 14% in the Charleston County portion of the city, 12% in the Berkeley County portion. City warns that not all online marketplaces collect and remit the local accommodations tax — some only remit the state-imposed accommodations tax — and the property owner remains ultimately responsible; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2339/Accommodations-Tax-for-STRs ## Enforcement - Penalties: Sec. 54-208(e) (and parallel Sec. 54-227(d)): operating, expanding, or advertising an STR/B&B/accommodations use without complying with the ordinance, advertising without displaying the permit number, or holding out more occupants or units than permitted is a violation; 'a violation of this Chapter is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and/or incarceration' and 'each day... is considered a separate offense.' Any violation entitles the zoning administrator to revoke the permit; per the city's STR FAQ, three findings of guilt in Livability Court result in revocation, listing additional units or an ineligible property triggers immediate revocation, and a revoked permit cannot be reestablished for 24 months. A permit is also revoked if the use fails to meet requirements or is discontinued for 12+ months (Sec. 54-227(d)(2)). For accommodations tax: the city FAQ states state law allows a civil penalty of not less than $500 nor more than $2,000 for each seven days the property was rented without collecting/remitting the tax. Exact dollar amounts of the misdemeanor fines are not specified in the ordinance (see needs_review). Complaints go to the Livability Department (843-805-3226). - Platform liability: The ordinance reaches owners, agents, and managers who advertise or 'submit for advertising or marketing' noncompliant listings (Sec. 54-208(e)(1)(c)-(f)), and the city's official FAQ states the regulations allow enforcement avenues against 'listing companies'; no separate platform penalty schedule is codified. - Notes: City has dedicated STR enforcement staff and monitoring technology per the official FAQ; enforcement page: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1846/Short-Term-Rental-Enforcement; ordinance: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18216; FAQ: https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30035/FAQs-for-STR-083121 ## Pending changes - First major overhaul of the city's STR ordinance since 2018: proposal would scrap the 4-unrelated-adult occupancy limit and have the Charleston Fire Marshal set occupancy by bedroom size, capped at 8 guests regardless of home size. Planning Commission deferred action on July 15, 2026; a revised proposal must get a Planning Commission recommendation before City Council first reading. (proposed, 2026-07-15) — https://www.live5news.com/2026/07/16/city-charleston-short-term-rental-ordinance-change-deferred/ - SC H.3861 (2025-2026 session): would prohibit municipalities/counties from enacting or enforcing ordinances that ban short-term rentals (defined as fewer than 29 consecutive days), with penalties including withholding State Aid to Subdivisions distributions. Introduced and referred to House Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs on Jan 30, 2025; no further action recorded. (proposed, 2025-01-30) — https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3861.htm - SC H.3876 (2025-2026 session): requires accommodations intermediaries (booking platforms) to collect and remit state and local accommodations taxes, with an option for contracted professional property management companies to be designated merchant of record. Passed House 66-38 on May 8, 2025; Senate Finance Committee reported favorable with amendment May 5, 2026; still residing in the Senate. (proposed, 2026-05-05) — https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3876.htm - SC S.442 (2025-2026 session): statewide STR framework affirming local authority to permit/restrict/prohibit STRs while requiring $1M liability insurance, business licenses, and a local representative, and removing the under-6-bedroom owner-occupied accommodations tax exemption. Introduced and referred to Senate Judiciary March 11, 2025; no action since a scrivener's correction March 19, 2025. (proposed, 2025-03-11) — https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/442.htm ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Municode codified text bot-walled: https://library.municode.com/sc/charleston/codes/zoning (including the Sec. 54-208 and Sec. 54-227 node URLs) returned HTTP 403 to non-browser fetchers. All ordinance-text claims were instead verified against the city's posted Ordinance 2018-043 PDF (DocumentCenter/View/18216). A reviewer with a headless browser should check the current codified Sec. 54-208/54-208.1-.3/54-227 on Municode for any post-2018 codification amendments not reflected in that PDF (none surfaced in news searches through July 2026 other than the still-pending occupancy overhaul deferred 2026-07-15). - Misdemeanor fine amounts: Sec. 54-208(e)(2) says violations are 'a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and/or incarceration' with each day a separate offense, but states no dollar amounts; the specific Livability Court fine schedule (commonly reported in news as up to ~$1,087.50 per offense under SC municipal court limits) could not be verified on an official source fetched during this task, so no dollar figure is asserted for zoning violations. - Effective date discrepancy: the ordinance (Section 17) is effective 90 days after its April 10, 2018 ratification (= approx. July 9, 2018), while city web copy quoted in search results says it 'took effect on July 10th, 2018.' Summary uses the ratification date plus the 90-day provision. - Commercial STR permit fee: the city's Applicable Fees page lists a single $345 STR zoning/application review fee without distinguishing residential Category 1-3 from Commercial STR applications; the $345 figure is applied to both with that caveat. - Fire fee discrepancy across official sources: the current Applicable Fees page says $40 application + $32.61 plan review + $32.61 inspection, while the city's 2021 FAQ page/PDF said $40 base + $32.21 plan review + $32.61 per floor. The current fees page (which states fees effective Jan 1, 2024) was used. - Platform tax collection specifics: SCDOR's page makes online travel companies responsible for accommodations tax on bookings they process (so state 7% is marked platform-collected), but the city's official page warns 'not all of these entities collect and remit the local accommodations tax on your behalf.' Whether Airbnb/Vrbo currently remit the City of Charleston 2% and Charleston County 2% local accommodations taxes could not be verified on any official page fetched, so collectedByPlatform is null for local taxes. - max_guests is stated as 4 because the ordinance caps occupancy at four adults (18+); it does not expressly cap the number of children, and the pending 2026 amendment would replace this with a bedroom-based limit capped at 8 guests. - The lead about Board of Zoning Appeals approval was checked: under Ordinance 2018-043 the zoning administrator (not the BZA) issues Category 1-3 and Commercial STR permits after a 15-day posting; BZA-Zoning approval under Sec. 54-110 applies only to changes to legal nonconforming B&B/STR uses per the city FAQ. ## Sources - Ordinance 2018-043 — Short Term Rental and Bed and Breakfast regulations (as amended), City of Charleston (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18216 - Short Term Rentals Frequently Asked Questions (City of Charleston PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/30035/FAQs-for-STR-083121 - Short Term Rental Permit Information — City of Charleston (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1840/Short-Term-Rental-Permit-Information - Short Term Rental Ordinance — City of Charleston (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2529/Short-Term-Rental-Ordinance - Short Term Rental Categories (Category Criteria) — City of Charleston (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2316/Category-Criteria - Applicable Fees — City of Charleston STR (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1855/Applicable-Fees - FAQs & Other Info — City of Charleston STR (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2317/FAQs - Short Term Rental Enforcement — City of Charleston (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1846/Short-Term-Rental-Enforcement - Accommodations Tax for Short Term Residential Rentals — City of Charleston (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2339/Accommodations-Tax-for-STRs - Accommodations Tax — South Carolina Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dor.sc.gov/tax/accommodations - 2025-2026 Bill 3861: Short-term rentals — SC Legislature Online (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3861.htm - 2025-2026 Bill 3876: Accommodations — SC Legislature Online (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3876.htm - 2025-2026 Bill 442: Short Term Rentals — SC Legislature Online (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/442.htm - City of Charleston short-term rental ordinance change deferred — Live 5 News (July 16, 2026) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.live5news.com/2026/07/16/city-charleston-short-term-rental-ordinance-change-deferred/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Savannah, GA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/savannah-ga/ ## Summary Savannah allows short-term vacation rentals (STVRs, whole-dwelling rentals of 30 consecutive days or less) only after the owner obtains both a city business tax certificate and an annual STVR certificate ($400 new application, $250 annual renewal, non-refundable, via the city's Deckard registration portal). In the Downtown (Savannah) Historic District and Victorian District, zoning Sec. 7.5 caps non-owner-occupied STVRs at 20% of residential parcels per ward, and the city states every ward in both districts has reached that cap, so new non-owner-occupied certificates are effectively unavailable there (a first-come, first-served waiting list exists); owner-occupied properties are exempt from the cap, and certificates predating September 28, 2017 are grandfathered for renewal (with a 6-month reapplication window after a title transfer). In the Streetcar district's TN-2 zoning, STVRs are limited to parcels with 2+ dwelling units where one is owner-occupied. Post-9/28/2017 certificates carry occupancy limits of 4 adults for units with up to 2 bedrooms, or 2 adults per bedroom for 3+ bedrooms. Owners must designate a 24-hour local agent who can appear on site within 2 hours, carry insurance evidencing STVR use, notify adjacent owners before initial issuance, and publish the certificate number and exemplar rental agreement in every listing. Violations draw non-waivable fines of $500/$750/$1,000, and three code violations at a property within 12 months triggers revocation and a 12-month application bar (Sec. 8-11017). Guests pay Savannah's 8% hotel/motel excise tax (raised from 6% effective September 1, 2023), 7% combined state and local sales tax, and Georgia's $5-per-night state hotel-motel fee; booking platforms meeting Georgia's marketplace thresholds must collect the sales tax and the $5 fee. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 31 days Notes: STVR defined as rental of a residential dwelling unit for not more than 30 consecutive days (Sec. 8-11011); stays of 31+ days are outside the ordinance. Certificate required before operating (Sec. 8-11012). Zoning Sec. 7.5 (STVR Overlay District, NewZO effective 9/1/2019): in the Savannah (Downtown) Historic District (7.5.4) and Victorian District (7.5.5), non-owner-occupied STVR use is limited to 20% of residential parcels per ward; the city reports all wards in both districts are at the cap, with a first-come, first-served waiting list. Owner-occupied parcels (homestead exemption or sworn affidavit plus two proofs of residency, per Sec. 8-11011 definition) are exempt from the cap. Grandfathering: certificates/applications filed before 9/28/2017 renew without regard to the cap; on title transfer the new owner has 6 months to reapply cap-exempt (Sec. 8-11012(b)). Streetcar Historic District TN-2 zoning: STVRs only on parcels with 2+ dwelling units, at least one owner-occupied (Sec. 7.5.6). Occupancy for certificates issued after 9/28/2017: max 4 adults for units with up to 2 bedrooms; 2 adults per bedroom for 3+ bedrooms (Secs. 7.5.4-7.5.6) — no fixed citywide guest cap, so max_guests is null. No change to exterior appearance or visible evidence of STVR use permitted in the overlay. Which base zoning districts permit STVR use outside the three overlay districts could not be verified (see needs_review). ## Requirements ### Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate (permit) - Authority: City of Savannah (Tourism Management & Ambassadorship / Planning & Urban Design) - Cost: $400 new application; $250 annual renewal (both non-refundable) - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.savannahga.gov/2332/STVR-Application-Process - Notes: Required before operating (Sec. 8-11012). Applied for annually via the STVR Registration Portal (str.deckard.com/ga-chatham-city_of_savannah). Application under oath includes owner and agent contact info, parking spaces, sworn code compliance verification form, exemplar rental agreement, proof of ownership, and for condominiums a declaration permitting sub-30-day leasing (Sec. 8-11013). Certificate is non-transferable between persons or locations (Sec. 8-11012). Certificate number and exemplar rental agreement must appear in every print/digital advertisement (Sec. 8-11013(d)); certificate copy with agent info, business tax certificate number, max occupancy, and max vehicles must be posted in the unit (Sec. 8-11016). Adjacent property owners must be notified before initial issuance (Sec. 8-11015(a)). ### Business Tax Certificate (license) - Authority: City of Savannah Revenue Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.savannahga.gov/2332/STVR-Application-Process - Notes: Sec. 8-11012: no person shall rent a dwelling unit as an STVR 'without first obtaining a business tax certificate from the revenue director.' City instructs applicants to obtain the BTC and submit a copy to Planning and Urban Design as part of the STVR certificate process. Fee set by the city's annual revenue ordinance (amount not published on fetched pages). ### 24-hour short-term vacation rental agent (other) - Authority: City of Savannah (Sec. 8-11014, Code of Ordinances Part 8, Ch. 11) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Designated on each annual application - Official source: https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/savannah-ga/doc-view.aspx?pn=0&ajax=0&secid=3517 - Notes: Owner must designate a natural person 18+ (may be the owner) who is available 24 hours, customarily present within the city, and able to appear on premises within 2 hours of city notification of problems; failure to appear for two or more complaints is grounds for penalties. Agent changes must be reported to the city within 5 business days (Sec. 8-11013(c)). ### Proof of insurance evidencing short-term rental use (insurance) - Authority: City of Savannah (Sec. 8-11013(b), Code of Ordinances Part 8, Ch. 11) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Submitted with each new and renewal application - Official source: https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/savannah-ga/doc-view.aspx?pn=0&ajax=0&secid=3517 - Notes: Sec. 8-11013(b)(4) requires 'proof of insurance indicating the premises is used as a short-term vacation rental.' City STVR pages confirm it is required for all new and renewing applications. No minimum coverage amount is specified in the ordinance. ### Code compliance verification form (other) - Authority: City of Savannah (Secs. 8-11011, 8-11013(b)(1)) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: With each annual application - Official source: https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/savannah-ga/doc-view.aspx?pn=0&ajax=0&secid=3517 - Notes: Owner-executed sworn certification that the unit complies with applicable zoning, building, health and life safety codes; occupancy is prohibited while the premises is in violation of any such code. Units must be 'properly maintained and regularly inspected by the owner' (Sec. 8-11016(b)) — owner self-inspection, not a city inspection requirement. ## Taxes - **City of Savannah Hotel/Motel Excise Tax**: 8% of lodging charges (raised from 6% effective September 1, 2023, under O.C.G.A. 48-13-51(b)) — applies to Stays at STVRs, hotels, and other lodging within the city; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.savannahga.gov/2328/Local-State-Taxes - **Georgia state and local sales and use tax**: 7% combined in Savannah/Chatham County (per city Revenue Department tax page) — applies to Short-term lodging charges; remitted to Georgia DOR by the 20th of the following month; payments over $500 must be electronic; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.georgia.gov/marketplace-facilitators - **Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee**: $5.00 per night per accommodation (O.C.G.A. 48-13-50.3; DOR Rule 560-13-2-.01) — applies to Each calendar night an accommodation (including short-term rentals) is rented, until a stay becomes an extended stay rental of 31+ consecutive days; remitted by the 20th of the following month; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.georgia.gov/state-hotel-motel-faq ## Enforcement - Penalties: Sec. 8-11017(e): non-waivable fines of $500 (first violation), $750 (second within 12 months), $1,000 (third within 12 months), combinable with other legal remedies. Three code violations at a property within 12 consecutive months: the city 'shall revoke any pending certificates and reject all applications for the subject premises' for 12 consecutive months (Sec. 8-11017(b)). False application statements are grounds for revocation, suspension, penalties, and denial of future applications (Sec. 8-11015). Citations heard by an STVR staff board or the Recorder's Court of Chatham County; appeals to the city manager within 30 calendar days, with the appeal staying the action (Sec. 8-11017(d),(f),(g)). - Platform liability: not verified - Notes: City operates a 24/7 STVR complaint hotline (912-226-0320) and an online Vacation Rental Complaint Portal, plus an STR public portal for checking certificate status. An owner cited for any zoning/building/health/life-safety violation must demonstrate compliance before being eligible for a certificate (Sec. 8-11017(c)). The city code imposes no STR-specific liability on hosting platforms. ## Pending changes - Chatham County commissioners approved a 120-day moratorium on approving new short-term vacation rentals on July 10, 2026, while the county drafts clearer STVR rules. This is a Chatham County Commission action (the county governs unincorporated areas outside Savannah city limits); no evidence found that it changes City of Savannah rules, but hosts near city boundaries should confirm which jurisdiction their parcel is in, and county-level rule changes are expected within roughly 120 days. (proposed, 2026-07-10) — https://www.wtoc.com/2026/07/10/chatham-county-approves-120-day-moratorium-new-short-term-vacation-rentals/ ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - library.municode.com returned HTTP 403 to non-browser fetch. Current code text was instead verified via the city's official enCodePlus portal (online.encodeplus.com/regs/savannah-ga), which served full text of Chapter 11 (Secs. 8-11010 to 8-11018, incorporating the 8/3/2017 and 9/28/2017 amendments) and zoning Sec. 7.5 — so this did not block verification, but a reviewer with a browser could confirm municode matches. - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo collect and remit Savannah's 8% hotel/motel excise tax: the city's Local & State Taxes page says operators remit to the city Revenue Department by the 20th of the following month and is silent on platforms. Georgia HB 317 (2021) reportedly extended 'innkeeper' duties to marketplaces for local excise taxes as well, but I could not verify local-excise platform collection against an official source I fetched, so collectedByPlatform is null for the city tax. - Base zoning districts where STVR use is permitted OUTSIDE the three overlay areas (Downtown Historic, Victorian, Streetcar): the NewZO use tables are ajax-rendered on enCodePlus and could not be extracted. Verified overlay rules (Sec. 7.5) and Chapter 11 do not themselves say STVRs are prohibited elsewhere in the city; reviewer with a headless browser should pull the NewZO permitted-use tables (Chapter 3, effective 9/1/2019, enCodePlus secid 6683) to confirm which base districts allow STVR use, plus the Figure 7.5-1/7.5-2 ward maps. - The 7% sales tax figure is the combined rate stated on the city's official tax page; the state (4%) vs. Chatham County local (3%) breakdown was not itemized on any official page I fetched, so only the combined 7% is asserted. - Business tax certificate fee amount: set by the city's annual revenue ordinance (per Sec. 8-11013(a) the STVR application fee is too); the revenue ordinance fee schedule itself was not fetched. The $400/$250 STVR fees are from the city's official application page. A $50 zoning verification letter fee is stated on the city's STVR Regulations page. - Renewal deadline/cycle date for annual STVR certificates (e.g., calendar-year vs. anniversary renewal) is not stated on the fetched city pages — the portal handles renewals; exact deadline unverified. - Georgia statewide STR preemption: searches of 2025-2026 legislative coverage found no state preemption statute or 2025-2026 preemption bill (Georgia localities retain full authority). This is a verified-by-absence conclusion from searches, not from a single official page. - No City of Savannah STVR ordinance amendments after the 2017 amendments (and the 2019 NewZO overlay codification) were found in searches or on city pages as of 2026-07-17; the 2023 change was the hotel/motel tax increase to 8%. The city's claim that 'all wards' in the Downtown and Victorian districts are at the 20% cap is from the official STVR Regulations page but ward-level counts change over time — the city's STR Public Portal has current per-ward status. - The savannahga.gov FAQ page and the STVR Regulations page's list of exact wards at capacity could not be fully extracted (CivicPlus page rendered minimal text to the fetcher); cap-status claim rests on the fetched summary text of savannahga.gov/2327. ## Sources - Short-term Vacation Rental Regulations - City of Savannah (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.savannahga.gov/2327/STVR-Regulations - STVR Application Process - City of Savannah (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.savannahga.gov/2332/STVR-Application-Process - Short-Term Vacation Rentals (main page) - City of Savannah (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.savannahga.gov/1476/Short-Term-Vacation-Rentals - Local & State Taxes (STVR) - City of Savannah (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.savannahga.gov/2328/Local-State-Taxes - Savannah Code of Ordinances, Division II, Part 8, Chapter 11 - Short-Term Vacation Rentals (Secs. 8-11010 to 8-11018), enCodePlus (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/savannah-ga/doc-view.aspx?pn=0&ajax=0&secid=3517 - Savannah Zoning Ordinance (NewZO) Sec. 7.5 Short-term Vacation Rental Overlay District, enCodePlus (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/savannah-ga/doc-view.aspx?pn=0&ajax=0&secid=5506 - Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance PDF (Ord. of 11-10-2014, Secs. 8-10010 to 8-10018) - City of Savannah Document Center (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.savannahga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4303/Short-Term-Vacation-Rental-Ordinance - State Hotel-Motel Fee FAQ - Georgia Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dor.georgia.gov/state-hotel-motel-faq - State Hotel-Motel Fee - Georgia Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dor.georgia.gov/taxes/taxes-business/other-business-taxes/state-hotel-motel-fee - FET-2021-01: Changes to the State Hotel-Motel Fee effective July 1, 2021 (HB 317, O.C.G.A. 48-13-50.3) - Georgia DOR (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/fet-2021-01-state-hotel-motel-fee-2021/download - Marketplace Facilitators - Georgia Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://dor.georgia.gov/marketplace-facilitators - Chatham County approves 120-day moratorium on new short-term vacation rentals - WTOC (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.wtoc.com/2026/07/10/chatham-county-approves-120-day-moratorium-new-short-term-vacation-rentals/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Asheville, NC - Status: **BANNED (DE FACTO)** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/asheville-nc/ ## Summary Asheville bans whole-home short-term rentals in nearly the entire city: a 'short-term vacation rental' (an entire dwelling unit rented for less than one month, UDO Sec. 7-2-5) is a Lodging use permitted only in the Resort zoning district, per the city's own compliance and permit pages (verified 2026-07-17). The only path for renting in residential zones is a 'homestay' — up to two guest rooms inside the operator's one-and-only primary, full-time residence, with the operator physically present overnight during every stay (UDO Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9)). A homestay requires a city permit ($200 plus a 6% technology fee per the FY Fees & Charges Manual), two proofs of residency, annual review and inspection, liability insurance, one homestay per lot and one permit per person/household/entity; new homestays may not be in detached accessory structures (pre-Dec-14-2021 permits grandfathered). Illegal whole-home rentals and unlawful homestay operation draw a $500-per-day civil penalty (UDO Sec. 7-18-2(b)(1)c). Lodging taxes total 13%: 7.00% combined NC sales tax in Buncombe County (4.75% state + 2.25% local, NCDOR chart effective 2026-07-01) plus Buncombe County's 6% occupancy tax, filed monthly by the 20th; stays of 90+ continuous days are exempt from both. A state preemption bill (SB 291, 2025-26 session) that would bar STR bans has sat in Senate Rules since 2025-03-17. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: UDO Sec. 7-2-5 (fetched 2026-07-17): 'Homestay means a lodging use that occurs within a private, resident occupied dwelling unit, and where up to two guest rooms are provided to transients for compensation for periods less than 30 days...'; 'Short-term vacation rental means a dwelling unit with up to six guest rooms that is used and/or advertised through an online platform, or other media, for transient occupancy for a period of less than one month'; any dwelling unit rented for intervals of less than one month is a 'Lodging' use. City of Asheville official pages state STVRs (whole-unit rentals <1 month) 'are only permitted in the resort zoning district' — everywhere else, including all residential districts, whole-home STRs are unlawful. Homestays are allowed in districts per the Table of Permitted Uses (Sec. 7-8-1(d)) subject to Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9): operator must be 18+, a full-time resident whose ONLY primary residence is the dwelling, and must be at the property overnight during every homestay stay (temporary daytime absences for shopping/work/class allowed; being away on vacation/travel is a violation); max two guest rooms (no numeric overnight-guest cap found); one homestay per lot/parcel; one permit per person, immediate household, LLC, corporation, trust or entity (>5% ownership counts); no new homestays in detached accessory structures (permits issued before 2021-12-14 grandfathered per Sec. 7-17-3); no signage; no activities other than lodging; no additional off-street parking required; non-conforming properties eligible (Sec. 7-16-1(a)(1) waived). NC Vacation Rental Act (G.S. Ch. 42A) governs rental agreements/deposits/expedited eviction for rentals <90 days but does not override city zoning. G.S. 160D-1207(c) bars NC cities from requiring permits/registration 'to lease or rent residential real property' — Asheville's homestay permit is structured as a zoning land-use permit under the UDO (see needs_review re: Schroeder preemption question). ## Requirements ### Homestay Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Asheville Development Services Department - Cost: $200 (Fees & Charges Manual, Development Services > Miscellaneous Permits: 'Homestay $200') plus 6% Technology Fee on upfront application fees - Renewal: Conflicting official sources: the UDO requires the homestay to be 'reviewed annually and inspected for compliance' (Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9)c) and the city permit page offers an 'annually renew' form, but the city's official Homestay FAQ states 'Homestay permits are valid for as long as you would like to maintain one' (layout changes require a permit amendment). See needs_review. - Official source: https://www.ashevillenc.gov/service/apply-for-a-homestay-permit/ - Notes: Required before renting 1-2 bedrooms for <30 days in an operator-occupied primary residence. Applicants 'must definitively affirm that they live at the property... and that they have only one primary, full-time residence' with a minimum of two proof-of-residency documents from an approved list (Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9)e); if the owner does not reside there, the full-time resident and owner apply as co-applicants (subsec. f); one homestay per lot (subsec. i); one permit per person/immediate household/LLC/corporation/trust (subsec. j); not allowed in detached accessory structures unless permitted before 2021-12-14 (subsec. k). Ordinance text verified at codelibrary.amlegal.com Sec. 7-16-1 (fetched 2026-07-17); fee verified in the City Fees & Charges Manual linked from https://www.ashevillenc.gov/department/finance/city-fees-and-charges/. ### Annual compliance review and inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Asheville Development Services Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ashevillenc/latest/asheville_nc/0-0-0-8684 - Notes: UDO Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9)c: 'A permit is required for a homestay and the homestay must be reviewed annually and inspected for compliance with this subsection.' Subsec. p: the homestay area must comply with applicable building codes. Third-party guides describe this as a fire-safety inspection plus floor-plan sketch at application; that framing is not on the fetched city pages (see needs_review). ### Liability insurance covering homestay use and guests (insurance) - Authority: City of Asheville (UDO condition of homestay use) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ashevillenc/latest/asheville_nc/0-0-0-8684 - Notes: UDO Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9)n: 'The homestay owner or operator shall maintain liability insurance on the property, which covers the homestay use and homestay guests.' No minimum coverage amount is stated in the ordinance. ### Buncombe County occupancy tax account (Remitter Information Form) (registration) - Authority: Buncombe County Tax Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Monthly remittance due by the 20th of each month following the month the tax accrues - Official source: https://www.buncombenc.gov/619/Occupancy-Tax - Notes: New operators submit a Remitter Information Form to establish an occupancy-tax account, then file monthly. County page (fetched 2026-07-17) states the tax applies to 'rooms or houses rented by individuals through websites including, but not limited to, Airbnb, VRBO...'; taxes a platform verifiably collects and remits may be deducted from the host's own remittance. UDO Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9)o separately obligates homestay operators to pay applicable occupancy and sales taxes. ## Taxes - **Buncombe County Room Occupancy Tax**: 6% — applies to Gross receipts from rentals of rooms, lodging, or accommodations in Buncombe County (including Asheville), expressly including rentals via Airbnb/VRBO and similar sites; exempt: accommodations supplied to the same person for 90+ continuous days and nonprofit-furnished accommodations; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.buncombenc.gov/619/Occupancy-Tax - **NC State + local sales and use tax on accommodations (Buncombe County combined)**: 7.00% (4.75% state + 2.25% Buncombe local; NCDOR rate chart effective July 1, 2026) — applies to Gross receipts derived from rental of an accommodation, including facilitator/service fees (G.S. 105-164.4F(b)); exempt: private residence rented fewer than 15 days per calendar year UNLESS rented through an accommodation facilitator (105-164.4F(e)(1)), and stays of 90+ continuous days (105-164.4F(e)(2)); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use-tax/sales-and-use-tax-rates/current-sales-and-use-tax-rates ## Enforcement - Penalties: $500.00 per day civil penalty for 'a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter relating to the use of a residential structure for a Lodging use, including: 1) The renting or leasing of a dwelling unit for less than one month in districts which do not allow lodging facilities; and 2) The use of property as a homestay' (in violation of the homestay standards) — UDO Sec. 7-18-2(b)(1)c, fetched from codelibrary.amlegal.com 2026-07-17. Other UDO violations generally carry $100.00/day (Sec. 7-18-2(b)(1)), and the city may pursue civil recovery, criminal process (Sec. 7-18-4), and injunctive relief (Sec. 7-18-6) under G.S. 160A-175. - Platform liability: No city-level platform liability found. At the state level, an accommodation facilitator (e.g., Airbnb/Vrbo) that collects payment is the 'retailer' liable for reporting and remitting NC sales tax on the receipts it collects (G.S. 105-164.4F(b1)). - Notes: Enforcement is handled by the Development Services Compliance Division; violations are reported via the Asheville App (city page 'Homestays and Short Term Rental Violations', fetched 2026-07-17). Local news (WLOS) reports cease-and-desist letters followed by accumulating fines for illegal whole-home STRs. ## Pending changes - NC Senate Bill 291 'Regulation of Short-Term Rentals' (2025-26 session, primary sponsor Sen. Moffitt) would preempt local STR bans statewide — prohibiting cities from banning STRs, limiting rental nights, requiring the owner to stay on site, or classifying STRs as commercial use (would directly undercut Asheville's homestay-only regime); allows limited regulation (2 adults/bedroom, parking plan, 50-mile host/agent radius). Stalled: filed 2025-03-13, referred to Senate Rules and Operations 2025-03-17 with no further action as of 2026-07-17. (proposed, 2025-03-17) — https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookup/2025/S291 ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Homestay fee periodicity: the City Fees & Charges Manual lists 'Homestay $200' under Development Services Miscellaneous Permits (upfront fees subject to a 6% Technology Fee) but does not explicitly say the $200 recurs at each annual renewal; the ordinance mandates annual review/inspection and third-party guides describe $200/year. Confirm renewal billing with the Permit Application Center (828-259-5846). - Permit validity conflict between official city sources (reviewer-confirmed 2026-07-17): UDO Sec. 7-16-1(c)(9)c requires annual review/inspection and ashevillenc.gov's permit page links an 'annually renew' Jotform, but the city's official Homestay FAQ (Google Doc published from ashevillenc.gov) answers 'How long is my permit valid?' with 'Homestay permits are valid for as long as you would like to maintain one.' Most likely reading: the permit does not expire but is subject to annual compliance review; treat the renewal cadence as unsettled until the city clarifies. - Fire-safety inspection and floor-plan-sketch application items are asserted by third-party guides (rentpermitted.com, ashevillebroker.com); the fetched city pages confirm only 'reviewed annually and inspected for compliance' (UDO 7-16-1(c)(9)c) and building-code compliance (subsec. p). Application-packet specifics not verified against an official checklist. - Max overnight guest count: no numeric guest cap found in UDO homestay standards or definitions (cap is expressed as 'up to two guest rooms'); max_guests set to null. - STVR-permitted districts: two official city pages state STVRs 'are only permitted in the resort zoning district,' but the underlying Table of Permitted Uses (UDO Sec. 7-8-1(d)) was not itself pulled this session (large table page); a reviewer with a browser should confirm the table row and check for any conditional-zoning/lodging-district exceptions and grandfathered whole-unit STVRs. - Buncombe occupancy tax platform collection: the county page says the tax applies to Airbnb/VRBO rentals and that 'some online services will collect the Occupancy Tax at the time of the reservation' while others send collected tax to the owner to remit — Airbnb-specific collection for Buncombe is NOT confirmed on any official page fetched; collectedByPlatform left null. Hosts must verify per platform and remain the responsible remitter. - Schroeder v. City of Wilmington (NC Ct. App. 2022) — the claim that it struck Wilmington's STR registration under G.S. 160D-1207(c) while leaving zoning-based restrictions intact was NOT verified against the official opinion this session; only G.S. 160D-1207(c) itself was fetched. Asheville's homestay permit is framed as a zoning use permit in the UDO, but whether parts of it (e.g., the permit-to-rent element) are vulnerable under 160D-1207(c) is a legal question flagged for review, not stated as fact in this profile. - Bot-wall note: codelibrary.amlegal.com (Asheville's code host) returns 403/Cloudflare challenge to plain fetchers; all three code sections cited here were successfully retrieved via headless browser with a standard Chrome user agent (HTTP 200) on 2026-07-17, and quoted text comes from those fetches. - Occupancy tax rate trajectory: no evidence found on the county page of a pending rate increase above 6% (2023 state legislation reportedly changed the tourism/capital split, not the rate); not further investigated — worth a check of Buncombe TDA/General Assembly local bills before relying on rate stability. - Buncombe County (unincorporated) was considering STR zoning text amendments circa Jan 2024 (county planning memo found in discovery); that is a separate jurisdiction from the City of Asheville and was not researched here. - One vendor guide claims a separate '6% City of Asheville occupancy tax' — no such city tax was found on any official source; total lodging tax burden verified is 7% sales + 6% county occupancy = 13%. ## Sources - Apply for a homestay permit — City of Asheville (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ashevillenc.gov/service/apply-for-a-homestay-permit/ - Homestays and Short Term Rental Violations — City of Asheville Compliance Division (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ashevillenc.gov/department/development-services/compliance-division/homestays-and-short-term-rental-violations/ - Asheville Code of Ordinances (UDO) Sec. 7-16-1 — Uses by right, subject to special requirements (homestay standards at (c)(9)) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ashevillenc/latest/asheville_nc/0-0-0-8684 - Asheville Code of Ordinances (UDO) Sec. 7-2-5 — Definitions (homestay, short-term vacation rental, lodging) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ashevillenc/latest/asheville_nc/0-0-0-3157 - Asheville Code of Ordinances (UDO) Sec. 7-18-2 — Penalties for violations (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ashevillenc/latest/asheville_nc/0-0-0-9827 - City Fees and Charges — City of Asheville Finance Department (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ashevillenc.gov/department/finance/city-fees-and-charges/ - City of Asheville Fees and Charges Manual (current year, linked from city Finance page; Development Services Miscellaneous Permits: Homestay $200; 6% Technology Fee) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jhyk3o46IPFBXJiyHPwEnoj1liWkpD0ocOjU-aRRS3Y/edit - Occupancy Tax — Buncombe County, NC (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.buncombenc.gov/619/Occupancy-Tax - Rentals of Accommodations — NCDOR (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use-tax/rentals-accommodations - Current Sales and Use Tax Rates (effective July 1, 2026) — NCDOR (Buncombe: 7%) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use-tax/sales-and-use-tax-rates/current-sales-and-use-tax-rates - G.S. 105-164.4F Accommodation rentals (facilitator as retailer; exemptions) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_105/GS_105-164.4F.pdf - G.S. 160D-1207 Rental property inspections/registration limits (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_160D/GS_160D-1207.html - NC General Statutes Chapter 42A — Vacation Rental Act (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_42A.html - Senate Bill 291 (2025-2026 Session) — NC General Assembly bill lookup (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookup/2025/S291 - City of Asheville cracking down on illegal short-term rentals — WLOS (discovery/enforcement color only) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://wlos.com/news/local/city-of-asheville-cracking-down-on-illegal-short-term-rentals --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Sedona, AZ - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/sedona-az/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) are legal citywide in Sedona and cannot be banned or capped: A.R.S. § 9-500.39 (SB 1350 of 2016, amended by SB 1168 of 2022) preempts Arizona cities from prohibiting STRs or restricting them by use, but lets them require a local permit. Sedona requires an annual, non-refundable, non-transferable STR permit of $210 per rental unit (raised from $200 between Oct 2025 and Feb 2026; state law caps the fee at actual cost or $250) under Sedona City Code Chapter 5.25 (adopted by Ord. 2022-11, Nov. 22, 2022; mandatory since Feb. 15, 2023), applied through the GovOS/MUNIRevs portal. Before operating, an owner must hold an Arizona TPT license, carry at least $500,000 aggregate liability insurance per unit, register a 24/7 emergency contact, and notify adjacent, directly-across and diagonally-across single-family neighbors by certified mail or hand delivery. Ongoing duties: city permit number on every listing, TPT license number on every ad (A.R.S. § 42-5042), a posted safety/noise notice within 10 feet of the entrance, and a sex-offender background check on guests at least 24 hours before each check-in (records kept 12 months). Special events (weddings, retreats, workshops) at STRs are prohibited (SCC 5.25.050). Violations carry city penalties of $500 up to $3,500 (SCC 5.25.120) and permits can be suspended for 12 months after three verified violations in 12 months or one serious violation (SCC 5.25.110). Total lodging TPT is 13.90% in the Coconino County portion and 13.325% in the Yavapai County portion (state/county 6.90%/6.325% + Sedona 3.5% hotel tax + 3.5% bed tax); registered marketplaces like Airbnb/Vrbo must remit TPT on their bookings. A 2026 state bill (HB 2429) that would have allowed occupancy limits died in the Senate in April 2026. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Yes - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: A.R.S. § 9-500.39 bars Arizona cities from prohibiting STRs, restricting them based on classification/use, or capping their number; Sedona's own FAQ confirms no cap is permitted. Both hosted (rooms, casitas, guest houses) and unhosted whole-home rentals are allowed with a city permit and TPT license (Sedona City Code Ch. 5.25). Rentals of 30+ days need no STR permit. Eligible: single-family homes, 1-4 unit buildings, condos/townhomes, individual rooms, guest houses/casitas. Not eligible: 5+ unit apartment complexes, RVs, tents, non-dwelling structures; commercial lodging (hotels, B&Bs) is exempt from the permit. Special events of any size (weddings, receptions, retreats, conferences) are prohibited at STRs (SCC 5.25.050). No occupancy/guest cap exists (state law did not authorize one as of 2026-07-17; HB 2429, which would have, died April 2026). Per § 9-500.39 as amended, accessory dwelling units permitted after Sept. 14, 2024 may be restricted from STR use unless the owner resides on the property. ## Requirements ### City of Sedona Short-Term Rental Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Sedona (Short-Term Rental Program, GovOS/MUNIRevs portal) - Cost: $210/year per rental unit (non-refundable, non-transferable); was $200/year until at least Oct 2025 - Renewal: Annual - expires one year from activation date; GovOS/MUNIRevs emails a 60-day renewal notice - Official source: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - Notes: Required for every rental of a dwelling unit under 30 consecutive days (Sedona City Code Ch. 5.25, adopted Ord. 2022-11, 11-22-2022; program mandatory since Feb. 15, 2023). Each unit needs its own permit. Application requires owner/designee contact info, emergency contact, and proof of a valid AZ TPT license. State law (A.R.S. § 9-500.39) caps the fee at actual issuance cost or $250, whichever is less. Verified on the city's official page via Wayback snapshots of 2026-02-12 and 2026-05-04 ($210) and 2025-03-21/2025-10-29 ($200) because sedonaaz.gov bot-walls direct fetches. ### Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license (license) - Authority: Arizona Department of Revenue (AZTaxes.gov) - Cost: $12 state license fee (A.R.S. § 42-5005(A)); Sedona municipal license fee $2, renewal $0 (ADOR Sedona profile) - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax/short-term-lodging - Notes: A.R.S. § 42-5042 requires online lodging operators to obtain a current TPT license before offering lodging for rent and to list the TPT license number on each advertisement; civil penalty $250 first offense, $1,000 subsequent. The city requires proof of TPT license before issuing the STR permit. ADOR: file returns even for $0 periods; direct bookings reported under codes 025 (state/county) and 044/144 (city). ### Liability insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Sedona / A.R.S. § 9-500.39 - Cost: Market rate - minimum $500,000 aggregate coverage per rental unit - Renewal: Continuous - Official source: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - Notes: City requires liability insurance of at least $500,000 aggregate per unit (SCC 5.25.090); A.R.S. § 9-500.39 authorizes requiring this minimum or equivalent coverage through an online lodging marketplace. ### Neighbor notification (other) - Authority: City of Sedona - Cost: Certified mail costs only - Official source: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - Notes: Before operating, owner must notify each single-family property adjacent to, directly across from, and diagonally across the street from the STR (SCC 5.25.060; authorized by A.R.S. § 9-500.39). Notice must include STR address, city permit number, and emergency contact name, physical address, email and 24-hour phone; sent by certified mail return-receipt or hand-delivered. ### Emergency contact registration and upkeep (registration) - Authority: City of Sedona - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Update GovOS/MUNIRevs account within 10 days of any change - Official source: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - Notes: Owner, owner's designee and 24/7 emergency contact information required (SCC 5.25.040). City runs a 24/7 complaint hotline (928-203-5110) that calls the emergency contact. Contact info is public record. A.R.S. § 9-500.39 allows fines up to $1,000 per 30 days for failing to provide emergency contact after notice. ### Sex offender background check per booking (other) - Authority: City of Sedona - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Every booking - at least 24 hours before check-in - Official source: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - Notes: Owner must conduct a sex offender background check at least 24 hours before guest check-in or show the online lodging marketplace did so (SCC 5.25.100); keep each check 12 months after booking and provide to the city on request. No sex offender may rent or occupy the STR; marketplace failure does not relieve the owner. ### Advertising requirements (other) - Authority: City of Sedona / Arizona Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - Notes: City STR permit number must appear on every advertisement and listing (SCC 5.25.070); AZ TPT license number must appear on each ad (A.R.S. § 42-5042). Listings must state Sedona's special-event prohibition; 30+ day rentals must show a 30-day minimum stay in listings or the city will require a permit. ### On-site posted notice (other) - Authority: City of Sedona - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - Notes: Laminated or shielded notice in 14-point or larger bold font posted within 10 feet of the unit's primary entrance, locating fire/life-safety equipment and stating city noise and waste-disposal rules (SCC 5.25.080). Trash cans out no earlier than noon the day before pickup, in by 11:59 p.m. pickup day. ## Taxes - **State + county TPT on transient lodging (business code 025)**: Coconino County portion of Sedona: 6.90% combined; Yavapai County portion: 6.325% combined (state transient lodging rate 5.5% + county excise) — applies to Gross income from lodging stays under 30 days (Sedona straddles both counties); platform collects: yes. Source: https://azdor.gov/sites/default/files/document/TPT_RATETABLE_07012026.pdf - **City of Sedona hotel TPT (business code 044)**: 3.50% — applies to Lodging stays under 30 days within Sedona city limits (city code SE); platform collects: yes. Source: https://azdor.gov/model-city-tax-code/city-profile/sedona - **City of Sedona hotel/motel additional tax - bed tax (business code 144)**: 3.50% (3.0% originally; 3.5% effective Jan 1, 2014) — applies to Lodging stays under 30 days; stacks with code 044 for a total city rate of 7.0% and combined totals of 13.90% (Coconino side) / 13.325% (Yavapai side), figures confirmed on the city's official STR FAQ; platform collects: yes. Source: https://azdor.gov/model-city-tax-code/city-profile/sedona ## Enforcement - Penalties: City: violations of Sedona City Code Ch. 5.25 are punishable as a misdemeanor and civil offense with penalties from $500 up to $3,500 (SCC 5.25.120, per the city's official STR pages). Permit suspension up to 12 months for three verified violations within 12 months (excluding purely aesthetic/solid-waste/parking violations not threatening health/safety) or one serious violation (felony at the property, serious injury/wrongful death, housing a sex offender, sober-living operation, or holding a special event/nonresidential use) - SCC 5.25.110, verified text; one-year wait to reapply after denial/revocation. State (A.R.S. § 9-500.39): civil penalties per 12-month period of up to the greater of $500 or one night's rent (1st), $1,000 or two nights (2nd), $3,500 or three nights (3rd+); up to $1,000 per 30 days for failure to provide emergency contact. TPT advertising violations: $250 first / $1,000 subsequent offense (A.R.S. § 42-5042). - Platform liability: Online lodging marketplaces must be licensed with ADOR and remit all state, county and city TPT on transactions they facilitate (A.R.S. § 42-5005(L), mandatory since Jan 1, 2019); hosts deduct OLM-collected income under deduction code 775. City sex-offender check duty remains on the owner even if the marketplace fails to run it. - Notes: City operates a 24/7 STR complaint hotline (928-203-5110) with a dedicated Short-Term Rental Program Supervisor; complaints route to the emergency contact, code enforcement, or police (noise after 10 p.m.). Suspension notices allow a hearing request within 15 days; appeals per SCC 5.25.130. ## Pending changes - HB 2429 (57th Leg., 2nd Reg. Sess., 2026) would have amended A.R.S. § 9-500.39 to let cities set STR occupancy limits (roughly two occupants per bedroom plus two additional, excluding minors) and extend the verified-violation lookback for suspensions from 12 to 24 months. Passed the Arizona House (twice, after amendment) but missed Senate committee deadlines and was reported 'likely dead' for the 2026 session on April 7, 2026; never reached the Governor. Similar preemption-loosening bills recur each session - watch the 2027 session. (proposed, 2026-04-07) — https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2026/04/07/arizona-short-term-rental-bill-likely-dead-for-the-year/ - Sedona 'Rent Local' incentive program (verified on the city's official page, snapshot 2025-04-26): pays STR owners who sign a 1-year+ lease with a local worker and refrain from short-term renting - $6,000-$10,000/year for full units (studio to 3BR), $3,000-$5,000/year for shared-space rooms. The city's housing section now lists a '2026 Balanced Housing Strategy' whose STR-relevant provisions have not been verified - current program status and any new incentives/rules are pending re-verification. (proposed, 2025-04-26) — https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/housing/owners/rent-local-program ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - BOT-WALLS: www.sedonaaz.gov (Akamai) returns 403 to all non-browser fetchers and to the research agent's headless browser; sedona.municipal.codes (Cloudflare/General Code) allowed one request then IP-blocked. All city-page facts were instead verified against Wayback Machine captures of the official pages (most recent: 2026-05-04 for the responsibilities page, 2026-04-02 for the FAQ). A reviewer with a full headless browser should confirm the live pages match, especially the permit-application-requirements page (never archived, never fetched). - PERMIT FEE: $210/year verified on the city's official responsibilities page as archived 2026-02-12 and 2026-05-04 (was $200 through at least 2025-10-29). Search-engine snippets of the current live page also say $210, but the live page could not be fetched directly; confirm $210 is still current as of 2026-07-17 and find the effective date of the increase (likely the FY2026 Consolidated City Fee Schedule, which is bot-walled). - CITY CODE TEXT: Of Sedona City Code Ch. 5.25, only the chapter table of contents (sections 5.25.010-5.25.140, code current through Ord. 2024-09 of 11-12-2024 as of the Dec 2024 snapshot) and the full text of § 5.25.110 (Permit suspensions, citing Ord. 2022-11 § 1, 11-22-2022 and Res. 2022-36) were read directly from the official code portal. Sections 5.25.030 (permit/renewal), .050 (use regulations), .060, .070, .080, .090, .100, .120 (penalties) were verified only through the city's own official STR pages summarizing them. Reviewer should pull full chapter text from sedona.municipal.codes/SCC/5.25 and check for any post-2024 amendments. - PENALTY RANGE: The '$500 up to $3,500' city penalty figure comes from the city's official Property Owner Responsibilities page (citing SCC 5.25.120), not from the code section text itself, which could not be fetched. - MAX GUESTS: Set to null - no occupancy cap was found and state law did not authorize one as of the 2026 session (HB 2429, which would have, died). Confirm Sedona has not adopted any occupancy standard through another mechanism. - PERMIT ISSUANCE TIMELINE: A.R.S. § 9-500.39 requires cities to issue or deny a permit within 7 business days; whether Sedona's process states this was not verified. - 2026 LEGISLATION: HB 2429 reported 'likely dead' on 2026-04-07 (Arizona Capitol Times) and the session's final bill signings have occurred per Arizona Mirror; the fate of SB 1076 (Finchem) and SB 1105 (Kavanagh), both of which would also have amended § 9-500.39, was not individually verified. Confirm neither was enacted in the 2026 session. - RENT LOCAL: Program details verified from the official city page as archived 2025-04-26; its current funding/status as of 2026-07-17 is unverified (the city site's housing section now references a '2026 Balanced Housing Strategy'). - ONLINE LODGING MARKETPLACE RATE: The July 2026 rate table shows a separate 'Online Lodging Marketplace' state/county code 325 rate (Coconino 6.60%, Yavapai 6.325%) that differs slightly from the operator code 025 rate on the Coconino side (6.90%); the taxes[] entries use the operator (025) rates that the city FAQ also quotes. A tax professional should confirm which combined rate applies to marketplace-facilitated bookings on the Coconino side. ## Sources - A.R.S. § 9-500.39 - Vacation rentals; short-term rentals; regulation (current text) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.azleg.gov/ars/9/00500-39.htm - A.R.S. § 42-5005 - TPT licenses; fees; online lodging marketplace registration (subsec. L) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.azleg.gov/ars/42/05005.htm - A.R.S. § 42-5042 - Online lodging operators; requirements; civil penalty (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.azleg.gov/ars/42/05042.htm - ADOR - Sedona Transaction Privilege Tax & Use Tax Rates (city profile, code SE) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://azdor.gov/model-city-tax-code/city-profile/sedona - ADOR - TPT and Other Tax Rate Tables, July 1, 2026 (codes 025/325, city SE) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://azdor.gov/sites/default/files/document/TPT_RATETABLE_07012026.pdf - ADOR - Short-Term Lodging guidance (codes 025/044/144, OLM deduction 775) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax/short-term-lodging - Sedona City Code Ch. 5.25 Short-Term Rental Regulation - chapter contents (via Wayback snapshot 2024-12-07 of official General Code portal) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://web.archive.org/web/20241207095809/https://sedona.municipal.codes/SCC/5.25 - Sedona City Code § 5.25.110 Permit suspensions - full text (via Wayback snapshot 2025-10-31) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://web.archive.org/web/20251031220731/https://sedona.municipal.codes/SCC/5.25.110 - City of Sedona - STR Property Owner Responsibilities ($210 fee; via Wayback snapshot 2026-05-04) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://web.archive.org/web/20260504200850/https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - City of Sedona - STR Property Owner Responsibilities ($200 fee; via Wayback snapshots 2025-03-21 and 2025-10-29) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://web.archive.org/web/20250321023340/https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/short-term-rentals/property-owner-responsibilities - City of Sedona - Short-Term Rentals FAQ (tax totals, permit rules; via Wayback snapshot 2026-04-02) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://web.archive.org/web/20260402034533/https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments/community-development/vacation-rentals/vacation-rentals-faqs - City of Sedona news release - Apply for a city of Sedona short-term rental permit (2023-02-02; via Wayback snapshot 2026-04-12) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://web.archive.org/web/20260412203955/https://www.sedonaaz.gov/Home/Components/News/News/5787/473 - City of Sedona - Rent Local Program (via Wayback snapshot 2025-04-26) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://web.archive.org/web/20250426234424/https://www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments-and-programs/community-development/housing/owners/rent-local-program - HB 2429 (2026) House Engrossed - vacation rentals; short-term rentals; occupancy (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/HB2429H.pdf - KJZZ - Arizona short-term rental bill now goes after 'repeat bad actors' (2026-03-11) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2026-03-11/arizona-short-term-rental-bill-now-goes-after-repeat-bad-actors-to-limit-overnight-occupancy - Arizona Capitol Times - Arizona short-term rental bill likely dead for the year (2026-04-07) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2026/04/07/arizona-short-term-rental-bill-likely-dead-for-the-year/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in South Lake Tahoe, CA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-17 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/south-lake-tahoe-ca/ ## Summary South Lake Tahoe's regulatory landscape changed fundamentally in 2025-2026: Measure T (the 2018 voter initiative that phased out vacation home rentals in residential zones by end of 2021) was struck down in its entirety by the El Dorado County Superior Court on March 13, 2025, because its permanent-resident exception was found unconstitutional, and the city declined to appeal on April 1, 2025. VHR permits are again available citywide, but under Ordinance 2026-1203 (effective April 23, 2026) residential areas are subject to a hard cap of 900 VHR permits with a waitlist once reached; applications for residential permits opened June 23, 2025 (preferred applicants) and August 23, 2025 (general public). A whole-home rental under 30 days requires a VHR permit ($565 application + $285 inspection per the fee schedule adopted May 5, 2026, plus annual occupancy-based fees of $200-$850 in the Tourist Core and $670-$3,485 in non-tourist/residential areas). Hosted rentals (owner on site renting rooms) need a separate Hosted Rental permit ($297/year). Occupancy is capped by parking (4 per paved space) and bedrooms (roughly 2 per bedroom in residential areas; 2 per bedroom + 4 outside them), renters must be 25+, quiet hours and hot-tub curfew run 10 p.m.-8 a.m., bear boxes are required, and fines are steep: $1,500 first violation, $3,000 second, $5,000 subsequent within a year, applied to owners and in many categories to occupants too. TOT is 12% (14% at designated redevelopment properties) plus a $4.00-$5.50/night Tourism Improvement District fee, with VHR owners remitting quarterly. Note: this covers the city only — El Dorado County's unincorporated Tahoe basin and Douglas County, NV across the state line run separate VHR regimes with their own caps and rules. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: A VHR is an entire dwelling rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days (City Code Ch. 3.50, Transient Lodging, Art. V; enforcement sections 3.50.380, 3.50.440, 3.50.450 per the 2026 Master Fee Schedule). Permits are required citywide. Measure T's residential ban was voided by the El Dorado County Superior Court on 2025-03-13 (city did not appeal, 2025-04-01), so primary-residence status is no longer a permit basis. Ordinance 2026-1203 (eff. 2026-04-23) caps residential-area VHR permits at 900 with a waitlist, removed the prior 150-ft buffer, allows attached condominiums unless HOA rules prohibit VHRs, and keeps VHRs prohibited in other multifamily dwellings. Minimum renter age is 25 (Ord. 2025-1200). No single max-guest number: occupancy is the more restrictive of parking-based (4 occupants per designated paved space, up to 20 at 5 spaces) or bedroom-based limits (residential areas: studio/1BR 2, 2BR 4, 3BR 6, 4BR 8, 5BR 10; outside residential: studio 4 up to 5BR 14); up to five children 13 and under excluded (two for studios). Weddings, large parties, commercial activity, and camping/RV sleeping on the property are prohibited. Local contact/property manager must respond in person within 60 minutes 24/7, with noise/video monitoring devices required in residential areas. ## Requirements ### Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permit - Tourist Core (permit) - Authority: City of South Lake Tahoe Police Department - Community Services Division - Cost: $565 application (one-time) + $285 inspection ($165 re-inspection); annual fee by occupancy: $200 (4 or fewer), $350 (5-8), $650 (9-12), $850 (13+) - Renewal: Annual, within 30 days prior to expiration - Official source: https://www.cityofslt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24191 - Notes: Fees per Master Fee Schedule 2025/2026 adopted 5/5/2026 (city VHR program page still shows an older $548 application figure). Required for any entire-home rental under 30 consecutive days. Late renewal is counted as a violation. Program details at cityofslt.gov/2510/Vacation-Home-Rentals. ### Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permit - Non-Tourist Core / Residential Areas (permit) - Authority: City of South Lake Tahoe Police Department - Community Services Division - Cost: $565 application (one-time) + $285 inspection ($165 re-inspection); annual fee by occupancy: $670 (4 or fewer), $1,340 (5-8), $2,680 (9-12), $3,485 (13+) - Renewal: Annual, within 30 days prior to expiration - Official source: https://www.cityofslt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24191 - Notes: Annual non-tourist-area fees adopted 6/17/2025, restated in Master Fee Schedule adopted 5/5/2026. Subject to the 900-permit residential cap and waitlist under Ordinance 2026-1203 (eff. 2026-04-23) per the city VHR page (cityofslt.gov/2510). Residential-area permits carry stricter occupancy limits, required real-time indoor noise and outdoor video monitoring, and good-neighbor check-ins. ### Pre-permit safety inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of South Lake Tahoe - Cost: $285 initial; $165 re-inspection - Official source: https://www.cityofslt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24191 - Notes: VHR Permit Inspection Fee and Re-Inspection Fee (adopted 6/17/2025) in Master Fee Schedule; city VHR page describes the sequence: application review, fee payment, schedule and pass inspection before annual fee and permit issuance. ### Hosted Rental Permit (owner-occupied room rentals) (permit) - Authority: City of South Lake Tahoe - Cost: $297 permit; $297 annual renewal - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.cityofslt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24191 - Notes: Master Fee Schedule 2025/2026 (adopted 5/5/2026) lists Hosted Rental Permit and Annual Renewal at $297 each (city VHR page shows older $281 figure). City VHR page states hosted rentals (owner lives on site and rents rooms) are governed by City Code Section 6.55.295 with less restrictive requirements than VHRs. ### TOT registration and quarterly remittance (VHR owners) (registration) - Authority: City of South Lake Tahoe Revenue Services Division - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Quarterly returns (quarters ending March, June, September, December), due by the 15th of the following month - Official source: https://www.cityofslt.gov/452/Transient-Occupancy-Tax - Notes: All transient lodging (rentals of 30 consecutive days or less) must collect TOT from guests and remit; VHR owners file quarterly, hotels/motels monthly. City requires room-night reporting with TOT payments per the VHR page. Non-payment, underpayment, or late payment of TOT can cost a VHR its permit per city enforcement materials. ## Taxes - **Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)**: 12% (14% at specific redevelopment properties) — applies to Rent for stays of 30 consecutive days or less, paid by the guest; base 10%/12% rates were each raised 2% by Measure P (approved 2016-11-08), effective 2017-01-01; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.cityofslt.gov/452/Transient-Occupancy-Tax - **SLT Tourism Improvement District (TID) Fee**: $4.00 per night (hotels/motels); $5.50 per night (timeshares and agent-managed vacation home rentals) — applies to Per-night fee paid by the guest at transient lodgings, in effect since November 1, 2006; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.cityofslt.gov/452/Transient-Occupancy-Tax ## Enforcement - Penalties: Administrative citations of $1,500 (first occurrence), $3,000 (second within a year), $5,000 (subsequent within the same year) per the Master Fee Schedule adopted 5/5/2026, applying to operating without a permit (City Code 3.50.380(B), 3.50.450(D)) and to each substantive VHR violation under 3.50.440 (parking, noise/amplified music 10pm-8am, hot tub curfew, occupancy-related, signage, bear box/trash, camping, commercial activity, records, advertising). Several categories fine both occupant and owner/agent (noise, hot tubs, parking, commercial vehicles, camping, commercial activity); the rest fine the owner/agent. These tiers were adopted by City Council on 2024-01-23, raising fines from the prior $250-$1,000 range to the state-law maximum. City materials state permits are revoked after three violations in a 24-month period and for TOT non-payment. - Platform liability: not verified - Notes: Enforced 24/7 by the Police Department Community Services Division (non-emergency 530-542-6110, online complaints). Since early 2023 the city has used Rentalscape software to detect unpermitted VHRs on listing platforms; 182 unpermitted-VHR citations were issued from 2023 to the February 2024 announcement. Late permit renewal is itself counted as a violation. Appeals of permit denials now go to an independent hearing officer under Ordinance 2026-1203. Ordinance 2026-1203 (adopted after readings on 2026-03-10 and 2026-03-24, passed 3-2) took effect 2026-04-23. ## Pending changes - Further VHR policy movement is likely: Ordinance 2026-1203 (900-permit residential cap + waitlist, condo/HOA provision, independent hearing officer, platform advertising and room-night reporting rules) passed only 3-2 and took effect 2026-04-23, and VHR policy in South Lake Tahoe remains politically contested post-Measure-T. Watch: whether the 900-permit cap fills and the waitlist activates (broker reports in June 2026 claim it already has — unverified on official sources), and any further council amendments. (proposed, 2026-04-23) — https://www.cityofslt.gov/2510/Vacation-Home-Rentals ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - City code portal is bot-walled: ecode360.com/47751639 (South Lake Tahoe City Code Ch. 3.50 Transient Lodging, Article V Vacation Home Rentals) returned HTTP 403 to non-browser fetch. All code-level claims (definitions, occupancy formulas, 60-minute local-contact response, monitoring requirements, 3-citations-in-24-months revocation threshold) were verified only against the city's official VHR program page and the Master Fee Schedule's section citations (3.50.380, 3.50.440(B)-(R), 3.50.450(D)), not the code text itself. Reviewer with headless browser should confirm the current Article V text as amended by Ordinance 2026-1203. - VHR application fee discrepancy: the city VHR program page (cityofslt.gov/2510) states a $548 application fee, but the Master Fee Schedule adopted 5/5/2026 (DocumentCenter/View/24191) lists $565 for both Tourist Core and Non-Tourist Core. Used the newer adopted fee schedule ($565); city web page appears stale. Same for hosted rentals: program page says $281, fee schedule says $297 (used $297). - Whether the 900-permit residential cap has been reached and the waitlist is active as of 2026-07-17: vendor/broker blogs (ascensiontahoe.com, June 2026) say no residential permits are currently available and buyers go on a waitlist, but no official city page fetched confirms current cap/waitlist status. Reviewer should check the city VHR page or contact Community Services. - Platform TOT collection status (Airbnb/Vrbo): the city TOT page is silent on platform collection agreements; it requires VHR owners to file quarterly TOT returns with room-night reporting, implying owner responsibility, but no official statement confirming or denying platform collection was found. Set collectedByPlatform to null. - Ordinance 2026-1203 full text was not fetched directly (details taken from the city's official VHR program page and news coverage of the March 10/24, 2026 readings); the CivicAlert announcing adoption (cityofslt.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2049) returned 404 without an archive parameter. Reviewer should pull the ordinance PDF from the city's Granicus/agenda system to confirm the 900 cap, condo/HOA provision, and any fine changes verbatim. - Occupancy tables: city VHR page presents residential bedroom-based limits (studio 2, 1BR 2, 2BR 4, 3BR 6, 4BR 8, 5BR 10) and outside-residential limits (studio 4 through 5BR 14) plus parking-based limits (4 per paved space); the exact scope (whether bedroom limits still apply in the Tourist Core under Ord. 2026-1203) is ambiguous on the page — the ordinance comparison table suggests occupancy limits now apply only in residential areas. Verify against Article V code text. - Hosted rental code citation 'Section 6.55.295' is as stated on the city VHR page; not independently verified against the code portal (403). - Measure T court ruling details (Judge Gary S. Slossberg, El Dorado County Superior Court, 2025-03-13; city declined appeal 2025-04-01) are consistent across the city's own VHR page and multiple news outlets, but the judgment itself was not fetched. ## Sources - Vacation Home Rentals - City of South Lake Tahoe (official program page) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.cityofslt.gov/2510/Vacation-Home-Rentals - Transient Occupancy Tax and SLT Tourism Improvement District Fee - City of South Lake Tahoe (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.cityofslt.gov/452/Transient-Occupancy-Tax - Master Fee Schedule 2025/2026, adopted May 5, 2026 (PDF) - City of South Lake Tahoe (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.cityofslt.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24191 - Master Fee Schedule page - City of South Lake Tahoe (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://cityofslt.gov/634/Master-Fee-Schedule - City Tightens Up Enforcement on Unpermitted Vacation Home Rentals (CivicAlert, Feb 2024) (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.cityofslt.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1944&ARC=3045 - FAQ: Will the ruling on Measure T cause any changes to my T.O.T. payments? - City of South Lake Tahoe (official, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.cityofslt.gov/Faq.aspx?QID=258 - What's next for vacation rentals in South Lake Tahoe? City places 45-day hold after Measure T ruling - KUNR (2025-04-10) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.kunr.org/local-stories/2025-04-10/whats-next-for-vacation-rentals-in-south-lake-tahoe-city-places-45-day-hold-after-measure-t-ruling - Updated South Lake Tahoe VHR ordinance passes first reading - South Tahoe Now (2026-03-10) (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://southtahoenow.com/03/10/2026/updated-south-lake-tahoe-vhr-ordinance-passes-first-reading - Court overturns Measure T, allowing vacation rentals in South Lake Tahoe - KRNV My News 4 (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://mynews4.com/news/local/court-overturns-measure-t-allowing-vacation-rentals-in-south-lake-tahoe - South Lake Tahoe maxes VHR fines - Mountain Democrat (news, accessed 2026-07-17): https://www.mtdemocrat.com/news/south-lake-tahoe-maxes-vhr-fines/article_35b57f26-c154-11ee-9d60-8ff7a836e0df.html --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Park City, UT - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/park-city-ut/ ## Summary Park City allows nightly (short-term) rentals — defined as rental of a dwelling unit for less than 30 days — but only where zoning permits it, and every unit must hold a City-issued Nightly Rental Business License before it can be advertised or rented. Whole-home nightly rentals are an outright Allowed Use in most commercial/resort zones (e.g., General Commercial, most of Historic Recreation Commercial), a Conditional Use requiring a Planning Commission permit in some residential-historic districts (e.g., the western and Lower Rossi Hill sub-neighborhoods of the Historic Residential Low-Density (HRL) zone, capped at 12 permits in the western sub-neighborhood), and prohibited outright in most other residential zones and in specific HOA-petitioned subdivisions such as Meadows Estates Phases 1A/1B (Ordinance 2020-38, effective July 30, 2020). Licensees must pass a Building Department inspection, designate a locally-based 24/7 responsible party (within a 1-hour drive, or with Summit County offices if a company, required to answer calls within 20 minutes), and hold a state sales tax number before the license takes effect. As of the fee schedule effective October 20, 2025, the Lodging business-license fee is $19.25/bedroom (Transit Service Enhancement Fee) plus $9.49/bedroom (Festival Facilitation Service Enhancement Fee) — $28.74/bedroom combined — plus a $17.00 administrative fee for new licenses/inspections or $149.00 for annual renewal; all Park City business licenses expire September 30 each year with renewal due October 1. Rentals under 30 days owe combined Utah state/county/city sales & use tax of 9.55% (Park City location code 22-030, rate in effect April 1, 2026) plus combined transient room tax of 5.07% (1.07% state + 3.00% Summit County + 1.00% Park City municipal, rates in effect January 1, 2026) — a total of roughly 14.62% in taxes on the rental amount. Marketplace facilitators (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) are required by the Utah State Tax Commission to collect and remit both sales tax and transient room tax on facilitated bookings. Violating noise, occupancy-load, parking, or sales-tax-collection rules is grounds for license revocation, and Utah Code § 10-8-85.4 bars the City from using a website listing alone (without other supporting evidence) as proof of an ordinance violation, and bars the City from fining a host solely for listing a property online. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Legality is zoning-dependent, not based on whether the host is present. Nightly Rentals are an Allowed Use in most commercial/resort-oriented zones (e.g., General Commercial per LMC § 15-2.18-2; most of Historic Recreation Commercial per LMC § 15-2.5-2, except certain Main Street/Heber Ave/Park Ave storefront properties), a Conditional Use requiring a Conditional Use Permit in some historic-residential zones (e.g., HRL western sub-neighborhood, capped at 12 CUPs, and the Lower Rossi Hill HRL sub-neighborhood per Ordinance 2021-06), and prohibited by default in zones/sub-neighborhoods where Nightly Rentals are not listed as an Allowed or Conditional Use (e.g., HRL's McHenry Avenue sub-neighborhood) or where specifically banned by ordinance (Meadows Estates Phases 1A/1B, LMC § 15-2.13-2, per Ordinance 2020-38). Occupancy is controlled by the general Noise Ordinance and building/fire code occupancy-load limits rather than a fixed numeric STR guest cap in the code sections reviewed, so max_guests is left null. A property's private HOA/CC&R rules can independently prohibit nightly rentals even where zoning allows them. ## Requirements ### Nightly Rental Business License (license) - Authority: Park City Finance Department - Cost: $28.74/bedroom ($19.25 Transit Service Enhancement Fee + $9.49 Festival Facilitation Service Enhancement Fee) plus $17.00 administrative fee for new licenses/inspections or $149.00 for renewal, per license/year - Renewal: Annual — all Park City business licenses expire September 30, with renewal payment due October 1 - Official source: https://www.parkcity.gov/Documents/Services/Building/Permits/Fee%20Schedule.pdf?t=202602100623310 - Notes: Required by Park City Municipal Code § 4-5-3 before any unit may be offered for nightly rental (rental for less than 30 days). The owner is the licensee; a locally-based responsible party (property manager, realtor, lawyer, owner, or individual residing within a 1-hour drive, or with Summit County offices if a company) must be designated, available 24/7, and able to respond to inquiries within 20 minutes. Applicant must hold a state sales tax number before the license is effective. Fee figures verified against the fee schedule effective October 20, 2025; the underlying legal requirement is codified at parkcity.municipalcodeonline.com § 4-5-3. ### Pre-Licensing Building Department Inspection (inspection) - Authority: Park City Building Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required before initial licensing; re-inspection may be required by the Building Department - Official source: https://parkcity.municipalcodeonline.com/book/print?type=ordinances&name=4-5-3_Regulation_Of_Nightly_Rentals - Notes: Park City Municipal Code § 4-5-3: 'All nightly rental Units must be inspected by the Building Department and issued a license before being offered for rent.' No separate inspection fee was located beyond the $17.00 new-license administrative fee in the fee schedule; set to null rather than guessed. ### Zoning Eligibility / Conditional Use Permit (zone-dependent) (permit) - Authority: Park City Planning Department / Planning Commission - Cost: not verified - Renewal: N/A for Allowed-Use zones; Conditional Use Permits run with the zoning approval, not on a fixed renewal cycle, per the districts reviewed - Official source: https://parkcity.municipalcodeonline.com/book/print?type=ordinances&name=15-2.1_Historic_Residential-Low_Density_%28HRL%29_District - Notes: Whether a Conditional Use Permit (and associated Planning Commission review/fee) is needed depends on the property's zoning district. Confirmed as Allowed Use in General Commercial (LMC § 15-2.18-2) and most of Historic Recreation Commercial (LMC § 15-2.5-2); confirmed as Conditional Use in the HRL district's western sub-neighborhood (12-permit cap) and Lower Rossi Hill sub-neighborhood (LMC § 15-2.1-2(B)(1), footnote 2, as amended by Ordinance 2021-06); confirmed prohibited in HRL's McHenry Avenue sub-neighborhood and in Meadows Estates Phases 1A/1B (LMC § 15-2.13-2 per Ordinance 2020-38). CUP application fee amount was not verified against an official source and is left null. ### Utah State Sales & Use Tax Account (TC-69) (registration) - Authority: Utah State Tax Commission - Cost: not verified - Renewal: N/A — one-time registration; returns filed periodically via TAP - Official source: https://tax.utah.gov/forms/current/tc-69.pdf - Notes: Nightly Rental License application will not become effective until a state sales tax number is provided, per Park City Municipal Code § 4-5-3. No state registration fee was identified on the official TC-69 form/instructions, so cost is left null rather than assumed to be $0. ## Taxes - **Utah Combined State, County & Municipal Sales and Use Tax**: 9.55% — applies to Gross rental proceeds for stays under 30 days (Park City location code 22-030); platform collects: yes. Source: https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q2combined.pdf - **Combined Transient Room Tax (State + Summit County + Park City Municipal)**: 5.07% (1.07% state + 3.00% Summit County + 1.00% Park City municipal) — applies to Rental of a dwelling/lodging unit for stays under 30 consecutive days, in addition to the combined sales and use tax; platform collects: yes. Source: https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q1other.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Under Park City Municipal Code § 4-5-3, violation of the Noise Ordinance, occupancy-load violations, failure to use designated off-street parking, illegal conduct, or failure to collect and deposit sales tax are each grounds for revocation of the Nightly Rental License. Separately, per the Park City Finance Department's business-license FAQ, late renewal of any business license (including nightly rental licenses) is penalized $25 or 25% of the fee (whichever is greater) after October 15, an additional $25 or 50% (whichever is greater) after November 15, and 100% after January 1; operating without a valid license 'may result in citation.' Exact fine/citation amounts for operating an unlicensed nightly rental (as opposed to late renewal of an existing license) were not located in an official source and are noted below under needs_review. - Platform liability: Utah Code § 10-8-85.4 (effective 11/6/2025) prohibits Park City from enacting or enforcing an ordinance that bars a person from listing a short-term rental on a listing website, and bars the City from fining, charging, or prosecuting someone solely for listing a property online. The City may still use a listing as one piece of evidence of a violation if it has additional supporting information, and may request a listing site remove a listing that is operating in violation of business-license or zoning requirements, provided the request identifies the listing URL and the reason. The City may also forward listing information to the Summit County Auditor as evidence relevant to transient room tax compliance. - Notes: Marketplace facilitators (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo) are required by the Utah State Tax Commission (Pub 71) to collect and remit both sales tax and transient-room-related taxes on facilitated bookings, but the underlying host is still required to hold a valid City Nightly Rental Business License and a state sales tax number regardless of platform tax collection. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Exact fine/citation dollar amount for operating a nightly rental without a license (as distinct from the documented late-renewal penalty schedule) was not located in an official source fetched during this task. - The Conditional Use Permit application fee for nightly rentals in zones where CUP is required (e.g., HRL western/Lower Rossi Hill sub-neighborhoods) was not located in the fee schedule reviewed and is left null rather than guessed. - A comprehensive, zone-by-zone list of every Park City zoning district's nightly-rental status (Allowed/Conditional/Prohibited) was not compiled — only General Commercial, Historic Recreation Commercial, and Historic Residential Low-Density were directly verified against the code. Hosts should confirm their specific parcel's zoning via the City's zoning map/Land Management Code before relying on this profile. - Whether Park City's Nightly Rental License is formally distinct from (vs. a sub-type of) the general Business License for fee/renewal purposes was inferred from the fee schedule's 'Lodging' category; an explicit official statement equating the two was not independently located. ## Sources - Park City Municipal Code § 4-5-3, Regulation of Nightly Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://parkcity.municipalcodeonline.com/book/print?type=ordinances&name=4-5-3_Regulation_Of_Nightly_Rentals - Park City Municipal Code § 15-2.1, Historic Residential-Low Density (HRL) District (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://parkcity.municipalcodeonline.com/book/print?type=ordinances&name=15-2.1_Historic_Residential-Low_Density_%28HRL%29_District - Park City Municipal Code § 15-2.5, Historic Recreation Commercial (HRC) District (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://parkcity.municipalcodeonline.com/book/print?type=ordinances&name=15-2.5_Historic_Recreation_Commercial_(HRC)_District - Park City Municipal Code § 15-2.18, General Commercial (GC) District (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://parkcity.municipalcodeonline.com/book/print?type=ordinances&name=15-2.18_General_Commercial_%28GC%29_District - Ordinance No. 2021-06 (Nightly Rentals as Conditional Use, Lower Rossi Hill sub-neighborhood, HRL District) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/municipalcodeonline.com-new/parkcity/ordinances/documents/1667939314_2021-06_Nightly_Rentals.pdf - Ordinance No. 2020-38 (Prohibiting Nightly Rentals in Meadows Estates Subdivision Phases 1A/1B) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/municipalcodeonline.com-new/parkcity/ordinances/documents/1597172138_2020-38%20Nightly_Rentals_Meadows_Estates.pdf - Park City Nightly Rental Complaints (definition of nightly rental, complaint process) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.parkcity.gov/services/finance/nightly_rental_complaints.php - Park City Business License FAQ (renewal, expiration, late penalties) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.parkcity.gov/services/finance/finance_faqs.php - Park City Fee Schedule, Effective October 20, 2025 (Business License Fee Schedule, Section 4) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.parkcity.gov/Documents/Services/Building/Permits/Fee%20Schedule.pdf?t=202602100623310 - Utah Combined Sales and Use Tax Rates, Rates in effect as of April 1, 2026 (Part 1 of 2) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q2combined.pdf - Utah Other Sales Tax Rates and Fees (Transient Room Tax breakdown), Rates in effect as of January 1, 2026 (Part 2 of 2) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q1other.pdf - Utah State Tax Commission Pub 71, Marketplace Facilitators and Marketplace Sellers (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/forms/pubs/pub-71.pdf - Utah State Tax Commission, Marketplace Facilitators overview page (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.utah.gov/sales/marketplace-facilitators - Utah State Tax Commission, Form TC-69, Utah State Business and Tax Registration (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.utah.gov/forms/current/tc-69.pdf - Utah State Tax Commission, Transient Room Taxes overview (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.utah.gov/sales/transientroom - Utah Code § 10-8-85.4, Ordinances regarding short-term rentals -- Prohibition on ordinances restricting speech on short-term rental websites -- Evidence of short-term rental -- Removing a listing (effective 11/6/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title10/Chapter8/C10-8-S85.4_2025110620251206.html --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Breckenridge, CO - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/breckenridge-co/ ## Summary Short-term rentals (any accommodation unit rented for under 30 consecutive days) are legal in Breckenridge only with a Town-issued Accommodation Unit License, and new licenses are capped by one of four geographic zones adopted by Ordinance No. 28, Series 2022 (effective September 27, 2022): Zone 1/Tourism (cap 1,680), Zone 2/downtown core (cap 130), Zone 3/residential (cap 390), and an uncapped Resort Property Zone for qualifying multi-unit resort properties with on-site amenities. As of the Town's December 2025 published count, Zone 2 (130 of 130 licenses issued) and Zone 3 (1,058 licenses active against a 390 cap, via grandfathering) have no new licenses available and require joining a waitlist; Zone 1 had 467 licenses reported available against its 1,680 cap. A license costs $75-$175/year (by bedroom count) plus a separate annual regulatory fee of up to $756 per bedroom/studio with no cap on bedroom count (e.g., a 4-bedroom unit owes $175 + $3,024 = $3,199/year as of 2026), waived only if the unit is the license holder's primary residence and is rented 21 days or fewer per year. Hosts must designate a responsible agent available 24/7 who must respond to complaints within 60 minutes, display the license number and posted maximum occupancy in every ad, and keep the unit non-transferable on sale (a new owner must reapply, subject to zone availability). Guests staying under 30 days owe a combined 12.275% state+county+town lodging tax (Airbnb collects/remits since October 1, 2019 and Vrbo since January 1, 2020; hosts who book directly must self-remit). Violating the ordinance can draw an administrative fine of up to $1,000 per day until cured, in addition to license denial, suspension or revocation. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Rules apply to any 'accommodation unit' (condo, townhome, house, trailer, or studio) rented for less than 30 consecutive days (Town Code 4-6-1). Both whole-home and hosted/room rentals fall under the same license and are equally subject to the zone caps and waitlists described in requirements[]; the code does not distinguish hosted from unhosted operation. Primary residence is not required to operate an STR generally, but a primary-residence unit rented 21 days or fewer per year is exempt from the $756/bedroom annual regulatory fee (Town Code 4-6-3(B)(1); Admin. Rules Art. IV(C)). No town-wide fixed maximum guest count exists; instead, occupancy limit is set by formula: 2 persons per bedroom plus 4 additional persons for all units except studios, and 4 persons total for studios (Town Code 4-6-10(G)); this per-unit limit must be posted in every advertisement (4-6-11(B)(2)). ## Requirements ### Accommodation Unit (Short-Term Rental) License (license) - Authority: Town of Breckenridge Finance Department - Cost: $75/year (studio) to $175/year (4+ bedrooms), tiered by bedroom count (Business & Occupational License Tax component) - Renewal: Annual; license year runs to December 31 and must be renewed by December 31 (Admin. Rules Art. IV(B)(2)); valid until abandoned, surrendered, not renewed, revoked, or the property title transfers - Official source: https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-2 - Notes: Required for every unit rented under 30 days regardless of marketing channel (management company, Airbnb/Vrbo, word of mouth, etc.); must be obtained before advertising. Applicant must first hold a Town business & occupational license (BOLT) under Title 4, Ch. 1, designate a responsible agent (and optionally an alternate) in writing, and disclose all advertising methods/locations and any rental agent's contact info (Town Code 4-6-2). License is non-transferable and is voided on sale of the property (Town Code 4-6-8); new owners must reapply and are subject to the zone cap/waitlist unless they held a building permit issued on or before September 14, 2021 and apply within 20 days of receiving a certificate of occupancy (Town Code 4-6-5(C)). Property management companies/rental agents that rent units for profit must separately hold their own Town business license. Bedroom count for fee purposes is set by the Summit County Assessor database unless the Town inspects and applies the bedroom criteria in Town Code 4-6-4 (min. 70 sq ft, 5 ft ceiling, egress window, smoke/CO detector within 15 ft, built-in closet). ### Annual Accommodation Unit Regulatory Fee (other) - Authority: Town of Breckenridge Finance Department - Cost: Up to $756 per bedroom or studio per year, no limit on number of bedrooms charged (fixed annually by Town Council as part of the budget process, not to exceed $756; verified at $756/bedroom for the current period via the Town's STR licensing and FAQ pages) - Renewal: Annual, due at the same time as the license application/renewal - Official source: https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-3 - Notes: Established by Ordinance No. 28, Series 2022 (originally $400/bedroom for 2022 per Town Code 4-6-3(B)(1); capped at up to $756/bedroom starting the Town's 2023 fiscal year per 4-6-3(B)(2), reaffirmed annually by Council budget resolution). Kept in a separate fund (not the general fund) and used for workforce housing programs and to defray secondary-impact and enforcement costs (Town Code 4-6-3(D)). Exempt if the unit is the license holder's primary residence and rented 21 days or fewer per year; owner must document primary residence (2 of: driver's license, voter registration, vehicle registration) at application and annually thereafter (Admin. Rules Art. IV(C)). Example given by the Town: a 4-bedroom house owes $175 (license) + $3,024 (4 x $756 regulatory fee) = $3,199/year total. ### Responsible Agent designation (other) - Authority: Town of Breckenridge Finance Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Updated in writing within 30 days of any change; rental-agent changes must be reported as soon as practicable - Official source: https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-9 - Notes: Every license must designate a responsible agent (may be the owner, a rental agent, or another individual) who must be reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and respond to any Town-filed complaint about the unit's operation or condition within 60 minutes of notice (Town Code 4-6-9(B); 4-6-2(A)(3)). A responsible agent who is compensated for the role must separately hold a Town business license; an uncompensated personal contact does not (per Town FAQ). ### Advertising compliance (license number + occupancy limit disclosure) (other) - Authority: Town of Breckenridge Finance Department - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-11 - Notes: Every advertisement must prominently display 'Breckenridge Business License No. [number]' and 'Maximum overnight occupancy [number]'; ads may only run through a method approved by or disclosed to the finance director. A violation gets written notice and 15 days to cure before further enforcement (Town Code 4-6-11). ## Taxes - **Combined Accommodations/Lodging Tax (stays under 30 days)**: 12.275% — applies to Hotel/motel/condo/short-term-rental lodging charges for stays under 30 days within the Town of Breckenridge; combines Colorado state sales tax 2.900%, Summit County sales tax 2.000%, Mass Transportation System tax 0.750%, Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Authority tax 0.725%, Town of Breckenridge general sales tax 2.500%, and Town of Breckenridge Accommodations Tax 3.400%; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/taxes/sales-tax/tax-rates-and-revenue-distributions - **Town of Breckenridge Accommodations Tax (local lodging-specific component)**: 3.400% — applies to The Town-imposed portion of the combined lodging tax, charged on lodging stays under 30 days in addition to the Town's 2.500% general sales tax; funds are split between the Town's Marketing Fund (1.40 of the 3.40 points) and Excise Fund (2.00 of the 3.40 points); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/taxes/sales-tax/tax-rates-and-revenue-distributions ## Enforcement - Penalties: The finance director may impose an administrative fine of up to $1,000.00 per day until a violation is cured, in addition to any citation for infractions or other general Code penalties (Town Code 4-6-13(A)). Written notice is mailed and the fine is due within 14 days. Advertising violations first receive a written notice with 15 days to cure (4-6-11(C)). The finance director may also deny, suspend, or revoke a license for Code violations, with disciplinary hearings under Town Code 4-6-14/4-6-15 and appeal rights to the town manager or a designated hearing officer (4-6-13(B)). - Platform liability: Airbnb (since October 1, 2019) and Vrbo (since January 1, 2020) have agreements with the Town to collect and remit Breckenridge sales and accommodations tax on bookings made through their platforms on behalf of license holders; a valid Town license is still required to rent regardless. No specific platform strict-liability or per-booking penalty provision (comparable to some other Colorado cities) was found in Town Code Chapter 4-6 during this review — see needs_review. - Notes: Complaints are handled through a 24/7 Town complaint line (970-423-5334) and are not accepted anonymously; the complainant must give name, contact information, and location so the Town can notify the responsible agent (Admin. Rules Art. IV(G)). Town inspectors have a right of warrantless entry for health/safety enforcement (with notice, except emergencies) and may obtain a municipal-court inspection warrant if entry is refused (Town Code 4-6-9(A)). ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Fetch-method caveat: townofbreckenridge.com blocks automated fetches with an Akamai bot wall (HTTP 403) for both the WebFetch tool and direct curl with a browser user agent. All townofbreckenridge.com pages cited above (main STR page, apply/waitlist page, FAQ, history page, license-availability page, tax-rates page) were instead verified via dated Wayback Machine captures of the exact official URLs: main STR page (2026-05-17), apply/waitlist page (2026-05-17), FAQ (2025-11-09), history page (2026-05-17), license-availability/waitlist page (2026-02-10, showing a 'December 2025' snapshot), tax-rates page (2025-12-06). The breckenridge.town.codes municipal code portal (hosted by General Code) was fetched live and directly, without a Wayback fallback, and states it is current through Ordinance No. 6, Series 2026 (passed April 28, 2026). - Current license counts and per-zone availability (Resort Zone 1,719; Zone 1 1,225 of 1,680 with 467 reported available; Zone 2 130 of 130, no availability; Zone 3 1,058 active against a 390 cap via grandfathering, no availability) reflect a 'December 2025' snapshot on the Town's license-availability page, which the Town states it updates only every 3 months; these figures may have changed by the 2026-07-18 as-of date and should be re-checked against the live page or by emailing str@townofbreckenridge.com. - The Resort Property Zone has no legislatively fixed numeric license cap; Town Code 4-6-5(B)(1) instead caps it at 'the number of units available in the resort property zone as of the effective date of the ordinance ... and any additional licenses granted administratively' when a property is later determined to qualify as a resort property. The Town's own 'Historical Development' page states caps are also summarized in a table/map graphic that did not render as extractable text in this session's fetch, so the exact 2022 baseline unit count for the Resort Zone was not independently confirmed beyond the December 2025 total of 1,719 licenses. - The annual regulatory fee is stated by the Town's FAQ and main STR page as currently $756/bedroom-or-studio, but the codified Town Code 4-6-3(B)(2) only sets a ceiling ('not to exceed seven hundred fifty six dollars ($756.00)'), with the actual annual figure fixed each year by Town Council as part of its budget process. This session did not locate the specific 2026 budget resolution reaffirming $756 as the operative (vs. a lower) figure for the current year; the two Town-facing pages corroborate $756 as currently in effect but a primary budget-resolution citation was not obtained. - The FAQ page states the regulatory fee 'commences January 1, 2021,' which conflicts with the codified Town Code 4-6-3(B)(1), stating the fee began with licenses issued on or after January 1, 2022 (at $400/bedroom for 2022, rising to a ceiling of $756/bedroom from 2023 onward). The codified text (current through Ordinance No. 6, Series 2026) was treated as authoritative for the fee's start/structure; the FAQ's '2021' date appears to be an unrevised holdover from the original November 2021 ordinance (Ord. 29, Series 2021) that predates the September 2022 zone/cap rewrite (Ord. 28, Series 2022). - A specific voter-approved 'short-term rental excise tax' (distinct from the existing 3.400% Town Accommodations Tax) was not found for Breckenridge; a 2020 Town Council proposal for a child-care-funded STR excise tax appeared in news search results but no evidence was found confirming it was ever placed on a ballot or passed. The 'Excise Fund' referenced on the Town's tax-rates page is an existing internal fund that receives allocated shares of the County's 2.000% sales tax and part of the Town's 3.400% Accommodations Tax — it is not a separate line-item tax charged to guests or hosts. Treat any claim of a distinct Breckenridge STR excise tax as unverified. - No explicit platform strict-liability or per-violation penalty clause aimed at booking platforms (comparable to some other Colorado municipalities) was found within Breckenridge Town Code Chapter 4-6, sections 4-6-1 through 4-6-13 fetched this session; sections 4-6-12 (Rules and regulations), 4-6-14 through 4-6-16 (disciplinary hearing procedure and review-period reporting) were not individually fetched and could conceivably contain additional platform-facing provisions. - No insurance requirement for Breckenridge accommodation unit licensees was found in the sections of Town Code Chapter 4-6 reviewed; this profile assumes none exists but did not exhaustively review every subsection (e.g., 4-6-12, 4-6-14 through 4-6-16) where one could theoretically appear. - The federal court dismissal of a constitutional challenge to Breckenridge's STR cap ordinance (Colorado Politics, cited in sources[] as type 'news') was not independently verified against a court record or the Town's own legal-notices page; it is not asserted as fact in the main fields, only listed as background in sources[]. ## Sources - Accommodation Unit (Short Term Rentals) Licenses — Town of Breckenridge (main STR licensing page) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/business-and-accommodation-unit-licenses/accommodation-unit-short-term-rentals-licenses - Apply for a license or join a waitlist — Town of Breckenridge (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/business-and-accommodation-unit-licenses/accommodation-unit-short-term-rentals-licenses/apply-for-a-license-join-the-waitlist-access-current-license - FAQ's — Accommodation Unit (Short Term Rentals) Licenses — Town of Breckenridge (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/business-and-accommodation-unit-licenses/accommodation-unit-short-term-rentals-licenses/faq-s - Historical Development of License Caps and Regulations — Town of Breckenridge (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/business-and-accommodation-unit-licenses/accommodation-unit-short-term-rentals-licenses/development-of-license-caps-and-regulations - License Availability, Current Licenses and Waitlists — Town of Breckenridge (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/business-and-accommodation-unit-licenses/accommodation-unit-short-term-rentals-licenses/license-availability-current-lists-and-waitlists - Sales and Accommodation Tax — Town of Breckenridge (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/business-and-accommodation-unit-licenses/accommodation-unit-short-term-rentals-licenses/sales-and-accommodation-tax - Tax Rates and Revenue Distributions — Town of Breckenridge (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.townofbreckenridge.com/departments/finance/taxes/sales-tax/tax-rates-and-revenue-distributions - 4-6-1 Definitions — Breckenridge Town Code (hosted by General Code) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-1 - 4-6-2 License required — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-2 - 4-6-3 Annual accommodation unit regulatory fee — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-3 - 4-6-4 Criteria for a bedroom under the short-term rental regulations — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-4 - 4-6-5 Creation of mapped areas; Limitation on concentration of licenses — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-5 - 4-6-6 Special requirements of resort properties — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-6 - 4-6-7 Wait list for new license applications — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-7 - 4-6-9 Right of entry for inspections or investigations; Complaints — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-9 - 4-6-10 Mitigation of health safety and secondary impacts — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-10 - 4-6-11 Advertising requirements — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-11 - 4-6-13 Fines; Penalties; Denial of license — Breckenridge Town Code (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/Code/4-6-13 - Article IV Accommodation Unit Licensing — Breckenridge Administrative Rules and Regulations (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://breckenridge.town.codes/AdminRules/Finance_ArtIV - Breckenridge, Colorado, sets cap on short-term rental licenses — Avalara MyLodgeTax (background/discovery only) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.avalara.com/mylodgetax/en/blog/2021/10/breckenridge-colorado-sets-cap-on-short-term-rental-licenses.html - Federal judge dismisses constitutional challenge to Breckenridge short-term rental regulations — Colorado Politics (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.coloradopolitics.com/courts/federal-judge-dismisses-constitutional-challenge-to-breckenridge-short-term-rental-regulations/article_0a9baa12-3fc7-11ef-88c6-a33fce007f17.html --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Panama City Beach, FL - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/panama-city-beach-fl/ ## Summary Panama City Beach does not ban or cap the frequency/duration of short-term rentals (Florida preempts that under Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)(b), and the city has no pre-June-2011 grandfathered ban), but every whole-unit vacation rental must hold a City Vacation Rental Certificate under Ordinance 1632 (adopted Sept. 28, 2023, codified at City Code Ch. 8, Art. IX, § 8-183). To get and keep a Certificate a host needs: a Florida DBPR vacation rental license, Bay County Tourist Development Tax registration, a City Business Tax Receipt (1% of gross rental receipts, $50/year minimum), a pool inspection if applicable, and a passed fire/life-safety inspection, plus exterior signage showing the certificate number and 24/7 emergency contact. As posted on the city's official program page, new registration costs $250, re-inspection is $75, a missed/denied inspection (lock-out) is $100, and annual renewal is $150 (applications due by October 1 each year; initial applications were due December 31, 2023). Maximum occupancy is set by formula in the ordinance -- 150 sq ft of habitable space per person for one- and two-family dwellings, 200 sq ft per person for other vacation rentals (reducible to 150 with a Fire Inspector life-safety sign-off) -- not a flat number. Violations run $500 (1st), $1,000 (2nd), and $1,000 plus up to a 12-month certificate revocation (3rd+ within 12 months). On top of registration, rentals owe Florida's 6% state transient rental sales tax, Bay County's 1% discretionary sales surtax, and Bay County's 5% Tourist Development Tax (the TDT applies only within specific PCB-area ZIP codes: 32407, 32408, 32413, plus 32401/32404/32405/32410). Airbnb/VRBO collect and remit the state 6%+1% via Florida's marketplace-facilitator law, but Bay County has no agreement with any platform, so hosts must register and remit the 5% TDT themselves. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Ordinance 1632's whereas clauses state that 'transient residential rental owners may live elsewhere' -- there is no owner-occupancy/primary-residence requirement. The certificate requirement applies to any unit rented to guests more than three times per calendar year for periods under 30 days (or 1 calendar month, whichever is less), or advertised/held out as regularly rented -- this is the 'vacation rental'/'transient public lodging establishment' definition in Sec. 8-183(a). Maximum occupancy is not a single number: it is 150 sq ft of habitable gross floor area per person for one- and two-family dwellings licensed as public lodging, or 200 sq ft per person for other vacation rentals (reducible to 150 sq ft/person if the City Fire Inspector confirms NFPA 101 egress compliance), rounded up to the nearest whole person. ## Requirements ### Vacation Rental Certificate (registration) (registration) - Authority: City of Panama City Beach (Fire Department / Code Enforcement) - Cost: $250 new registration; $150 annual renewal - Renewal: Annual; renewal applications due by October 1 each year (or at time of ownership transfer). Initial applications after adoption were due by December 31, 2023. - Official source: https://www.pcbfl.gov/295/Short-Term-Rentals - Notes: Legal basis is Ordinance 1632 (adopted Sept. 28, 2023; codified at City Code Ch. 8, Art. IX, § 8-183), full text at https://fl-panamacitybeach.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1078/Ordinance-1632-Transient-Residential-Rental-Requirements-PDF. The ordinance itself states fees are 'to be determined by Resolution of the City' -- the dollar figures here are the current schedule as published on the city's official program page. Each dwelling unit needs its own certificate; it is unlawful to rent or allow occupancy without one. ### Fire / life-safety inspection (inspection) - Authority: Panama City Beach Fire Department - Cost: $75 re-inspection fee; $100 lock-out/no-show fee (if inspector is denied access at a scheduled appointment) - Renewal: Interior inspections are at the Fire Inspector's discretion; required for initial certificate and at renewal. Documented violations must be corrected and re-inspected within 30 calendar days. - Official source: https://fl-panamacitybeach.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1078/Ordinance-1632-Transient-Residential-Rental-Requirements-PDF - Notes: Sec. 8-183(e) of the City Code. Failure to admit an inspector after 3 attempts triggers a notice of failure of inspection; failure to respond to a 4th attempt can suspend/revoke the certificate. Fee dollar amounts confirmed on https://www.pcbfl.gov/295/Short-Term-Rentals. ### DBPR Vacation Rental License (license) - Authority: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants - Cost: $230/year for a single-unit license ($170 license fee + $50 application fee + $10 Hospitality Education Program fee); higher tiers for Group (2-25 units, $180 base) and Collective licenses ($150 base + $10/unit + $10 HEP) - Renewal: Annual, on a staggered renewal schedule that varies by DBPR licensing district - Official source: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Notes: Required whenever a whole unit is rented more than 3 times per calendar year for stays under 30 days, or is advertised/held out as regularly rented to guests (Fla. Stat. Ch. 509). Renting individual rooms only (host stays and rents a room, not the whole unit) is not classified as public lodging and does not require this license, per https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/. Could not independently confirm the exact renewal month for Bay County's DBPR licensing district -- see needs_review. ### Bay County Tourist Development Tax registration (registration) - Authority: Bay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller - Cost: not verified - Renewal: One-time account registration (via GovOS/baytouristtax.com), followed by monthly tax return filings - Official source: https://www.baycoclerk.com/clerk-services/tourist-development-tax/ - Notes: No separate registration fee was identified on the official page; the ongoing obligation is the 5% tax itself (see taxes[]). Proof of this registration is one of the required Vacation Rental Certificate application documents under Sec. 8-183(c)(4). ### City of Panama City Beach Business Tax Receipt (BTR) (license) - Authority: City of Panama City Beach Business License Department - Cost: 1% of gross rental receipts, $50/year minimum - Renewal: Annual; registration year runs March 1 through the last day of February. Monthly returns due by the 1st of the following month (3% discount if paid by the 10th; 8%/month penalty if delinquent). - Official source: https://www.pcbfl.gov/216/Business-License - Notes: Owners using Airbnb/VRBO/HomeAway are personally responsible for reporting and remitting this 1% BTR to the City. Proof of a current BTR is required for the Vacation Rental Certificate under Sec. 8-183(c)(3). ### Pool inspection (if property has a pool) (inspection) - Authority: City of Panama City Beach (per Ordinance 1632) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required before certificate issuance if a pool is present; ongoing licensing/inspection compliance thereafter - Official source: https://fl-panamacitybeach.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1078/Ordinance-1632-Transient-Residential-Rental-Requirements-PDF - Notes: Sec. 8-183(c)(5): applicant must show 'evidence that any pool located on the property is properly licensed and inspected.' No specific fee amount was found in the ordinance or on the city's program page. ## Taxes - **Florida state transient rental sales tax**: 6% — applies to Rental charges for living/sleeping accommodations rented for 6 months or less (Fla. Stat. § 212.03); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299%2F0212%2FSections%2F0212.03.html - **Bay County discretionary sales surtax**: 1% — applies to Same taxable base as the state transient rental sales tax, for rentals located in Bay County; platform collects: yes. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss.pdf - **Bay County Tourist Development Tax (bed tax)**: 5% — applies to Nightly/weekly/monthly rental charges, cleaning fees, resort/reservation fees, and required guest fees, for accommodations within Bay County's special taxing jurisdiction -- ZIP codes 32401, 32404, 32405, 32407, 32408, 32410, and the Bay County portion of 32413 (this covers all of Panama City Beach); platform collects: no. Source: https://www.baycoclerk.com/clerk-services/tourist-development-tax/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: Civil penalties for Vacation Rental Certificate violations: $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $1,000 plus possible revocation/suspension of the Vacation Rental Certificate for up to 12 months for a third or subsequent violation within a 12-month period (Ordinance 1632, City Code § 8-183(h)(2)). Non-compliant/correctable violations first get a Notice of Violation warning with a correction period before a citation issues. A violator who does not contest a civil penalty gets a 50% reduction if paid directly to the City Clerk. See https://fl-panamacitybeach.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1078/Ordinance-1632-Transient-Residential-Rental-Requirements-PDF. - Platform liability: The ordinance does not impose direct fines on hosting platforms. Instead, it requires the property owner to ensure the Vacation Rental Certificate Number is displayed on every listing on any hosting platform (defined broadly to include Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Expedia, Vacasa, and Homestay.com) -- failure is a violation attributable to the owner, not the platform (§ 8-183(g)(6)). - Notes: Warnings for non-compliance may be copied to DBPR, the Florida Department of Revenue, the Bay County Clerk of Court, and the Bay County Property Appraiser. A rental that fails safety requirements is presumed unfit for human occupancy until corrected. The City may also pursue injunctive relief, liens, and other civil/criminal penalties available by law. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - The Panama City Beach program page and several secondary sources describe the certificate requirement as taking effect February 1, 2024, but Ordinance 1632's own text says it 'take[s] effect immediately upon passage' (September 28, 2023) with initial applications due by December 31, 2023. Could not fully reconcile whether Feb 1, 2024 refers to the start of active enforcement/citations versus the ordinance's legal effective date -- both dates are recorded here rather than asserting one as authoritative. - Could not independently confirm the exact DBPR license renewal month/district for Bay County specifically; the DBPR guide lists renewal dates by district (e.g., June 1 for 'Districts 5-6, Jacksonville/Panama City') but the district-to-city mapping in the fetched source looked internally inconsistent and was not cross-checked against DBPR's official district map. - Did not independently verify whether Panama City Beach's Land Development Code (zoning code) imposes additional restrictions on vacation rentals by zoning district, beyond the citywide registration/inspection scheme in Ordinance 1632 -- only the vacation-rental-specific ordinance was reviewed, not the full zoning code. ## Sources - Short-Term Rentals | Panama City Beach, FL (official program page: requirements, fee schedule) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.pcbfl.gov/295/Short-Term-Rentals - Ordinance 1632 - Transient Residential Rental Requirements (full PDF text, City Code Ch. 8, Art. IX, § 8-183) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://fl-panamacitybeach.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1078/Ordinance-1632-Transient-Residential-Rental-Requirements-PDF - Ordinances | City of Panama City Beach, FL (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.pcbfl.gov/188/Ordinances - The 2025 Florida Statutes - Section 509.032, Florida Statutes (local preemption, § (7)(b)) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599%2F0509%2FSections%2F0509.032.html - The 2025 Florida Statutes - Section 212.03, Florida Statutes (transient rentals tax; rate 6%) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299%2F0212%2FSections%2F0212.03.html - Florida Dept. of Revenue - DR-15TDT: Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (Bay County = 5.0%, county-collected) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15tdt.pdf - Florida Dept. of Revenue - DR-15DSS: Discretionary Sales Surtax Information (Bay County = 1.0% total) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss.pdf - Bay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller - Tourist Development Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.baycoclerk.com/clerk-services/tourist-development-tax/ - Bay County, Florida Tourist Development Tax Remittance (official GovOS filing portal, linked from baycoclerk.com) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://baytouristtax.com/ - Bay County > Frequently Asked Questions (official MuniRevs tax portal FAQ - confirms no Airbnb/VRBO TDT collection agreement) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://baycounty.munirevs.com/faq/ - DBPR - Hotels and Restaurants - Lodging Fees (vacation rental license fee schedule) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - DBPR - Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (who needs a license; definitions; renewal districts) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Business Registration | City of Panama City Beach, FL (Business Tax Receipt requirements and fees) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.pcbfl.gov/216/Business-License - Florida Senate - Senate Bill 280 (2024), by version (vetoed vacation-rental preemption/registry bill) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/280/ByVersion - Governor Ron DeSantis Vetoes One Bill (SB 280) | Executive Office of the Governor (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2024/governor-ron-desantis-vetoes-one-bill-0 - Florida Senate - Senate Bill 658 (2026) (vacation rental water-safety bill; died in House Messages 3/13/2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/658 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Destin, FL - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/destin-fl/ ## Summary Whole-home short-term rentals are legal in Destin but tightly gated. STRs are only permitted in specific zoning districts under Land Development Code Article 7 (e.g., CBR, CBN, LDR-HI, BRMU, CMU, CMU-V, CG, GRMU, HDR, HIMU, MDR-HI, NHMU, ROI-TD, SHMU, TCMU), and several of those districts require separate Conditional Use approval before a property is even eligible to register. Any single-family home, duplex, townhome, or condo rented for stays under 180 days must register annually with the City. Per the City's Resolution 25-10 fee schedule (adopted 5-5-2025) and the 2026 STR Registration Guide (updated 1-8-2026), registration costs $500-$700/year by square footage, plus a $25 fee for paper applications; late renewals cost an extra $100 after March 31 or $500 after June 1. Hosts also need a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license (~$170-230/year), a City of Destin Business Tax Receipt (~$31.25/year for 1-4 units), an Okaloosa County Business Tax Receipt ($35/year), and a Florida DOR resale certificate. Overnight occupancy is capped at 2 adults per bedroom plus 4 additional persons, up to 24 people per house. Parking requires 1 space per bedroom (2 total spaces if the home was built before 12/5/2016). Violations are a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail per violation (F.S. 162.22), and the City can also administratively suspend or revoke a registration. On top of city rules, hosts owe Florida's 6% state transient rental tax plus Okaloosa County's 6% Tourist Development Tax on rental income. Destin's core STR registration ordinance (Ord. 151.23, adopted 6-3-02) predates Florida's June 1, 2011 preemption cutoff in Fla. Stat. 509.032(7)(b), so the City's registration scheme is grandfathered and enforceable despite the state's general ban on local regulation of vacation-rental duration/frequency. A 2024 bill (SB 280) that would have imposed a statewide framework and further preempted local STR ordinances passed the Legislature but was vetoed by Governor DeSantis on 6/27/2024, so Destin's local ordinance remains the controlling framework as of this writing. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 24 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 180 days Notes: Whole-home STR is allowed only in specific zoning districts per Land Development Code Article 7; several districts (e.g., CBN multi-family, CMU-V, SHMU single-family, TCMU multi-family) additionally require Conditional Use approval, and some properties may need a Change of Use approval that brings the site into compliance with current development standards before registration is issued. No owner-occupancy/primary-residence requirement was found. The ordinance does not clearly distinguish 'hosted' (owner-present) rentals from unhosted whole-home rentals -- both appear to fall under the same 'seasonal resident' registration requirement if rented for consideration for 1 day to under 6 months. ## Requirements ### City of Destin Short-Term Rental Registration (registration) - Authority: City of Destin, Code Compliance Department - Cost: $500-$700/year (by unit square footage) + $25 admin fee for paper applications - Renewal: Annual; registration window opens Jan 1, due March 1; late fee of $100 after March 31 and $500 after June 1 - Official source: https://www.cityofdestin.com/DocumentCenter/View/17534/2026-STR-Registration-Guide - Notes: Required for single-family, duplex, townhome, and condominium STRs rented for stays under 180 days. Property must be in an eligible zoning district (LDC Article 7); some districts require Conditional Use approval. Requires a Site/Parking Plan, Notarized Affidavit of Bedrooms and Parking (non-condo), City BTR, DBPR license, and FL DOR resale certificate. Fee amounts and late-fee tiers verified against City Resolution 25-10 (Schedule of Fees, Section 3, 'Rental Registration'). ### Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling License (license) - Authority: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants - Cost: $50 application fee + $10 HEP fee + $170/year license fee (single unit, full year; $90 half-year) - Renewal: Annual (or semi-annual option); renewal date varies by county district - Official source: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Notes: Required under F.S. Ch. 509 for single-family/duplex/townhome units rented more than 3 times per year for stays under 30 days, or regularly advertised as available. Condos need a separate DBPR Condominium license instead. Subject to inspection under Ch. 61C, F.A.C. ### City of Destin Business Tax Receipt (BTR) (license) - Authority: City of Destin - Cost: $31.25/year (1-4 rental units tier) - Renewal: Annual; invoiced July, due October 1, expires September 30 - Official source: https://www.cityofdestin.com/DocumentCenter/View/120/Fee-Schedule - Notes: Prerequisite for issuance of the STR registration certificate (Code of Ordinances Sec. 13-110). ### Okaloosa County Business Tax Receipt (license) - Authority: Okaloosa County Tax Collector - Cost: $35/year - Renewal: Annual; renews each July, due September 30 - Official source: https://okaloosatax.com/services/business-tax-receipt/ - Notes: Also a prerequisite for City STR registration issuance (Code of Ordinances Sec. 13-110(4)). ### Florida DOR Annual Resale Certificate (sales tax registration) (registration) - Authority: Florida Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Notes: No stated registration fee. Required to collect and remit the state 6% transient rental tax and needed as a supporting document for the City STR application. ## Taxes - **Florida Transient Rental (Sales) Tax**: 6% — applies to Rental/lease of living, sleeping, or housekeeping accommodations for 6 months or less; platform collects: yes. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - **Okaloosa County Tourist Development Tax**: 6% — applies to Rental/lease of accommodations for 6 months or less within the Okaloosa County TDT District (Destin is within this district); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15tdt.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating an unregistered STR, or violating registration/occupancy/parking/noise/garbage rules, is enforceable as a code violation (Code Enforcement Board or Special Magistrate, Ch. 14 and F.S. Ch. 162, Pt. 1), by civil citation (F.S. Ch. 162, Pt. 2), and/or as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to 60 days' imprisonment per violation under F.S. Sec. 162.22 (Code of Ordinances Sec. 13-117(4)). The City may also administratively deny, suspend, or revoke an STR registration for noncompliance (Sec. 13-117(3)). - Platform liability: No provision found in the City's Code of Ordinances imposing direct compliance liability on booking platforms (Airbnb/Vrbo) for host registration status. Separately, under Florida's marketplace-facilitator law (effective 7/1/2021), marketplace providers are required to register with the Florida Department of Revenue and collect/remit state sales and use tax (including the 6% transient rental tax) on transactions they facilitate. - Notes: Penalty figures are drawn directly from the codified ordinance text (City of Destin Code of Ordinances, Ch. 13, Art. VI, Sec. 13-117) and F.S. Sec. 162.22. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo automatically collect and remit the Okaloosa County 6% Tourist Development Tax on hosts' behalf could not be confirmed via an official Okaloosa County source -- the county's TDT portal FAQ describes owner/operator obligation to register and collect but does not address marketplace auto-collection for this specific county, so collectedByPlatform for that tax is left null. - Signage size differs between the codified ordinance text (Sec. 13-114, last amended 12-21-15: sign must be 18"x12" max / 16"x10" min) and the City's more recent FAQ and 2026 STR Registration Guide, which reference an 18"x18" sign and a 'Season Sign Sticker' system instead -- could not confirm whether the codified dimension language has been formally superseded. - Whether Destin's zoning-district eligibility list and Conditional-Use requirements for STRs (Land Development Code Article 7), as opposed to the original 2002 registration ordinance itself, qualify for the Fla. Stat. 509.032(7)(b) pre-June-2011 grandfather exemption was not independently verified -- this is a legal question beyond what the available official sources resolve. - https://okaloosaclerk.com/board-services/tourist-development-tax/ (the Okaloosa Clerk's own TDT page) returned HTTP 403 and could not be fetched directly; TDT figures were instead verified via the county's designated online tax portal (okaloosatouristtax.munirevs.com) and the Florida DOR's official DR-15TDT statewide rate table, which independently confirm the 6% rate and county-level collection. - The DBPR's online checklist detail page (myfloridalicense.com) returned a system error and could not be fetched directly; DBPR license fee and requirement figures were instead verified via www2.myfloridalicense.com's official lodging-fees and vacation-rental/timeshare guide pages. ## Sources - City of Destin Code of Ordinances - Chapter 13, Article VI, Registration of Short-Term Rentals (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofdestin.com/DocumentCenter/View/7040/CITY-OF-DESTIN-CODE-OF-ORDINANCES---Short-Term-Rental?bidId= - City of Destin - FAQs: Short Term Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofdestin.com/faq.aspx?TID=19 - City of Destin - FAQ: How does a person apply for a short term rental registration (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofdestin.com/Faq.aspx?QID=127 - City of Destin - FAQ: What are the zoning districts for STRs (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cityofdestin.com/FAQ.aspx?QID=206 - City of Destin - 2026 Short-Term Rental Registration Guide (PDF, updated 1/8/2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofdestin.com/DocumentCenter/View/17534/2026-STR-Registration-Guide - City of Destin - Resolution 25-10, Schedule of Fees, Attachment A (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofdestin.com/DocumentCenter/View/120/Fee-Schedule - City of Destin - Register a Short Term Rental (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofdestin.com/736/Register-a-Short-Term-Rental - Florida Department of Revenue - DR-15TDT, Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15tdt.pdf - Florida Department of Revenue - Sales and Use Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Florida DBPR - Hotels and Restaurants Lodging Fees (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Florida DBPR - Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - The 2026 Florida Statutes, Section 509.032 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0509/Sections/0509.032.html - Okaloosa County Tourist Development Tax Online Portal - FAQ (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://okaloosatouristtax.munirevs.com/faq/ - Okaloosa County Tax Collector - Business Tax Receipts (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://okaloosatax.com/services/business-tax-receipt/ - Florida Senate - SB 280 (2024) Bill History (vetoed by Governor 6/27/2024) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/280 - Airbnb Help Center - Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Florida (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2301 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Gulf Shores, AL - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/gulf-shores-al/ ## Summary Whole-home short-term rentals ('Dwelling Units Licensed for Vacation Rental') are legal in Gulf Shores but only by zoning district: they are allowed by right in the Single Family and Duplex Tourist Rental Overlay District and in the BN, BG, BT, ICW-N and ICW-S business/tourist districts, plus PUD-designated multi-family tracts, while they are prohibited in AG, ATP, ED, IND, OS, and R-1 through R-5 residential districts (R-3/R-4 multi-family can seek a Conditional Use Permit), subject to narrow 2009/2018 grandfather exceptions for properties licensed and taxed before those cutoff dates (Zoning Ordinance Art. 6-18, as amended Feb. 25, 2019). Every rental of fewer than 180 consecutive days requires an annual city business license plus a flat $45/year vacation-rental fee (Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-45), a designated 24-hour local emergency contact (Sec. 8-41), and a Fire Marshal safety inspection at least every 3 years (Sec. 8-43); owners renting a single unit for 180+ days under a written lease are exempt from the licensing requirement. Occupancy by more than one family for over 30 consecutive days is treated as a violation, and a unit rented over 180 days in a year is reclassified as long-term and exits the overlay rules. Guests pay a combined 16% lodging tax inside city limits (4% Alabama state + 2% Baldwin County + 10% City of Gulf Shores, the city portion having risen from 7% to 10% in phases effective September 2022 and September 1, 2023) or 11% within the police jurisdiction outside city limits (4% + 2% + 5% city). Violating the Chapter 8 business-license ordinance carries a $250 fine per the city's 2026 Schedule of Fees, and the Revenue Division can deny or revoke a vacation-rental license for noncompliance, appealable to City Council. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 180 days Notes: Legality is zoning-district-dependent, not host-presence-dependent: the Zoning Ordinance regulates any 'Dwelling Unit Licensed for Vacation Rental' (a unit rented for under 180 consecutive days) the same way whether or not the owner is present, so 'conditional' applies to both hosted and unhosted stays. Allowed by right in the Single Family & Duplex Tourist Rental Overlay District and BN/BG/BT/ICW-N/ICW-S districts and PUD areas designated for vacation rental; prohibited in AG, ATP, ED, IND, OS, and R-1 through R-5, except (a) R-3/R-4 multi-family developments may obtain a Conditional Use Permit, and (b) narrow nonconforming-use grandfathering for single-family/duplex units licensed and tax-reporting as of Aug. 31, 2009, and multi-family units licensed and tax-reporting as of Aug. 31, 2018. No ordinance text found imposing a numeric maximum-guest cap. ## Requirements ### Business License + Vacation Rental License (license) - Authority: City of Gulf Shores Revenue Division - Cost: $45/year flat vacation-rental fee (Sec. 8-45) plus base business license fee of $135-$63,280/year based on gross receipts (Schedule A of the 2026 Fee Schedule); owner of a single unit leased 180+ days under written agreement is exempt - Renewal: Annual; license year is Jan 1-Dec 31, renewal due Jan 1, delinquent after Jan 31 - Official source: https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/780/Rental-License - Notes: Codified at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-44 (licensing of dwelling units for vacation rental) and Sec. 8-45 (additional vacation-rental fee); base fee schedule confirmed in the city's Dec. 8, 2025 Fee Schedule Resolution (effective for 2026). ### Local Emergency Contact Designation (registration) - Authority: City of Gulf Shores Revenue Division - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be kept current for as long as the unit is licensed for vacation rental - Official source: https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/780/Rental-License - Notes: Codified at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-41 (designation and maintenance of local emergency contact); submitted via the city's Local Emergency Contact Information Form. No separate fee identified. ### Fire Marshal Safety Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Gulf Shores Fire Marshal - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Every 3 years - Official source: https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/780/Rental-License - Notes: Codified at Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-43 (safety inspection required); performed as part of the license approval workflow (Revenue -> Planning & Zoning -> Fire Marshal -> Revenue issues certificate). No inspection fee identified. ### Zoning Compliance / Conditional Use Permit (R-3 & R-4 multi-family only) (permit) - Authority: City of Gulf Shores Planning & Zoning Department / City Council - Cost: not verified - Renewal: One-time approval tied to the property; not an annual renewal - Official source: https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/5922?fileID=10786 - Notes: Zoning Ordinance Article 6-18 (as amended by ordinance adopted Feb. 25, 2019): vacation rental is allowed by right only in the Tourist Rental Overlay District and BN/BG/BT/ICW-N/ICW-S districts (plus PUD areas so designated); it is prohibited in AG, ATP, ED, IND, OS, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5 and single-family PUD subdivisions, except that individual multi-family developments in R-3/R-4 may be approved for vacation rental by Conditional Use Permit. CUP application fee not located in the reviewed fee schedule. ## Taxes - **Alabama State Lodgings Tax**: 4% — applies to Rentals/accommodations to transients for stays of fewer than 180 consecutive days; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/tax-types/lodgings-tax/ - **Baldwin County Lodging Tax**: 2% — applies to Rentals/accommodations to transients for stays of fewer than 180 consecutive days, within the Baldwin County Lodging Tax District (which includes Gulf Shores); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://baldwincountyal.gov/docs/default-source/sales-and-use-tax/lodging-tax-rate---section-45-2-243-25.pdf?sfvrsn=c77e660b_0 - **City of Gulf Shores Lodging Tax**: 10% within corporate limits; 5% within the police jurisdiction (outside corporate limits) — applies to Hotel/motel rooms and short-term condo, house, duplex, and tourist camp/cabin rentals of fewer than 180 consecutive days; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/783/Lodging-Tax ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating a Dwelling Unit Licensed for Vacation Rental without the required license is unlawful under Code of Ordinances Sec. 8-19 (unlawful to do business without a license). The Revenue Division may deny or revoke a vacation-rental business license for noncompliance with Article 6-18 (Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6-18C.2). Per the City's 2026 Schedule of Fees, any person found guilty of violating the provisions of Ordinance 2186 (the Chapter 8 business-license ordinance) shall be fined $250 (source: https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/15045?fileID=41241). - Platform liability: No official Gulf Shores or Alabama source reviewed imposes direct liability on booking platforms (Airbnb/Vrbo) for a host's licensing or zoning noncompliance. Alabama DOR guidance states that if an accommodations intermediary collects and remits all applicable state and local lodgings taxes on a transaction, the host does not need a separate state tax account for that transaction, but this addresses tax remittance only, not city licensing/zoning compliance. - Notes: License denial/revocation decisions by the Revenue Division may be appealed to the City Council (Zoning Ordinance Art. 6-18C.2). ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Zoning district eligibility for vacation rentals (Article 6-18) was directly verified against the Feb. 25, 2019 ordinance amendment; the full current (Feb. 2026) zoning ordinance PDF was too large to fetch in one pass, so it could not be confirmed line-by-line that no further amendment has changed the district list itself since 2019 (only a 2026 amendment concerning vacation-rental signage, Ord. 2201, was independently confirmed to exist via the city's own document titles). - Ordinance 2201 (effective Feb. 23, 2026) is reported by secondary sources to require a Planning Department permit for new vacation-rental signage; the source PDF (agenda item) timed out on fetch and the exact requirement text was not independently verified against an official source read in full. - Whether Airbnb and/or Vrbo currently collect and remit the full, current Alabama state (4%), Baldwin County (2%), and City of Gulf Shores (10%/5%) lodging taxes on hosts' behalf could not be confirmed via an official government source; Airbnb's own (non-official) support page shows a stale Gulf Shores city rate of 7%, which predates the city's phased increase to 10% completed Sept. 1, 2023, so collectedByPlatform is recorded as null rather than guessed. - No ordinance text located during this research specifies a numeric maximum-occupancy/guest-count cap for vacation rental dwelling units (only a 'no more than one family for over 30 consecutive days' occupancy rule and a 180-day annual rental cap were found). - The Conditional Use Permit application fee for converting R-3/R-4 multi-family developments to vacation rental use was not found in the 2026 Fee Schedule or elsewhere reviewed. - Whether 'Ordinance 2186,' cited in the 2026 Fee Schedule as carrying a $250 criminal penalty, is specifically the vacation-rental/business-license ordinance (Chapter 8) or a related but distinct ordinance was not independently confirmed by pulling the text of Ordinance 2186 itself. ## Sources - Rental License | Gulf Shores, AL - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/780/Rental-License - Lodging Tax | Gulf Shores, AL - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/783/Lodging-Tax - Taxes | Gulf Shores, AL - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/294/Taxes - Ordinance amending Zoning Ordinance No. 1584, Article 6-18 (Dwelling Units Licensed for Vacation Rental), adopted Feb. 25, 2019 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/5922?fileID=10786 - Staff Report: Waterway Villas Site Plan/CUP (Vacation Rental in R-4 District), April 17, 2023 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/11459?fileID=29177 - Resolution to Establish the Fee Schedule for the City of Gulf Shores (2026 Schedule of Fees) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/15045?fileID=41241 - Lodgings Tax - Alabama Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/sales-use/lodgings-tax/ - Transient Occupancy (Lodgings) Tax - Alabama Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/tax-types/lodgings-tax/ - Lodgings Tax FAQ - Alabama Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/faqs/lodgings-tax/ - Gulf Shores local tax notice (self-administered) - Alabama Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/sales-use/local-tax-notices/gulf-shores-2/ - Lodgings Tax - Baldwin County, Alabama (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://baldwincountyal.gov/departments/sales-use-tax-license-inspection/sales-use-tax-information/lodgings-tax - Zoning Ordinance for the City of Gulf Shores, as Amended February 23, 2026 (Ord. 2201) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://gulfshoresal.gov/DocumentCenter/View/56/Zoning-Ordinance-as-Amended-February-23-2026-Ord-2201?bidId= - Gulf Shores lodging tax increase will be added over two years (Mullet Wrapper) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://mulletwrapper.net/gulf-shores-lodging-tax-increase-will-be-added-over-two-years/ - Ala. Code § 45-2-243.25 — Baldwin County lodging tax rate (2%), county-hosted statute PDF (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://baldwincountyal.gov/docs/default-source/sales-and-use-tax/lodging-tax-rate---section-45-2-243-25.pdf?sfvrsn=c77e660b_0 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Myrtle Beach, SC - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/myrtle-beach-sc/ ## Summary Myrtle Beach regulates short-term rentals (defined in the zoning code as any rental of a dwelling for less than 90 continuous days) primarily through zoning, not a citywide STR permit. Every zoning district whose code begins with "R" (R5, R7, R8, R10, R15, RMM, RMH, RMH-MH — the city's single-family and multifamily residential districts) prohibits short-term/visitor-accommodation use outright, with two narrow exceptions: the RMV ("Multi-family Residential — High Density with Visitor Accommodations") district, which explicitly permits it, and fewer than 30 grandfathered houses citywide that were continuously used as short-term rentals before current zoning took effect. Short-term rentals are broadly a permitted commercial use in the city's commercial, mixed-use, and resort-oriented districts (downtown commercial, highway commercial, amusement, entertainment, campground, etc.) under the "visitor accommodations" use category. Any owner renting out real property in Myrtle Beach — short-term or long-term — must hold a City of Myrtle Beach business license (required since June 1, 2015), renewed annually by April 30 (5%/month penalty, capped at 30%, for late renewal; the same 5%/month penalty applies to operating a new rental before licensing), with the fee calculated on a gross-receipts sliding-scale schedule. Operating a rental business without a license is separately punishable by a fine of up to $1,092 per the city's own Business License FAQ (each day a separate offense), while the city's general STR/zoning guidance separately cites a misdemeanor cap of up to $500 and/or 30 days for zoning and business-license violations — both figures are reported here as stated in their respective official sources. As of December 10, 2024, Ordinance 2024-69 added a Short-Term Rental Conversion Overlay Zone covering all commercial-district parcels between Kings Highway and the Atlantic Ocean (29th Ave. S to 82nd Ave. N): any building of more than two units that was constructed for, or has ever been used as, a short-term rental cannot be converted to rental terms of 90 days or more — the ordinance restricts converting OUT of short-term use in that corridor, it does not restrict operating as a short-term rental. Combined taxes on gross short-term rental proceeds total 10%: 7% state (5% state sales tax + 2% state accommodations tax), 1.5% City of Myrtle Beach (0.5% Local Accommodations Tax + 1% Hospitality Fee), and 1.5% Horry County Hospitality Fee (the in-city rate; 3% applies outside city limits). Marketplace facilitators (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) are required by SC DOR to register, collect, and remit sales/accommodations tax on facilitated bookings, and hosts who book exclusively through such platforms are not required to separately hold a state Retail License. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 90 days Notes: Legality turns on zoning district, not on whether the host is present. Zoning districts beginning with "R" (R5, R7, R8, R10, R15, RMM, RMH, RMH-MH) prohibit short-term/visitor-accommodation rentals, except the RMV district (explicitly created to allow visitor accommodations within a residential-classified, multi-family-high-density zone) and fewer than 30 grandfathered single-family houses citywide that were consistently used as short-term rentals prior to the current zoning code (per the city's official STR guidance page; no ordinance section enumerating the specific grandfathered parcels was located). Commercial, mixed-use, and resort-oriented districts (e.g., downtown commercial C7/C8, amusement (A), entertainment (E), campground (CG), highway-commercial districts) generally permit "visitor accommodations" as a listed use per the zoning code's permitted-use table (Article 15, ref. section 1503.A / 1501 use tables). No hosted-vs-unhosted distinction, owner-occupancy requirement, or numeric guest cap was found in any zoning, business-license, or tax provision reviewed. Ordinance 2024-69 (effective Dec. 10, 2024) additionally bars converting a qualifying short-term-rental building (>2 units, between Kings Highway and the Atlantic Ocean) to rental terms of 90+ days — a restriction on leaving short-term-rental use in that corridor, not a restriction on operating one. ## Requirements ### City of Myrtle Beach Business License (Rental Property) (license) - Authority: City of Myrtle Beach Business License Division / Financial Services Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual; renewal payment due April 30 each year. Late payments become delinquent (penalty 5%/month, capped at 30% of the fee) starting the day after the due date. - Official source: https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/Business%20License%20FAQs.pdf - Notes: Required for all rental properties — short-term, long-term, residential, and commercial — per the business license ordinance adopted June 10, 2014, effective June 1, 2015. Fee is calculated on the business's gross receipts using the city's standardized, tiered, class/NAICS-based rate schedule (base fee + declining per-$1,000-of-receipts rate by revenue bracket; see officialHints BLRates.pdf). The specific rate class/table applicable to renting a single short-term-rental dwelling (as opposed to a hotel/motel-class or general Class 1-7 business) was not conclusively identified in the rate schedule reviewed, so cost is left null rather than guessed. New businesses/new owners must obtain the license before operating; the same 5%/month penalty applies to operating before licensing. Operating without a license is separately described in the FAQ as punishable by 'a fine of up to $1,092.00 and/or imprisonment,' with each day of violation a separate offense. ### Zoning District Eligibility (Visitor Accommodation Use) (permit) - Authority: City of Myrtle Beach Planning & Zoning Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: N/A — a one-time determination tied to the parcel's zoning district, not a renewable permit - Official source: https://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/news_detail_T6_R1468.php - Notes: Before applying for a business license, an owner must confirm the property's zoning district allows 'visitor accommodations' (short-term rental, i.e. rental under 90 days). Districts beginning with 'R' do not allow it except the RMV district and fewer than 30 grandfathered houses citywide. Commercial/mixed-use/resort districts generally do allow it as a listed permitted use. No cost was identified for this zoning verification step itself (as distinct from the business license fee); the Zoning Division can be reached at 843-918-1179 to confirm a specific parcel. ### SC Retail License / Sales & Accommodations Tax Registration (registration) - Authority: South Carolina Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: N/A — one-time registration; returns filed periodically - Official source: https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-marketplace-facilitators-and-third-parties-whose-products-are-sold-marketplace-guidance-and-tax - Notes: A host who books exclusively through a marketplace facilitator (Airbnb, Vrbo/Expedia, or similar) is not required to separately hold an SC Retail License, because the facilitator is legally the retailer responsible for collecting and remitting state sales and accommodations tax on those bookings. A host who takes any bookings directly (outside a marketplace facilitator) is responsible for obtaining a retail license and collecting/remitting the tax on those direct bookings themselves. No state registration fee was identified and is left null rather than assumed to be $0. ## Taxes - **South Carolina State Sales Tax + State Accommodations Tax (combined)**: 7% (5% state sales tax + 2% state accommodations tax) — applies to Gross proceeds from rental of sleeping accommodations for stays of less than 90 consecutive days; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-index/accommodations - **City of Myrtle Beach Local Accommodations Tax + Hospitality Fee (combined)**: 1.5% (0.5% Local Accommodations Tax + 1% Hospitality Fee) — applies to Gross proceeds (listing price including cleaning/guest fees) from accommodations and short-term rentals for stays of less than 90 consecutive days, in addition to state and Horry County taxes; platform collects: yes. Source: https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/Monthly%20Hospitality%20&%20Local%20Accommodations%20Tax%20Reporting%20Form%20(Effective%207-1-2021).pdf - **Horry County Hospitality Fee (in-city rate)**: 1.5% of gross proceeds (rate for businesses located inside city limits, e.g. Myrtle Beach; 3% applies outside city limits) — applies to Rental of transient accommodations for stays shorter than 90 consecutive days at the same location to the same patron; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.horrycountysc.gov/departments/treasurer/hospitality-fee/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: Two figures appear across the city's own official sources and are reported as stated rather than reconciled: (1) the city's general short-term-rental/zoning guidance page states that violations of the zoning code and the business-license ordinance are misdemeanors carrying fines of up to $500 and/or 30 days' imprisonment upon conviction (https://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/news_detail_T6_R1468.php); (2) the city's Business License FAQ states that operating a business — including a rental — without the required license is 'subject to a fine of up to $1,092.00 and/or imprisonment,' with each day of the violation treated as a separate offense (https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/Business%20License%20FAQs.pdf). Late business-license renewal separately carries a 5%/month penalty (capped at 30% of the fee). The city may also refuse to issue or renew a business license if the location is not zoned for the business type, if prior fees/penalties are unpaid, or if a violation of city ordinance exists. - Platform liability: No Myrtle Beach- or Horry County-specific ordinance provision addressing listing-platform liability, platform-side penalties, or restrictions on the city fining hosts based solely on an online listing was located in the sources reviewed. South Carolina Department of Revenue guidance separately makes marketplace facilitators (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) themselves responsible, as the legal retailer, for registering, collecting, and remitting state sales and accommodations tax on facilitated bookings. - Notes: Ordinance 2024-69 (Short-Term Rental Conversion Overlay Zone) is being challenged in a lawsuit filed by MBSC Property South against the City of Myrtle Beach in February 2025 (removed to federal court in March 2025); no final ruling was located as of this research date. This does not currently change the ordinance's in-effect status but is flagged as an open legal risk to the rule's durability. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Exact business-license dollar cost for renting a single short-term-rental dwelling was not conclusively identified in the city's general gross-receipts rate schedule (BLRates.pdf), which is organized by broad revenue-based classes and specific NAICS categories (e.g., Hotel/Motel classes 9.91/9.92) rather than a clearly labeled 'residential/short-term rental' line; cost is left null rather than guessed. - Two different official City of Myrtle Beach sources state different maximum penalties for non-compliant rental operation: the general STR/zoning guidance page cites up to $500 and/or 30 days (misdemeanor cap), while the Business License FAQ cites up to $1,092.00 and/or imprisonment (per day) for operating without a license. Both are reported as stated; they were not reconciled against the underlying ordinance text (municode.com was unreachable during this task; see fetch-method caveat below). - The full City of Myrtle Beach Zoning Code (Appendix A) PDF used to cross-check district names, definitions, and use tables is dated January 22, 2019. It was not confirmed to reflect every zoning amendment enacted since then, aside from Ordinance 2024-69 (STR Conversion Overlay), which was separately verified from its own ordinance PDF. Hosts should confirm a specific parcel's current zoning status via the Planning & Zoning Department (843-918-1179) before relying on the general 'R-zones prohibited except RMV / grandfathered houses' characterization in this profile. - library.municode.com (Myrtle Beach's official code portal) returned HTTP 403/503 to automated fetch attempts throughout this task. Zoning-district and business-license-ordinance claims were instead corroborated via the city's own PDF documents (zoning code PDF, ordinance PDFs, Business License FAQ/rate PDFs) hosted on cityofmyrtlebeach.com / its cms6.revize.com CMS backend, and via the city's own informational web pages. No Wayback Machine capture was needed since these alternate official documents were directly fetchable. - Ordinance 2024-69 (Short-Term Rental Conversion Overlay Zone) is being challenged in a still-pending lawsuit (MBSC Property South v. City of Myrtle Beach, filed Feb. 2025, removed to federal court March 2025, seeking ~$6.5–10M in damages). No final ruling was located as of this task's research date (2026-07-18); the ordinance remains in effect but its long-term durability is not fully settled. - collectedByPlatform:true for all three tax lines is based on combining South Carolina DOR's marketplace-facilitator rule (which legally applies to state sales and accommodations tax) with the city's own reporting-form PDF describing what a 'provider' must collect, corroborated by Airbnb's own (non-governmental) help-center page describing what it collects for Horry County/Myrtle Beach bookings. No single government source explicitly confirms that Airbnb/Vrbo remit the city's 1.5% and the county's 1.5% local components in every case; this is treated as reasonably well-corroborated rather than definitively government-confirmed. - The 'fewer than 30' grandfathered pre-existing short-term-rental houses in R-zoned residential districts figure comes from the city's own official STR informational web page; no ordinance section or public list enumerating the specific grandfathered parcels was independently located. ## Sources - City of Myrtle Beach — Short-Term Rental / Visitor Accommodation guidance (zoning, grandfathering, penalties) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/news_detail_T6_R1468.php - City of Myrtle Beach — Business License Division (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/departments/business_license_division.php - City of Myrtle Beach — Business License FAQs (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/Business%20License%20FAQs.pdf - City of Myrtle Beach — Business License Rates schedule, effective business license year starting 1/1/2023 (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/BLRates.pdf - City of Myrtle Beach — Code of Ordinances, Appendix A Zoning (definitions, district table, permitted-use tables) (PDF, dated 1/22/2019) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/Myrtle%20Beach%20Zoning%20Code.pdf - City of Myrtle Beach — What Are Short Term Rentals? Zone Map (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/ShortTermRentalZoneMap.pdf - City of Myrtle Beach — Ordinance 2024-69, Short Term Rental Conversion Overlay Zone (PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/2024-069%20Conversion%20Overlay_Short%20Term%20Rentals%20(1st).pdf - City of Myrtle Beach — Hospitality Tax, Local Accommodations Tax and Hospitality Fee rate history/settlement explainer (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/news_detail_T6_R1323.php - City of Myrtle Beach — Monthly Hospitality & Local Accommodations Tax Reporting Form, effective 7/1/2021 (PDF; states exact 0.5%/1%/1.5% rate breakdown) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cms6.revize.com/revize/myrtlebeachsc/Monthly%20Hospitality%20&%20Local%20Accommodations%20Tax%20Reporting%20Form%20(Effective%207-1-2021).pdf - Horry County, SC — Treasurer, Hospitality Fee (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.horrycountysc.gov/departments/treasurer/hospitality-fee/ - South Carolina Department of Revenue — Accommodations (sales/use tax index) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-index/accommodations - South Carolina Department of Revenue — Marketplace Facilitators and Third Parties Whose Products Are Sold on a Marketplace (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-marketplace-facilitators-and-third-parties-whose-products-are-sold-marketplace-guidance-and-tax - Municode Library — Code of Ordinances, City of Myrtle Beach, SC (official code portal; automated fetch returned 403/503 during this task, cross-verified via city's own PDFs instead) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/sc/myrtle_beach - WMBF News — Myrtle Beach city leaders move forward with short-term rental overlay with modifications (2nd reading/effective date, Dec. 10, 2024) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.wmbfnews.com/2024/12/10/myrtle-beach-city-leaders-move-forward-with-short-term-rental-overlay-with-modifications/ - WMBF News — New lawsuit challenges Myrtle Beach's short-term rental overlay (Feb. 2025) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.wmbfnews.com/2025/02/06/new-lawsuit-challenges-myrtle-beachs-short-term-rental-overlay/ - WBTW — Resort's owner sues Myrtle Beach over new short-rental ordinance, claims $6.5M in lost profit (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.wbtw.com/news/grand-strand/myrtle-beach/resorts-owner-sues-myrtle-beach-over-new-short-rental-ordinance-claims-6-5m-in-lost-profit/ - MyHorryNews — Myrtle Beach leaders ban long-term rental conversions in some areas of the city (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.myhorrynews.com/news/myrtle-beach-leaders-ban-long-term-rental-conversions-in-some-areas-of-the-city/article_6d91f6f6-b7c9-11ef-98ac-339d329bab3e.html - Airbnb Help Center — Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in South Carolina (corroboration only, not the cited source for any tax rate) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2328 --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Galveston, TX - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/galveston-tx/ ## Summary Galveston allows whole-home short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) in every zoning district except R-0 (Restricted Residential, Single-Family), where STRs are prohibited. Every unit must hold a non-transferable annual City license (a 'GVR' number), which costs $250/year, runs January-December, and must be renewed by December 31 or a $500 late fee applies. Owners must designate a 24/7 local contact who can respond within one hour, post an in-unit information sheet, and display the GVR number on every advertisement. As of October 1, 2025 the City of Galveston (not the Park Board, which administered the program previously) collects Hotel Occupancy Tax and STR registrations directly, using the Rentalscape/Deckard online system. Combined Hotel Occupancy Tax is 15% of gross rental revenue (6% state + 9% city); Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit both lines automatically, but owners must still file zero reports. A November 13, 2025 ordinance update (effective immediately) added a three-strikes licensing system: three violations within 12 months makes a license eligible for revocation (first revocation up to six months), and violations are Class C misdemeanors punishable by fines up to $500 per offense (up to $2,000 for health, sanitation, zoning, or fire-safety violations), with each day a separate offense. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: STRs (rentals under 30 days) are permitted in every Galveston zoning district except R-0 (Restricted Residential, Single-Family), per the city's official zoning FAQ. No hosted/unhosted distinction or owner-occupancy requirement appears anywhere in the ordinance summary, registration FAQ, or program pages reviewed; the license and tax rules apply uniformly regardless of whether the owner is present. Each rentable unit (including each unit in a multi-unit property) requires its own separate GVR registration number and license. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Annual License (GVR Registration) (license) - Authority: City of Galveston - Cost: $250/year per unit - Renewal: Annual, valid January-December; renewal window opens December 1 and closes December 31; a $500 late fee applies after December 31 per the Nov 2025 ordinance update (city summary: https://www.galvestontx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21313/City-Council-approves-updated-STR-ordinance). Missed renewal also triggers platform delisting of the invalid GVR number. License is non-transferable and a new GVR number is required upon sale of the property. - Official source: https://www.galvestontx.gov/1424/Short-term-Rental-Registration-and-Renew - Notes: Requires property address/GCAD number, bedroom count, sleeping capacity, and a 24-hour local contact (within one hour of the property) who must respond to complaints within one hour and resolve them within two hours. Administered via the Rentalscape/Deckard online platform. Authority transferred from the Park Board of Trustees to the City of Galveston effective October 1, 2025. ### GVR Number Display on Advertisements (other) - Authority: City of Galveston - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Continuous obligation while the license is active - Official source: https://www.galvestontx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21313/City-Council-approves-updated-STR-ordinance - Notes: Every STR advertisement (booking platforms, property-management sites, social media) must display the city-issued GVR registration number, per Ordinance 21-021 as updated by Ordinance 25-060 (adopted November 13, 2025). Each day a unit is advertised without a valid number is a separate offense; platforms must remove listings flagged by the City as expired, invalid, or revoked. ## Taxes - **Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax**: 6% — applies to Gross rental proceeds (room rate plus mandatory fees such as cleaning fees) for stays under 30 days; platform collects: yes. Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ - **City of Galveston Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT)**: 9% — applies to Gross rental revenue and related fees (cleaning, linen, pet, damage fees, etc.) for stays under 30 days; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.galvestonparkboard.org/DocumentCenter/View/1531/HOT-Fact-Sheetpdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Failure to register, license, or remit HOT is a Class C misdemeanor: fines up to $500 per offense, rising to up to $2,000 per offense for violations relating to health, sanitation, zoning, or fire safety; each day of a continuing violation is a separate offense (per Ordinance 25-060, adopted November 13, 2025, summarized at https://www.galvestontx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21313/City-Council-approves-updated-STR-ordinance). A license becomes eligible for revocation after three violations at the same property within 12 months; a first revocation can last up to six months, repeated post-reinstatement violations can lead to permanent revocation, and units must come off all rental platforms during any revocation period. - Platform liability: Since an August 2021 city ordinance, Airbnb and VRBO are required to collect and remit Galveston's local Hotel Occupancy Tax on transactions occurring on their platforms (VRBO does not do so for 'Integrated Property Managers' using their own payment source). Under the November 2025 ordinance update, STR platforms must also remove listings that the City flags as expired, invalid, or revoked, and every listing must display the GVR number. - Notes: The November 2025 ordinance created a new Short-Term Rental Licensing (STRL) Board, made up of City staff, to review violations and recommend license revocations to the City Manager and City Council for final action. Complaints are reported through a 24/7 hotline (409-247-8160). Owners must still file HOT returns (including zero reports) even when Airbnb/VRBO remit tax on their behalf. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - No single official citywide maximum-occupancy figure was found. The City's registration process captures per-property 'sleeping capacity' and requires owners to post maximum occupancy in-unit, but no ordinance text specifying a citywide formula (e.g., per bedroom) could be located; third-party vendor sites cite conflicting, unverified figures (roughly 6-14 people, or a flat cap of 10 adults) that could not be confirmed against an official source, so max_guests was left null. - Galveston's local Hotel Occupancy Tax rate (9%) exceeds the Texas Comptroller's general guidance that local hotel taxes typically run 'up to 7 percent' for most cities. The 9% figure is corroborated by an official Galveston Park Board of Trustees fact sheet and by secondary reporting, but the specific state statute provision allowing Galveston to exceed the general local cap was not independently pulled and read in full during this task. - The Park Board HOT Fact Sheet used to source the 9%/6%/15% tax rate split still describes the pre-October 2025 Park Board-run registration process (e.g., a $50 registration fee), which has since been superseded by the City's $250 annual license. The tax rate itself is not expected to have changed with the administrative transfer, but this could not be cross-checked against a post-transition document that restates the rate numerically. - Parking-specific standards referenced in the November 2025 ordinance summary (on-street parking definitions/standards) were not located in a document I could fetch in readable form, so no quantified parking requirement was included. - library.municode.com returned HTTP 403 for Galveston's Code of Ordinances (Chapter 19 - Licenses/STR and Chapter 33 - Taxation/HOT) throughout this session, consistent with the known bot-wall; the underlying ordinance section numbers/text (e.g., the exact Chapter 33 HOT rate section) could not be read directly and were instead corroborated via city-hosted PDFs, the city's own web pages, and the Park Board fact sheet. ## Sources - Short-term Rental Registration and Renewals | Galveston, TX - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestontx.gov/1424/Short-term-Rental-Registration-and-Renew - Short-term rentals | Galveston, TX - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestontx.gov/1182/Short-term-rental-owner - Ordinances, Authorization and Penalties | Galveston, TX - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestontx.gov/1427/Ordinances-Authorization-and-Penalties - City Council approves updated short-term rental ordinance (summary PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestontx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21313/City-Council-approves-updated-STR-ordinance - FAQs - Can a short-term rental operate in my neighborhood? | Galveston, TX (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestontx.gov/FAQ.aspx?QID=211 - Frequently Asked Questions | Galveston, TX - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestontx.gov/1433/Frequently-Asked-Questions - Hotel Occupancy Tax | Galveston, TX - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestontx.gov/202/Hotel-Occupancy-Tax - City of Galveston Short Term Rental Program - Frequently Asked Questions (as of 10/1/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://galvestontx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20664/City-of-Galveston-Short-Term-Rental-Program-FAQ - Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Fact Sheet - Galveston Park Board of Trustees (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.galvestonparkboard.org/DocumentCenter/View/1531/HOT-Fact-Sheetpdf - Hotel Occupancy Tax | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ - Hotel Occupancy Tax FAQ | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/faq.php - Galveston City Council approves stricter short-term rental ordinance with three-strike rule - Houston Public Media (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/local/galveston/2025/11/14/536193/galveston-rental-ordinance-city-council/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Branson, MO - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/branson-mo/ ## Summary As of 2026-07-18, Branson allows whole-home short-term rentals (STRs, defined as any dwelling unit rented for lodging for not less than one night and not more than 30 consecutive days) only in the zoning districts where the use table lists it as permitted — Conservation, Agricultural, Medium-Density Residential, High-Density Residential, Neighborhood Commercial, Community Commercial, Mixed-Use, Downtown, and Entertainment districts — and STRs are flatly prohibited in Low Density Residential, Business, and Industrial districts (Branson Municipal Code Sec. 22-36; Ch. 94 use table, Sec. 94-61(e)(12)). In Planned Development districts, STR is allowed only if the development's own plan specifically lists it as an allowed use, and renting individual rooms within a single-family dwelling (as opposed to the whole unit) is not permitted under the STR use category at all. Rentals that operate within an owner's actual primary residence (defined in the code as a home occupied a cumulative 270+ days/year) are excluded from the 'short-term rental' definition entirely and fall outside this regulatory regime. To operate a qualifying STR, an owner/property manager must obtain an annual Short-Term Rental business license ($100/year, due May 1, Sec. 22-38(e)) and a Short-Term Rental permit contingent on a Fire Department safety inspection ($150 inspection fee, permit valid 3 years, Sec. 22-454), post a $100 minimum tourism-tax deposit/bond (waived after 3 consecutive years of on-time tourism-tax payment, Sec. 82-99), display the STR license number in all advertising and platform listings (Sec. 22-455), retain 3 years of nights-rented/revenue records for city inspection on request (Sec. 22-460), and post an emergency safety plan with occupant load and evacuation info. Taxes on gross STR receipts total 12.1% in most of the city as of the city's current Sales & Tourism Tax Rate schedule (4.225% Missouri state sales tax + 1.875% Taney County sales tax [county + jail + ambulance district] + 2.0% Branson city sales tax + 4.0% Branson Tourism Tax), rising to 12.6–13.1% inside special improvement districts such as Branson Landing, Historic Downtown, and the 76 Entertainment District. The city's 4% Tourism Tax is remitted directly by the host/property manager to the city Finance Department by the 20th of each month — the city states no platform, including Airbnb or VRBO, currently remits it on a host's behalf. Violations are punishable as a general ordinance violation (fine up to $500 and/or up to 90 days in jail, each day a separate offense, Sec. 1-13), and unpaid tourism tax carries an automatic 10% delinquency fee plus 12%/year interest and can trigger business-license revocation after 30 days past due (Sec. 82-103). The current framework (Ordinance No. 2024-0065, adopted 2024-07-23, with implementing amendments 2024-10-08 and 2025-08-26) replaced the prior 'Nightly Rental' terminology with 'Short-Term Rental' for licensing purposes effective 2025-05-01. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Whole-unit STR is permitted by-right in 9 of the city's 13 zoning districts (Conservation, Agricultural, Medium Density Residential, High Density Residential, Neighborhood Commercial, Community Commercial, Mixed-Use, Downtown, Entertainment) and is prohibited in Low Density Residential, Business, and Industrial districts; it is conditional in Planned Development districts (allowed only if the PD's development plan specifically lists the use) — Branson Municipal Code Ch. 94 use table and Sec. 94-61(e)(12)(b); Sec. 22-36. Renting out rooms while the host occupies the dwelling as their primary residence (270+ days/year, per the Sec. 22-43 definition) is not captured by the 'short-term rental' definition at all and therefore is not subject to the STR permit/license/zoning regime described here; a separate 'Bed and Breakfast Inn' use category (permitted only in HDR, NC, CC, MU, D, ENT districts) covers commercially-operated hosted lodging. No fixed numeric guest cap is set city-wide; each unit's maximum occupant load is determined case-by-case (fire/building code) and must be posted in the unit's emergency plan (Sec. 22-472(c)(4)). ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Business License (license) - Authority: City of Branson Finance Department - Cost: $100/year - Renewal: Annual; license year runs May 1–April 30 and must be renewed by May 1. Applications commencing Nov 1–Jan 31 pay 50% of the annual fee; Feb 1–Apr 30 pay 25%. - Official source: https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH22BU - Notes: Required under Branson Municipal Code Sec. 22-38(d)/(e), 22-452; fee set in Appendix A Fee Schedule under citation 22-38(e), $100.00. It is unlawful to operate or advertise an STR without this license (Sec. 22-452). License is not transferable on change of ownership (Sec. 22-39). A short-term rental permit (see next requirement) must also be obtained; STR use is only allowed in zoning districts where the use table permits it — see legality.notes. ### Short-Term Rental Permit & Fire Safety Inspection (permit) - Authority: City of Branson Finance Department (permit) / Branson Fire Department (inspection) - Cost: $150 (fire inspection fee, paid before scheduling inspection) - Renewal: Permit/inspection valid 3 years from approval; re-inspection required every 3 years or sooner if the city has knowledge of or receives complaints of non-compliance. - Official source: https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH22BU - Notes: Required under Sec. 22-454 (fire inspections, within 6 months prior to license issuance) and Sec. 22-462/22-472 (permit required, Division 2 of Article VI). $150.00 fire inspection fee set in Appendix A Fee Schedule under citation 22-454. Permit is non-refundable but is assignable/transferable to a new property manager (Sec. 22-472(a)). Application must identify the exact dwelling-unit address, confirm the zoning classification allows STR use, name a responsible property manager with government ID, provide a posted emergency/safety plan (911 info, occupant load, floor plan with exits/extinguishers, hazardous-weather plan), and attest to working smoke detectors, at least one fire extinguisher, and no conflicting HOA/condo/covenant restrictions (Sec. 22-472(c)). ### Tourism Tax Deposit / Bond (other) - Authority: City of Branson Finance Department - Cost: $100 minimum, one-time (refundable) - Renewal: Reviewed each September; refunded after 3 consecutive years of timely tourism-tax payments. New applicants with an existing 3-year clean payment history are not required to post a new deposit. - Official source: https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH82TA - Notes: Required under Sec. 82-99 (minimum amount set in Appendix A Fee Schedule, $100.00, citation 82-99) and cross-referenced for STR applicants specifically in Sec. 22-456. An approved letter of credit may substitute for a cash deposit if the calculated amount is $5,000 or more (not typical for a single STR unit). ### Business Name Registration (Missouri Secretary of State) / Missouri Sales Tax License (registration) - Authority: Missouri Secretary of State / Missouri Department of Revenue (submitted as part of the city's STR application) - Cost: not verified - Official source: https://www.bransonmo.gov/969/13828 - Notes: Per the city's official STR program page, each STR business must provide a copy of its Missouri Secretary of State name/DBA registration (not required if the owner entity is already an LLC or corporation) and, unless the only advertising platform used is Airbnb, a copy of a Missouri State sales tax license for the city address. This item is stated on the city's informational/application page but was not located verbatim as a standalone codified section during this session — see needs_review. ## Taxes - **Missouri State Sales Tax**: 4.225% — applies to Short-term/nightly rental lodging charges (statewide base rate: 3.000% general + 1.000% education + 0.125% conservation + 0.100% parks & soil); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.bransonmo.gov/DocumentCenter/View/866/Branson-Sales-Tax-PDF - **Taney County Sales Tax**: 1.875% — applies to Short-term/nightly rental lodging charges within Taney County (1.500% county + 0.125% jail + 0.250% ambulance district); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.bransonmo.gov/DocumentCenter/View/866/Branson-Sales-Tax-PDF - **City of Branson Sales Tax**: 2.000% — applies to Short-term/nightly rental lodging charges within Branson city limits; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.bransonmo.gov/DocumentCenter/View/866/Branson-Sales-Tax-PDF - **City of Branson Tourism Tax**: 4.000% — applies to Gross lodging receipts from short-term/nightly rentals within Branson city limits, paid directly to the city Finance Department by the 20th of the following month; platform collects: no. Source: https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH82TA ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating without the required business license, STR permit, or otherwise violating Article VI of Chapter 22 is a general ordinance violation under Branson Municipal Code Sec. 1-13: a fine not to exceed $500.00 and/or a jail sentence not to exceed 90 days, with each day a violation continues constituting a separate offense (Sec. 22-474 ties STR violations to Sec. 1-13). An STR permit may be suspended or revoked by the finance director for code violations, operating unlawfully, creating a public nuisance, false statements on the application, or failure to pay amounts owed to the city (Sec. 22-475), with an administrative appeal right (Sec. 22-476). Tourism tax delinquency separately carries an automatic 10% collection/delinquency fee plus 12%/year interest on unpaid amounts (Sec. 82-103(a)); failing to pay tourism tax for 30+ days past the due date can trigger revocation of the business license by the city clerk, with a $60.00 reinstatement fee once delinquent taxes, penalties and interest are paid (Sec. 82-103(b)-(c); Appendix A fee schedule). - Platform liability: Missouri's marketplace-facilitator law (RSMo 144.752, effective January 1, 2023) requires marketplace facilitators to collect and remit state and local sales/use tax on retail sales of tangible personal property or taxable services made through their platforms; this likely extends to short-term-rental bookings, but no Missouri DOR or City of Branson guidance specifically confirming Airbnb/VRBO collection of state/county/city general sales tax on Branson STR bookings was found this session — see needs_review. The City of Branson has explicitly and repeatedly stated on its official STR pages that no platform, including Airbnb or VRBO, remits the city's own 4% Tourism Tax on a host's behalf; the host/property manager must file and pay it directly. - Notes: The STR permit license number must be listed on all advertisements and online platform listings for the property (Sec. 22-455). The city may request up to 3 years of records (total nights rented, dates rented, and gross amount charged per stay) from the property manager, to be produced within 10 business days (Sec. 22-460). Advertising, signage, or online listing of a property, or providing city/state tax documents showing STR activity, is treated as prima facie evidence of operating an STR business for enforcement purposes (Sec. 22-457). ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Fetch-method caveat: library.municode.com returns HTTP 403 to the WebFetch tool and to direct curl (even with a browser user-agent), consistent with this session's known bot-wall behavior. All six Branson Municode citations above (Chapter 94 Zoning, Chapter 22 Businesses, Chapter 1 General Provisions, Chapter 82 Taxation, Appendix A Fee Schedule) were instead retrieved successfully by loading the page in a real headless Chromium session (via the project's browse tooling) and reading the rendered DOM/table content directly — not via a Wayback Machine capture (Wayback's availability API was itself temporarily offline during this session). All municode text quoted in this file (section numbers, dollar figures, ordinance history) was read directly from that live-rendered current codification, which the site itself labels 'version: Dec 3, 2025 (current)'. A reviewer using a simple curl/WebFetch call against these officialUrls should expect a 403 and will need an equivalent browser-based fetch to reproduce the verification. - No fixed numeric maximum-guest or per-bedroom occupancy cap was found anywhere in Branson Municipal Code Chapter 22 or 94; occupant load is determined case-by-case via the fire/building code and must be posted in each unit's emergency plan (Sec. 22-472(c)(4)). max_guests is left null rather than guessed. - collectedByPlatform is left null for the Missouri state, Taney County, and City of Branson general sales-tax lines (as opposed to the city Tourism Tax, which is confirmed false). Missouri's 2023 marketplace-facilitator statute (RSMo 144.752) covers 'tangible personal property or services' broadly and excludes travel-agency services by name, which suggests short-term-rental lodging is in scope, but no Missouri DOR bulletin, letter ruling, or Airbnb/VRBO Missouri-specific tax page confirming actual platform collection of these three general sales-tax components for Branson STR bookings was located and fetched this session. - The Business Name Registration / Missouri Sales Tax License requirement (last item in requirements[]) is stated on the city's official informational page (bransonmo.gov/969/13828) but was not found verbatim as a standalone codified section in Branson Municipal Code Chapter 22 Article VI during this session; it may be an administrative/application-portal (CitizenServe) requirement layered on top of the code rather than a separately codified duty. Treat the exact sourcing (code vs. administrative practice) as unconfirmed. - The City of Branson Sales & Tourism Tax Rates PDF (cited for the combined sales-tax breakdown) is dated 'Effective April 1, 2018' on its face. The 0% Branson/Lakes Tourism Community Enhancement District (TCED) rate on lodging within city limits was independently corroborated against a separately-fetched, undated Missouri DOR narrative page (accessed 2026-07-18) and is consistent with it, but no 2026-dated version of the full Branson-specific sales/tourism rate table was located to confirm every other line item (state/county/city base sales-tax components) is still unchanged since 2018; general Missouri state/county base sales-tax rates were cross-checked against the DOR's July 2026 statewide rate table and are consistent. ## Sources - Short-Term Rentals | Branson, MO - Official Website (main STR program page) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.bransonmo.gov/969/NightlyShort-Term-Rentals - Nightly Rentals | Branson, MO - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bransonmo.gov/969/13244 - Nightly/Short-Term Rentals | Branson, MO - Official Website (application requirements) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.bransonmo.gov/969/13828 - Short-Term Rentals | Branson, MO - Official Website (program overview) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bransonmo.gov/970/14156/Short-Term-Rentals - Branson Nightly Rentals Web Map (zoning lookup tool) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://gis.bransonmo.gov/NightlyRentals/ - Tourism Tax & Bond Requirements | Branson, MO - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.bransonparksandrecreation.com/999/Tourism-Tax-Bond - Branson/Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District Sales Tax - Missouri Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/sales-use/tourism-community-enhancement.html - FAQs - Remote Seller and Marketplace Facilitator - Missouri Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.mo.gov/faq/taxation/business/remote-seller-and-marketplace-facilitator.html - RSMo 144.752 - Marketplace facilitator definitions - Missouri Revisor of Statutes (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=144.752 - Hotels & Motels Tax Matrix - Missouri Department of Revenue Industry Guidance (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/documents/HotelsandMotels_000.pdf - City of Branson Sales & Tourism Tax Rates (official PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.bransonmo.gov/DocumentCenter/View/866/Branson-Sales-Tax-PDF - 2026 Statewide Sales/Use Tax Rate Tables - Missouri Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/sales-use/rate-tables/2026/ - Chapter 94 - ZONING | Code of Ordinances | Branson, MO (Municode Library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH94ZO - Chapter 22 - BUSINESSES | Code of Ordinances | Branson, MO (Municode Library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH22BU - Chapter 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS | Code of Ordinances | Branson, MO (Municode Library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH1GEPR - Chapter 82 - TAXATION | Code of Ordinances | Branson, MO (Municode Library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_CH82TA - Appendix A - FEE SCHEDULE | Code of Ordinances | Branson, MO (Municode Library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/mo/branson/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=MUCO_APXAFESC - Short-term rental ordinances moves forward - Branson Globe (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.bransonglobe.com/post/short-term-rental-ordinances-moves-forward - Branson short term rental code changes stir discussion - Branson Tri-Lakes News (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.bransontrilakesnews.com/news/local/article_4c70a3b4-43de-11ef-8efa-939820f47139.html --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Hilton Head Island, SC - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/hilton-head-island-sc/ ## Summary Hilton Head Island allows both hosted and unhosted whole-home short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) island-wide; there is no zoning-based ban, though the Town is assessing a possible moratorium on new STR developments as of mid-2025 (proposed, not enacted). Every host must hold an annual Town Short-Term Rental Permit costing $150 per bedroom per year (changed from a flat $250/year, effective with the ordinance's March 31, 2026 second reading; permit year runs May 1-April 30, with a $250 late fee after May 15) plus a separate Town Business License ($10 non-refundable application fee, plus a license tax based on gross rental revenue). Properties of 3,600 sq ft or larger must have a compliant fire-suppression or UL-monitored fire-alarm system with sirens, smoke detectors in every bedroom/floor/egress path (added October 2025), and driveway parking is capped at 6 vehicles. Town Council removed the ordinance's numeric occupancy cap in October 2025 (effective for permits from May 1, 2026), deferring occupancy/location standards to an ongoing Land Management Ordinance rewrite. Total tax on a booking is 10%: 5% SC state sales tax + 2% SC state accommodations tax (both collected and remitted by Airbnb/Vrbo when they process the full booking, per SC DOR) plus the Town's own 1% local accommodations tax + 2% Beach Preservation Fee (the property owner/agent is generally responsible for collecting and remitting the Town's 3% unless using a licensed property manager). Violations can draw administrative fines and permit revocation after repeated citations, backed by a 24/7 STR Rapid Response Hotline (843-341-6864) and expanded code-enforcement staff added in the Town's 2026 program expansion; specific fine dollar amounts could not be verified against an official source this session. Many gated communities and HOAs on the island impose their own private covenant restrictions on STRs, separate from and in addition to Town law. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Yes - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: The Short-Term Rental Ordinance (Town Code Title 10, Chapter 2, repealed and replaced by Town Council on Oct. 21, 2025) applies to privately owned residential property (condos, villas, single-family homes) rented for fewer than 30 days; SC ATAX registration applies to stays under 90 days. No town-wide zoning ban was found on official pages. Town Council directed removal of the ordinance's occupancy cap in October 2025 (effective for permits issued from May 1, 2026); the Town's current permit-requirements, permit, and FAQ pages list no numeric occupancy figure. Occupancy, location, and land-use questions were explicitly deferred to the ongoing Land Management Ordinance rewrite (LMO Task Force convened Jan. 6, 2026). A possible moratorium on new STR developments is in an assessment phase only (see pending_changes) and is not in effect. Private HOA/gated-community covenants (e.g., Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Hilton Head Plantation) may separately restrict or ban STRs even where Town law permits them; those are private contractual rules, not Town ordinance, and are not scored here. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Permit (permit) - Authority: Town of Hilton Head Island - Cost: $150/bedroom/year - Renewal: Annual; permit year runs May 1-April 30 (portal opens ~April 6); $250 late fee if renewed after May 15 - Official source: https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/short_term_rental_permits/index.php - Notes: Fee changed from a flat $250/property to $150/bedroom with the ordinance's March 31, 2026 second-reading adoption. Permit is issued to an individual person (not an LLC/entity), is non-transferable and non-refundable, and applies only to the named property. Requires a site plan (parking/trash locations) for single-family dwellings, and the permit number must appear on all rental advertising. ### Town Business License (license) - Authority: Town of Hilton Head Island - Cost: $10 non-refundable application fee, plus license tax calculated on gross rental revenue (rate schedule not published on the pages accessible this session) - Renewal: Annual, due April 30 (same cycle as the STR permit) - Official source: https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/license.cfm - Notes: Required in addition to the STR permit for all property rentals, including short-term rentals; tax is based on gross revenue reported on the prior year's federal return (or projected revenue for new operators). ### SC Accommodations Tax / Retail License Registration (registration) - Authority: South Carolina Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Ongoing account; no separate renewal fee identified - Official source: https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-index/accommodations - Notes: A Retail License is required to file and pay state Accommodations Tax if booking directly; not required if renting exclusively through a marketplace (e.g., Airbnb/Vrbo) that collects and remits on the host's behalf, though annual filing may still be required for minimal direct rentals. ### Fire & Life-Safety Compliance (properties >=3,600 sq ft) (other) - Authority: Town of Hilton Head Island - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Verified at permit application/renewal - Official source: https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/ordinance.php - Notes: Added October 2025: properties of 3,600 sq ft or more must have a compliant fire-suppression system or an approved (UL) fire-safety monitoring system with sirens throughout the home; smoke detection required in every bedroom, floor, and egress path; external propane BBQs need a 60-minute shutoff valve and, where applicable, a combustible-gas alarm. ### HOA Authorization Letter (if applicable) (other) - Authority: Town of Hilton Head Island - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Submitted with each permit application/renewal - Official source: https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/requirements.php - Notes: If the property is within an HOA, the owner must submit a letter from the HOA confirming the property is permitted to operate as a short-term rental. This only reflects the Town's requirement to disclose HOA status; the underlying HOA/covenant rules themselves are private, not Town law. ## Taxes - **SC State Sales Tax**: 5% — applies to Gross rental charge for accommodations; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-index/accommodations - **SC State Accommodations Tax**: 2% — applies to Gross rental charge for accommodations; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-index/accommodations - **Town of Hilton Head Island Local Accommodations Tax**: 1% — applies to Rental of rooms/lodgings/accommodations to transients for stays under 90 days; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/atax.cfm - **Town of Hilton Head Island Beach Preservation Fee**: 2% — applies to Rental of rooms/lodgings/accommodations to transients for stays under 90 days; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/atax.cfm ## Enforcement - Penalties: The Town's Community Code Enforcement division can issue administrative fines for STR ordinance violations (parking, noise, nuisance, permitting) and revoke permits for repeat citations; the 2026 program expansion added dedicated code-enforcement, dispatcher, and property-inspector positions. Trade-press reporting describes an escalating fine schedule (first offense $250, second $500, third and subsequent $1,000, resetting after 12 violation-free months, plus a $25 late fee on unpaid fines after 30 days), but this specific dollar schedule could not be verified against an official Town ordinance text or fee schedule this session — see needs_review. - Platform liability: SC DOR guidance states that an online travel company (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo) that reserves the room and accepts payment for the full booking is responsible for collecting and remitting the state's 5% sales tax + 2% accommodations tax. It is unclear whether platforms also collect and remit the Town's separate 1% local accommodations tax + 2% Beach Preservation Fee on the host's behalf — see needs_review. - Notes: Owners/agents must be reachable by phone at all times during a rental and must take responsive action within one hour of receiving a complaint; a 24/7 Short-Term Rental Rapid Response/Nuisance Hotline (843-341-6864) is available for parking, trash, and noise complaints. ## Pending changes - The Town is assessing a potential moratorium on new short-term rental, timeshare, and major subdivision developments, listed as a first-year action item in the FY2026-2028 Strategic Action Plan. (proposed, 2025-07-15) — https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/news_detail_T6_R60.php - Occupancy, location, and land-use standards for short-term rentals (removed from the STR ordinance in October 2025) are slated to be addressed through the Town's Land Management Ordinance rewrite, being guided by a 21-member LMO Task Force that held its first meeting January 6, 2026. (proposed, 2026-01-06) — https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/lmo/ ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Could not verify the exact ordinance number/full codified text of the Short-Term Rental Ordinance (Town Code Title 10, Chapter 2, per council action Oct. 21, 2025). library.municode.com bot-walled both the codified Code of Ordinances and the 'munidocs' version of this ordinance with a Cloudflare captcha every attempt this session (direct WebFetch and curl with a browser user-agent both blocked); the Wayback Machine was also temporarily offline when checked. Relied on the Town's own STR program pages instead. - Occupancy limit: Town Council directed removal of the STR ordinance's numeric occupancy cap in October 2025 (effective for permits from May 1, 2026); the Town's current permit, requirements, and FAQ pages list no occupancy figure, but the full ordinance text could not be read (see municode bot-wall above) to confirm no substitute occupancy standard exists. - Could not confirm or rule out whether any specific Land Management Ordinance zoning district imposes additional restrictions on short-term rentals beyond the town-wide STR permit ordinance; the Town has explicitly deferred occupancy/location/zoning questions to the ongoing LMO rewrite. - Exact Town business-license tax rate/bracket schedule applied to short-term rental gross revenue was not available on the pages accessible this session (only the $10 non-refundable application fee and the fact that tax is based on gross revenue were confirmed); the official fee-schedule PDF returned as unreadable binary content. - Whether Airbnb/Vrbo automatically collect and remit the Town's 3% local Accommodations Tax/Beach Preservation Fee on the host's behalf is unclear: the Town's own permit-requirements page implies the owner/agent is responsible for collecting and submitting this tax unless using a licensed property manager, while Airbnb's own help-center documentation claims it collects local Hilton Head Island taxes automatically for its listings. SC state-level 5%+2% collection by platforms is confirmed via SC DOR guidance. - The specific escalating violation-fine schedule ($250 first offense / $500 second / $1,000 third-plus, resetting after 12 violation-free months) is reported by trade-press/news sources but could not be verified against an official Town ordinance text or fee schedule this session. ## Sources - Short-Term Rental Ordinance - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/ordinance.php - Short-Term Rental Permit Requirements - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/requirements.php - Short-Term Rental Permit - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/short_term_rental_permits/index.php - Short-Term Rental Frequently Asked Questions - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/faqs.php - Steps to Operate a Short-Term Rental Property - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/operate.php - Short-Term Rental Property Owner Center - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/short_term_rentals/property_owner.php - Accommodations Tax and Beach Preservation Fee - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/atax.cfm - Business License - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/license.cfm - Hilton Head Island Advances Next Phase of Short-term Rental Program (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/news_detail_T6_R178.php - Hilton Head Island Advances Next Phase of Short-Term Rental Program (Town Council Update) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/news_detail_T6_R166.php - Town Council Update - Strategic Action Plan FY2026-2028 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/news_detail_T6_R60.php - Land Management Ordinance (LMO) Amendments Plan - Town of Hilton Head Island (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/lmo/ - Accommodations - South Carolina Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.sc.gov/sales-use-tax-index/accommodations - Accommodations Tax Board (2% State) - Beaufort County, SC (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.beaufortcountysc.gov/accommodations-tax/index.html - Hilton Head Island tightens short-term rental rules for 2026: What hosts need to know (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.avalara.com/mylodgetax/en/blog/2025/12/hilton-head-island-adds-new-short-term-rental-rules.html - Hilton Head council approves first reading of revised short-term rental rules, removes occupancy cap and narrows alarm requirement (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://citizenportal.ai/articles/5938981/Hilton-Head-Island/Beaufort-County/South-Carolina/Hilton-Head-council-approves-first-reading-of-revised-short-term-rental-rules-removes-occupancy-cap-and-narrows-alarm-requirement - Hilton Head Island strengthens short-term rental enforcement with new fines (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.avalara.com/mylodgetax/en/blog/2025/06/hilton-head-island-approves-new-fines-for-short-term-rentals-breaking-rules.html - SC Sales Tax Rate by Municipality (ST-575, rev. 2026-02-05) — Hilton Head Island: accommodations total 7%, 'No Local Tax Imposed' (official, accessed 2026-07-20): https://dor.sc.gov/sites/dor/files/forms/ST575.pdf - SC Sales and Use Tax Manual, Ch. 11 — Accommodations (Sept 2025): 7% state rate under S.C. Code Ann. §12-36-920; local 1%+2% collected by the local government (official, accessed 2026-07-20): https://dor.sc.gov/sites/dor/files/Documents/Policy%20Manuals/Chapter%2011%20-%20Accommodations.pdf --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in St. Augustine, FL - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/st-augustine-fl/ ## Summary Whole-home short-term rentals are legal citywide but zoning district determines the minimum stay: in RS-1 and RS-2 (single-family residential) districts, a grandfathered 2010 rule (recodified by Ordinance 2019-51, effective January 27, 2020) allows rentals only for periods of one week or longer (Sec. 28-155(d): nightly rentals are deemed a motel use), so nightly rentals are prohibited there; in HP-1 (Historic Preservation) zoning, Ordinance 2019-51/2010-24 limits rentals to 30 days (monthly) or longer; all other zoning districts allow nightly rentals. Every vacation rental, regardless of district, must register annually with the City (fee $303.03 base + $79.30 per bedroom, effective per the City's current fee schedule, due each October 1 with a $100 late fee) and pass an annual Fire Department life-safety inspection under Ordinance 2019-50 (effective July 1, 2020). Maximum occupancy is 12 persons (2 per bedroom plus up to 2 minor children), on-site stabilized parking of 1 space per bedroom is required in districts with parking requirements, and hosts must also hold a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license and collect/remit the 6% state transient rental tax, 0.5% St. Johns County discretionary surtax, and 5% St. Johns County Tourist Development ('bed') Tax. St. Johns County's separate short-term rental registration ordinance (2021-23) does not apply inside St. Augustine city limits, but the county TDT applies countywide. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 12 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: The city's vacation-rental registration/inspection scheme (Ord. 2019-50, City Code §§28-145 to 28-154) applies to any 'vacation rental' as defined by Fla. Stat. §509.242 (rented >3 times/year for stays under 30 days, or held out to the public as such). Separately, zoning overlays a minimum-stay floor that varies by district: RS-1/RS-2 = 1 week minimum (nightly banned), HP-1 = 30-day/monthly minimum (nightly and weekly banned), all other zoning districts = nightly allowed. The RS-1/RS-2 and HP-1 minimum-stay rules survive Florida's 2011 state preemption of local duration/frequency regulation (Fla. Stat. §509.032(7)(b)) because they trace to Ordinance 2010-24, adopted August 23, 2010 - before the June 1, 2011 grandfather cutoff - and were recodified in Ordinance 2019-51 citing that grandfather status explicitly. ## Requirements ### City of St. Augustine Vacation Rental Registration (registration) - Authority: City of St. Augustine Planning & Building Department - Cost: $303.03 base + $79.30 per bedroom / year - Renewal: Annual; registration year runs Oct 1 - Sep 30, $100 late fee if renewed after Oct 1 - Official source: https://www.citystaug.com/830/Short-Term-Rentals - Notes: Required for every vacation rental unit (registered separately per unit) under City Code §28-146 (Ord. 2019-50). Fee structure per city's published fee schedule (city cites Resolution 2025-41); could not independently retrieve the resolution PDF text (file served as a corrupted/non-PDF download), so the fee figures are sourced to the city's official program page and FAQ, which state the identical numbers. ### Annual Life-Safety Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of St. Augustine Fire Department - Cost: $50 re-inspection fee if a re-check is needed; otherwise included in registration - Renewal: Annual, concurrent with registration - Official source: https://www.citystaug.com/DocumentCenter/View/3806/ORD-2019-50-Short-Term-Rental-Regulations - Notes: City Code §28-147 (Ord. 2019-50): reasonable access must be given at registration and annually thereafter for inspection of life-safety code, zoning code, and property maintenance code compliance (smoke/CO detectors, fire extinguishers, egress, NFPA 101 Ch. 7 emergency lighting). ### Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License (license) - Authority: Florida Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels & Restaurants - Cost: $50 application fee + $10 Hospitality Education Program fee + license fee (~$170/year for a single rental unit; varies by county and unit count) - Renewal: Annual; renewal window Feb 1 - Jun 1 depending on district - Official source: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Notes: State law (Fla. Stat. §509.241/509.242) requires this license for any unit rented more than 3 times per calendar year for periods under 30 days, or advertised/held out as regularly rented to guests. ### Florida Dept. of Revenue Sales & Use Tax Registration (registration) - Authority: Florida Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: N/A - one-time registration, ongoing tax filing obligation - Official source: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Notes: Needed to collect/remit the 6% state transient rental tax and county discretionary surtax unless a marketplace provider (e.g., Airbnb) collects and remits on the host's behalf under Florida's marketplace-provider law, effective July 1, 2021. Whether a specific platform actually does so for a given listing was not independently verified for every platform - see needs_review. ## Taxes - **Florida State Transient Rental (Sales) Tax**: 6% — applies to Rentals of living quarters for 6 months or less; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299%2F0212%2FSections%2F0212.03.html - **St. Johns County Discretionary Sales Surtax**: 0.5% — applies to Same transactions as the state transient rental tax (in effect Jan 1, 2016 - Dec 31, 2035); platform collects: yes. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - **St. Johns County Tourist Development Tax ("bed tax")**: 5% — applies to Transient/short-term (6 months or less) living accommodations countywide, including within St. Augustine city limits; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://sjctax.us/tourist-development-tax/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: Violations of City Code §§28-145 through 28-156 and §28-159 (vacation rental regulations) may be prosecuted under the City's Article VI Code Enforcement process (special magistrate hearings with per-day fines) or any other available remedy, including revocation of the vacation rental registration. Listings whose advertised details inaccurately reflect the registration form are treated as a separate violation. Exact per-day fine amounts under the general code enforcement schedule were not located in an official source during this task. - Platform liability: Not independently verified against an official St. Augustine or St. Johns County source; no ordinance language found imposing direct platform liability or platform-registration-verification duties. - Notes: The city's Short-Term Rental Committee/Code Enforcement operates a complaint hotline (904-569-7077) and requires the registered property manager/owner to acknowledge preliminary compliance complaints within 30 minutes of notification (City Code §28-154); failure to respond is itself a violation. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - The exact current per-day fine amount for vacation-rental code enforcement violations (referenced generally as 'Article VI: Code Enforcement') was not located in an official source and needs a direct pull of that code article. - Whether Airbnb, Vrbo, or other platforms have a direct collection agreement with the St. Johns County Tax Collector for the 5% Tourist Development Tax on St. Augustine listings was not confirmed via an official source; sjctax.us does not publish a platform-agreement list, so collectedByPlatform for that tax is left null. - The fee resolution the city cites for the $303.03 base + $79.30/bedroom registration fee (referred to as 'Resolution 2025-41' on the city's own program page) could not be independently opened as a readable PDF during this task (the DocumentCenter file that matched most closely downloaded as a Word/DOC file under a different resolution number, RES-2024-41, and did not parse as the fee schedule); the fee figures are corroborated by two separate official citystaug.com pages (program page and FAQ) but not by the underlying resolution text itself. - Ordinance 2019-50's signature block is dated '27th day of January, 2019' while its own preamble references a September 9, 2019 City Commission hearing and a January 7, 2020 Planning & Zoning Board recommendation, and its companion Ordinance 2019-51 (same case, same signature date format) is dated '27th day of January, 2020.' This is very likely a clerical/scan artifact (year field should read 2020) rather than a substantive discrepancy, since the ordinance's own Section 4 fixes an unambiguous effective date of July 1, 2020 pursuant to Fla. Stat. §166.041(4) - but the passage date itself is not certain to the day. - Whether St. Augustine vacation rental operators must additionally obtain a City of St. Augustine (or St. Johns County) Local Business Tax Receipt was not confirmed for city-limits properties; the county's own program page lists a Business Tax Receipt as a required document for its unincorporated-area registration only, and no equivalent requirement was located on the city's own program/FAQ pages, so it was omitted from requirements[] rather than guessed. ## Sources - City of St. Augustine - Short Term Rentals (official program page) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citystaug.com/830/Short-Term-Rentals - Ordinance No. 2019-50 (Vacation Rental Regulations, City Code §§28-145 to 28-154) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citystaug.com/DocumentCenter/View/3806/ORD-2019-50-Short-Term-Rental-Regulations - Ordinance No. 2019-51 (Effect of Ordinance 2010-24 on RS-1/RS-2 Short-Term Rentals, City Code §28-155) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citystaug.com/DocumentCenter/View/3805/ORD-2019-51-Short-Term-Rentals-RS-1--RS-2 - City of St. Augustine FAQ - Do Short Term Rentals need to be registered with the City? (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citystaug.com/Faq.aspx?QID=215 - City of St. Augustine FAQ - Where are Short Term Rentals allowed in the City? (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citystaug.com/FAQ.aspx?QID=219 - City of St. Augustine FAQ - Short Term Rentals (registration fees, occupancy, parking, inspection) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citystaug.com/FAQ.aspx?QID=221 - St. Johns County Tax Collector - Tourist Development Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://sjctax.us/tourist-development-tax/ - St. Johns County - Short Term Vacation Rentals (county registration ordinance, unincorporated areas east of Intracoastal Waterway) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.sjcfl.us/short-term-vacation-rentals/ - Florida DBPR - Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Florida Dept. of Revenue - Sales and Use Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Florida Dept. of Revenue - Discretionary Sales Surtax Information (DR-15DSS, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - 2025 Florida Statutes §509.032 - Duties of division; general (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599%2F0509%2FSections%2F0509.032.html - 2025 Florida Statutes §212.03 - Transient rentals tax; rate, procedure, enforcement, exemptions (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299%2F0212%2FSections%2F0212.03.html - masterhost.ca - St. Augustine's Comprehensive Guide to Short-Term Rental Regulations (discovery only, vendor guide) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://masterhost.ca/st-augustine-guide-short-term-rental-regulations/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Moab, UT - Status: **BANNED (DE FACTO)** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/moab-ut/ ## Summary Moab bans the creation of new short-term/nightly rentals in essentially every zone: Moab Municipal Code 17.09.700 prohibits STR of dwellings in zones A-2, C-1, C-3, C-5, FW, I-1, R&D-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, RA-1, and every other zone where STR is not an explicitly listed permitted use. The only whole-home operators who can legally operate are properties recognized as 'Established Overnight Accommodations' on the City's Established Overnight Accommodations Map (grandfathered legal-conforming uses in zones like C-3, C-4 and RC that may keep operating and renovate but may not add new units), plus narrow bed-and-breakfast (Ch. 17.70), existing R-3/R-4 guest-apartment (Ch. 17.71), and adaptive-recreation 'qualifying participant' (added by Ordinance 24-03, June 11, 2024) carve-outs. Any qualifying operator must still hold an annual Nightly Rental Business License under Chapter 5.67 ($250 initial / $52/year renewal per property as of Ordinance 2025-08, June 24, 2025, renewing every July 1), pass a building/fire/health inspection, cap occupancy at 10 guests (more with Fire Chief-approved sprinklers), and cap individual stays at 30 consecutive days. Operating without a license is a Class A misdemeanor, and operating in a zone where STR is prohibited carries a separate $750/day/infraction civil penalty. Guests pay a combined state/local sales tax of 9.35% plus a combined transient room tax of 7.07% (1.07% state + 4.50% Grand County + 1.50% Moab municipal), both current as of July 1, 2026. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Not verified - Guest cap: 10 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: New whole-home nightly rentals cannot be created anywhere in the city; the only lawful whole-home operators are properties already recognized on the City's 'Established Overnight Accommodations Map' (grandfathered legal-conforming use in C-3/C-4/RC and similar zones — may renovate but not add units) per MMC 17.09.700 and 17.24.020/17.27.020. Hosted-style alternatives exist only through Ch. 17.70 (bed & breakfasts) and Ch. 17.71 (pre-existing guest apartments in R-3/R-4), which are narrow and largely legacy pathways — current openness to new entrants was not independently confirmed (see needs_review). Max occupancy 10 persons unless the Fire Chief approves a higher cap for sprinklered properties (MMC 5.67.100.D). Stays over 30 consecutive days fall outside the nightly-rental definition and are not subject to Ch. 5.67 licensing or the transient room tax. ## Requirements ### Nightly Rental Business License (license) - Authority: City of Moab (City Treasurer) - Cost: $250 initial + $52/year renewal, per property - Renewal: Annual, due July 1 (MMC 5.67.040) - Official source: https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/5.67 - Notes: Required for any owner operating a nightly rental (MMC 5.67.020); license must be held in the property owner's name; up to 4 properties may be listed on one application but a separate fee is assessed per property. Only issuable where nightly rental is a permitted or established/grandfathered use in the underlying zone (MMC 5.67.100.A). Fee verified against Ordinance 2025-08 (Master Fee Schedule, passed June 24, 2025): https://www.moabcity.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5083/ORD-CC-2025-08. Chapter text verified via Wayback Machine capture of moab.municipal.codes/Code/5.67 dated 2023-11-10 (live site returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches) and cross-checked against the City's own hosted PDF of the chapter (2018 text, https://www.moabcity.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/377?fileID=586). ### Underlying Zoning Compliance / Established Overnight Accommodations status (permit) - Authority: City of Moab Planning & Zoning - Cost: not verified - Renewal: N/A (land-use status determination, not a recurring permit) - Official source: https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/17.09.700 - Notes: No nightly rental license may be granted unless the use is allowed in the underlying zoning district (MMC 5.67.100.A). MMC 17.09.700 prohibits STR of dwellings in A-2, C-1, C-3, C-5, FW, I-1, R&D-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, RA-1, and any other zone where STR is not a listed permitted use, except for B&Bs/guest apartments (Ch. 17.70/17.71) and adaptive-recreation qualifying-participant accommodations (MMC 17.06.020, 17.24.020(A), added by Ordinance 24-03, passed June 11, 2024). Verified via Wayback Machine capture of moab.municipal.codes/Code/17.09.700 dated 2026-01-06 (live site 403s automated fetches); Ordinance 24-03 text confirmed directly from https://www.moabcity.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4697/ORD-CC-2024-03. ### Pre-licensing Building/Fire/Health Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Moab Building Inspector, Fire Chief, and Health Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: As often as necessary for enforcement (MMC 5.67.030.C) - Official source: https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/5.67 - Notes: Plans and the property itself must be approved by the Building Inspector, Fire Chief, and Health Department before a nightly rental license issues. Each sleeping room must have smoke and CO detectors (MMC 5.67.100.E). Verified via Wayback Machine capture of moab.municipal.codes/Code/5.67 dated 2023-11-10. ### Water & Sewer Impact Fee (nightly rental dwellings) (other) - Authority: City of Moab - Cost: $1,566/unit (1 bedroom or smaller with kitchen) to $1,879/unit (2+ bedrooms with kitchen), one-time - Renewal: One-time, assessed per Chapter 13.25 at licensing/connection - Official source: https://www.moabcity.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5083/ORD-CC-2025-08 - Notes: MMC 5.67.100.G ties nightly-rental water/sewer impact fees to Chapter 13.25; current fee amounts confirmed in the Master Fee Schedule adopted by Ordinance 2025-08 (passed June 24, 2025). ## Taxes - **Utah State Transient Room Tax**: 1.07% — applies to Lodging/nightly rental stays under 30 consecutive days; platform collects: yes. Source: https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q3other.pdf - **Grand County Transient Room Tax (county-wide)**: 4.50% — applies to Lodging/nightly rental stays under 30 consecutive days within Grand County, including the City of Moab; platform collects: yes. Source: https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q3other.pdf - **Moab Municipal Transient Room Tax**: 1.50% — applies to Lodging/nightly rental stays under 30 consecutive days within Moab city limits; platform collects: yes. Source: https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q3other.pdf - **Combined State & Local Sales and Use Tax (incl. Resort Community Tax)**: 9.35% — applies to Nightly rental charges (room charges/rentals for stays under 30 consecutive days); platform collects: yes. Source: https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q3combined.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating a nightly rental without a required business license is a Class A misdemeanor, with the fine imposed for each day the violation continues (MMC 5.67.090); the City may also pursue civil injunction and recover reasonable attorney fees and court costs. Separately, an illegal short-term rental in a zone where STR is prohibited (citing MMC 17.09.700) is subject to a $750/day/infraction penalty per the City's Master Fee Schedule (Ordinance 2025-08, https://www.moabcity.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5083/ORD-CC-2025-08). Operating a short-term rental prior to obtaining a business license is separately assessed 200% of the license fee. - Platform liability: Utah's marketplace-facilitator sales tax rules (Utah State Tax Commission Pub 71, https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/forms/pubs/pub-71.pdf) require facilitators like Airbnb and Vrbo to collect and remit Utah sales tax and all sales-related taxes, including transient room tax, on facilitated bookings once they exceed $100,000 in Utah sales in a year. No Moab-specific ordinance provision was found imposing liability on platforms for listings that lack a City nightly rental license or violate zoning. - Notes: Zoning enforcement (MMC 17.09.700, Title 17 generally) operates independently of and in addition to the Chapter 5.67 licensing scheme — a property can be in violation of zoning (and subject to the $750/day zoning penalty) even if the owner also lacks or holds a nightly rental license. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - moab.municipal.codes (the City's official code portal, hosted by General Code/Code Publishing Company) returned HTTP 403 to every direct automated fetch attempt this session. All code-section text was instead verified via dated Wayback Machine captures of the exact official URLs (dates noted in each requirement's notes/sources), cross-checked where possible against directly-fetched official Moab ordinance PDFs. I could not independently confirm there have been no further amendments to Chapters 5.67 or 17.09.700 between the most recent Wayback captures (Jan 2026 for 17.09.700; Nov 2023 for 5.67) and the 2026-07-18 as-of date, though a Google-indexed snippet of the live site states the code is 'current through Ordinance 26-12, passed June 9, 2026' with no indication that ordinance touched nightly rentals or zoning Title 17. - The 2026 Ordinances list (moabcity.gov/713/2026-Ordinances) shows an Ordinance 2026-06 described only as a fee-schedule update; I could not access its text to confirm whether it changed the $250 initial / $52 renewal nightly rental license fee that I verified against Ordinance 2025-08 (June 24, 2025). - Third-party vendor guides claim Moab's nightly rental license application requires proof of insurance and a local contact; I could not verify an insurance requirement in the official code text I retrieved (MMC 5.67.030 references the general application items in MMC 5.04.030, which do not explicitly list insurance) — insurance was therefore omitted from requirements[] rather than guessed. - I could not fully enumerate which zones, if any, currently allow brand-new (non-grandfathered) nightly rental units to be created; I confirmed only that C-3, C-4, and RC zones permit 'Established Overnight Accommodations' as grandfathered legal-conforming uses (no new units), and did not exhaustively check every zone chapter in Title 17 for a possible zone that still permits new overnight accommodations by right. - Current real-world accessibility of the Ch. 17.70 (bed & breakfast) and Ch. 17.71 (guest apartment) pathways for a new host today was not independently verified — I confirmed only that these chapters exist and are cited as exceptions in MMC 17.09.700. ## Sources - Moab Municipal Code Ch. 5.67, Nightly Rental Licenses (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/5.67 - Moab Municipal Code 17.09.700, Residential short-term rentals prohibited (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/17.09.700 - Moab Municipal Code 17.06.020, Definitions (Overnight Accommodations) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/17.06.020 - Moab Municipal Code 17.27.020, C-4 Zone Permitted Uses (Established Overnight Accommodations) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/17.27.020 - Moab Municipal Code 17.24.020, C-3 Zone Permitted Uses (Established Overnight Accommodations) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/17.24.020 - Moab Municipal Code 5.04.030, Business License Application Requirements (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://moab.municipal.codes/Code/5.04.030 - Moab Municipal Code Ch. 5.67, Nightly Rental Licenses (City-hosted PDF, text through Ord. 18-22) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.moabcity.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/377?fileID=586 - City of Moab Public Hearing, Proposed Ordinance 2023-11 (Master Fee Schedule update) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.utah.gov/pmn/files/998475.pdf - City of Moab Ordinance No. 2025-08 (Master Fee Schedule, passed June 24, 2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.moabcity.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5083/ORD-CC-2025-08 - City of Moab Ordinance No. 2024-03 (adds Adaptive Recreational Service Provider / Qualifying Participant exception) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.moabcity.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4697/ORD-CC-2024-03 - City of Moab, Taxes (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.moabcity.gov/96/Taxes - City of Moab, Business Licensing (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.moabcity.gov/361/Business-Licensing - City of Moab, 2026 Ordinances (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://moabcity.gov/713/2026-Ordinances - Utah State Tax Commission, Combined Sales and Use Tax Rates Chart, effective July 1, 2026 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q3combined.pdf - Utah State Tax Commission, Other Sales Tax Rates and Fees Chart (Transient Room Tax), effective July 1, 2026 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/salestax/rate/26q3other.pdf - Utah State Tax Commission, Publication 56 - Sales Tax Information for Lodging Providers (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/forms/pubs/pub-56.pdf - Utah State Tax Commission, Publication 71 - Sales Tax Information for Marketplace Sellers and Marketplace Facilitators (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://files.tax.utah.gov/tax/forms/pubs/pub-71.pdf - Salt Lake Tribune: Moab has extended its moratorium on new construction for short-term rentals (2019) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2019/07/30/moab-has-extended-its/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Big Bear Lake, CA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/big-bear-lake-ca/ ## Summary Whole-home short-term rentals ('vacation rentals,' formerly called TPHR) are legal in Big Bear Lake but require an annual city license under Municipal Code Chapter 4.01 (Ordinance No. 2021-488, adopted January 11, 2021, as amended by Ordinance No. 2023-518, effective January 18, 2024): a pre-registration home inspection, proof of liability insurance and ownership, a City business license, and annual owner/agent certification (a 25-question exam requiring a 100% score). Registration costs $635/year per property under the fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 (up from $605 the prior fiscal year), and no individual or entity may hold more than two vacation-rental licenses (owners who already held more as of September 16, 2021 are grandfathered). Occupancy is capped at two adults per bedroom plus two additional adults (18+, not counting minors), with a hard ceiling of one person per 200 sq ft of living space or 16 people — counting minors — whichever is less (Muni. Code §4.01.060(C), as amended by Ordinance No. 2023-518, effective January 18, 2024, verbatim); one off-street parking space per bedroom is required, and any grandfathered gravel parking had to be paved by January 1, 2026. Owners must remit a combined 13% of gross rental receipts monthly: 10% Transient Occupancy Tax (increased from 9% effective January 1, 2025, per voter-approved Measure P) plus a 3% Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District (BBLTBID) assessment. Hosted rentals of up to two bedrooms in an owner-occupied home are permitted under a separate, cheaper 'Home Sharing' license ($400 per the July 2026 fee schedule). Enforcement is aggressive: operating without a license draws escalating fines of $1,500 / $2,500 / $5,000 for a first/second/third citation within 12 months, plus a one-year license ineligibility after an unlicensed-operation citation; other operational violations (noise, over-occupancy, parking, parties) draw $500 / $1,000 / $1,500 fines that escalate within a rolling 12-month period. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 16 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 29 days Notes: Whole-home 'vacation rental' licensing under Municipal Code Ch. 4.01 does not require the owner to live on-site; an owner/entity may hold up to two such licenses (grandfathered exception for those holding more as of September 16, 2021). A separate, lower-cost 'Home Sharing' license covers hosted rentals of no more than 2 bedrooms in an owner-occupied home while the owner is present, defined in Ch. 4.01.020(G) (as amended by Ord. 2023-518, read verbatim): 'the rental of no more than two bedrooms in a detached single-family dwelling unit, for compensation, for a term of 28 or fewer consecutive days while the owner of the unit lives on-site and in the home, throughout the visitor's stay.' Vacation rentals are permitted (as an accessory use, 'VR') in the R-L, R-1 and R-3 residential zone districts per Ordinance 2021-488 Exhibit A (amending Development Code Table 17.25.040.A). The vacation-rental license definition covers leases of 'twenty-eight (28) or fewer consecutive days' (Ch. 4.01.020(K) as amended by Ordinance No. 2023-518, effective 2024-01-18, read verbatim from the adopted ordinance PDF — superseding 2021-488's '30 or fewer'), aligning with the TOT code's 28-day threshold. The city's own registration form requires an in-person check-in agent and a 24/7 complaint-response agent who each reside within 15 miles of the rental. ## Requirements ### Vacation Rental License (formerly TPHR) (license) - Authority: City of Big Bear Lake Tourism Management Department - Cost: $635/year per property - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/filelink/fileman-files/FINANCE/MASTER_FEE_SCHEDULE/master-fee-schedule-effective-7-1-2026.pdf - Notes: Fee listed as 'Vacation Rental Program - Per Year Per Property - $635.00' in the fee schedule effective 7/1/2026, up from $605 in the prior schedule effective 10/12/2025. License required under Municipal Code §4.01.030 before advertising or leasing a property as a vacation rental; license number must be posted inside the unit and included in all ads. Max two licenses per owner/entity (§4.01.040(B) per city FAQ), grandfathered for holders as of 9/16/2021. Transfer of Vacation Rental (change of management) is a separate $74/each fee on the same schedule. ### Pre-Registration Home Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Big Bear Lake Tourism Management Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required before initial registration is approved; full registration+inspection process takes roughly 2-4 weeks - Official source: https://www.citybigbearlake.com/images/DOWNLOADS/CITY_DEPARTMENTS/Vacationrentalprogram/Vacation_Rental_Registration_Application_Fillable.pdf - Notes: Registration application form states the home must pass an inspection before registration approval is issued by the Tourism Management Department; no separate inspection fee line is shown on the form (amount-paid field left blank, filled in per-property at intake). ### Owner/Agent Annual Certification Exam (other) - Authority: City of Big Bear Lake - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.citybigbearlake.com/index.php/en/services-main/transient-private-home-rentals?view=article&id=507:frequently-asked-questions-vacation-rental-program&catid=64 - Notes: All owners (except those who hire a full-service management company and never personally rent the property) and all agents (check-in, 24/7 response, management-company staff) must be certified annually via a 25-question exam requiring a 100% passing score, per the City's official Vacation Rental Program FAQ. ### City Business License (license) - Authority: City of Big Bear Lake - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.citybigbearlake.com/images/DOWNLOADS/CITY_DEPARTMENTS/Vacationrentalprogram/Vacation_Rental_Registration_Application_Fillable.pdf - Notes: Vacation Rental Registration Application requires a City Business License Number (or proof of having applied for one). Fee amount not independently verified this session — see needs_review. ### Liability Insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Big Bear Lake - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Proof required at initial registration and confirmed on renewal - Official source: https://www.citybigbearlake.com/index.php/en/services-main/transient-private-home-rentals?view=article&id=507:frequently-asked-questions-vacation-rental-program&catid=64 - Notes: Applicants must submit proof of current liability insurance coverage (insurance declarations page) with the registration application, per the City's official FAQ. ### Home Sharing License (hosted rental, owner-occupied) (license) - Authority: City of Big Bear Lake Tourism Management Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Unconfirmed — fee schedule lists $400 'Each' (up from $200 in the prior schedule) without specifying if this recurs annually - Official source: https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/filelink/fileman-files/FINANCE/MASTER_FEE_SCHEDULE/master-fee-schedule-effective-7-1-2026.pdf - Notes: A distinct 'Home Sharing' fee line (separate from 'Vacation Rental Program') appears in the City's official fee schedule, confirming a hosted-rental license category exists; the underlying eligibility definition (2-bedroom cap, owner present on-site) is drawn from secondary sources and was not independently confirmed against ordinance text this session — see needs_review. ### Off-Street Parking (paved) Compliance (other) - Authority: City of Big Bear Lake - Cost: not verified - Renewal: One-time compliance deadline, now passed - Official source: https://www.citybigbearlake.com/index.php/en/services-main/transient-private-home-rentals?view=article&id=507:frequently-asked-questions-vacation-rental-program&catid=64 - Notes: One off-street parking space per bedroom is required (garage or legally established driveway, per Ordinance 2021-488 Exhibit A amending §17.25.070(E)). Gravel parking areas approved before January 11, 2021 had to be improved (paved) by January 1, 2026, per the City's official FAQ; that deadline has now passed as of this profile's as-of date. ## Taxes - **Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)**: 10% of gross rental receipts (increased from 9%, effective January 1, 2025, per voter-approved Measure P, November 2022) — applies to Overnight accommodations rented on a short-term basis (less than 28 consecutive days), including vacation rentals; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/en/services-main/tot-tbid-collection - **Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District (BBLTBID) Assessment**: 3% of gross rental receipts (short-term accommodations); separately, 2% on ski-resort lift tickets and passes — applies to Hotels, lodges, camps, and vacation rentals offering short-term overnight accommodations; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/en/services-main/tot-tbid-collection ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating a vacation rental without a valid license (Municipal Code §4.01.100(A), as amended by Ordinance 2023-518, effective January 18, 2024): $1,500 administrative fine for a first citation, $2,500 for a second citation within 12 months, and $5,000 for a third citation within 12 months; a property cited for unlicensed operation becomes ineligible for a vacation-rental license for one year from the citation, per the original 2021-488 text (this ineligibility provision was not independently reconfirmed post-2023-518 amendment — see needs_review). Other operational violations of Chapter 4.01 (occupancy, parking, noise, party/gathering rules, etc.): a minimum fine of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second, and $1,500 for a third within 12 months, confirmed identically in both the City's official Vacation Rental Program FAQ and its official Good Neighbor Guide brochure. Guests who blatantly disregard the rules may be evicted without a refund, and citations may also be issued to the responsible signer of the Good Neighbor Policy acknowledgment. Each day a violation continues is treated as a separate violation eligible for a separate citation. - Platform liability: Under Municipal Code §4.01.090 (adopted by Urgency Ordinance 2021-488), hosting platforms must, on the City's written request, disclose each Big Bear Lake vacation-rental listing (host ID, listing ID, responsible person, address, length of stay, and price paid), and must promptly remove any listing upon receipt of a City take-down notice indicating a legal violation. - Notes: Administrative citations under Chapter 4.01 may be levied against the owner, the owner's agent, a hosting platform, and/or the responsible party (guest), and the City may initiate license revocation after a single violation. Enforcement intensified after a 2021 surge in complaints about noise, over-occupancy and parking during the COVID-era rental boom, which prompted the original January 2021 urgency ordinance; a 2023 summer public-workshop review (facilitated by consultant Tripepi Smith) preceded the current Ordinance 2023-518 fine structure. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - The advertising-without-posted-license-number fine ($2,500, or a reduced $5,000 fine + 6-month license suspension for a first offense at the city manager's discretion) is sourced only to the original 2021-488 ordinance text and was not reconfirmed against the current 2023-518 amendment, so it was omitted from the main enforcement.penalties narrative as a precaution and is flagged here instead. - The 'Home Sharing' license FEE ($400 effective 7/1/2026, up from $200 in the 10/2024 schedule) is confirmed only from the City's fee-schedule line items; the eligibility definition itself is now ordinance-confirmed (Ch. 4.01.020(G) per Ord. 2023-518) — only the fee figure still rests on the fee schedule alone. - Whether the City Business License required on the vacation-rental registration application is waived when the property is rented exclusively through a licensed management agency (a claim that appeared in secondary sources) was not confirmed against an official source; the fee amount for this business license was also not found. - Whether short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, VRBO/HomeAway, Evolve, etc.) collect and remit the TOT and/or BBLTBID on the owner's behalf varies by platform per an AI-summarized reading of the official FAQ page (e.g., Airbnb allegedly collects TOT only, while VRBO/Evolve allegedly collect both) — this nuance was not independently re-verified by directly reading the FAQ's raw text, so both tax entries' collectedByPlatform field is left null rather than asserting a specific true/false split. ## Sources - City of Big Bear Lake - Frequently Asked Questions - Vacation Rental Program (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citybigbearlake.com/index.php/en/services-main/transient-private-home-rentals?view=article&id=507:frequently-asked-questions-vacation-rental-program&catid=64 - City of Big Bear Lake - Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) & BBLTBID (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/en/services-main/tot-tbid-collection - City of Big Bear Lake - Good Neighbor Guide (brochure, incl. Vacation Rental Good Neighbor Policy) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bigbearlake.gov/images/DOWNLOADS/SERVICES/VACATION_RENTAL_PROGRAM/GOOD_NEIGHBOR_POLICY_BROCHURE/2025/good-neighbor-policy-full-version-rev.12-3-2025_compressed.pdf - Urgency Ordinance No. 2021-488 (Vacation Rental Program - Licensing and Regulatory Program, Municipal Code Title 4 Ch. 4.01) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citybigbearlake.com/images/DOWNLOADS/CITY_DEPARTMENTS/CODE_COMPLIANCE/Urgency_Ordinance_No._2021-488_Vacation_Rental_Program_Enforcement__Operations.pdf - City of Big Bear Lake Master Fee Schedule, effective 7/1/2026 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/filelink/fileman-files/FINANCE/MASTER_FEE_SCHEDULE/master-fee-schedule-effective-7-1-2026.pdf - City of Big Bear Lake Master Fee Schedule, effective 10/12/2025 (prior year, used for cost comparison) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/filelink/fileman-files/FINANCE/MASTER_FEE_SCHEDULE/master-fee-schedule-year-1-effective_10-12-2025.pdf - City of Big Bear Lake - Vacation Rental Registration Application (fillable form) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.citybigbearlake.com/images/DOWNLOADS/CITY_DEPARTMENTS/Vacationrentalprogram/Vacation_Rental_Registration_Application_Fillable.pdf - City of Big Bear Lake - Vacation Rental 101 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/en/vacation-rental-101 - City of Big Bear Lake - Vacation Rental Ordinance (VRO) Informational Workshops (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/en/vro-review - City of Big Bear Lake - Vacation Rental Program Reports and Data (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://bigbearlake.gov/index.php/en/services-main/transient-private-home-rentals?view=article&id=511:reports-and-data&catid=2 - Ordinance No. 2023-518 — Vacation Rental Regulations (adopted 2023-12-19, effective 2024-01-18; city PDF via Wayback Machine capture 2023-12-29, digest-identical capture 2024-01-30 spans the effective date; city-site original currently 404) (official, accessed 2026-07-20): https://web.archive.org/web/20231229062622/https://www.citybigbearlake.com/images/DOWNLOADS/CITY_DEPARTMENTS/CITY_CLERK/CITY_ORDINANCE/Ordinance%20No.%202023-518%20-%20Vacation%20Rental%20Regulations%20%7C%20Updated%2012-28-23.pdf --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Joshua Tree, CA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/joshua-tree-ca/ ## Summary Joshua Tree is unincorporated, so short-term rentals are governed entirely by San Bernardino County Code Chapter 84.28 (Short-Term Residential Rentals), administered by County Land Use Services/Code Enforcement (str.sbcounty.gov) — there is no separate Joshua Tree town ordinance. Whole-home and hosted rentals of 30 consecutive days or less are allowed in the County's designated Mountain and Desert Regions, which include Joshua Tree, but every dwelling unit needs a County-issued Short-Term Residential Rental (STR) Permit before it can be advertised or rented; no primary-residence requirement applies. As of July 1, 2025, a new permit application costs $1,144 ($600 application + $285 permit + $259 neighbor-notification fee), renewal (no changes) is $550, and permits must be renewed annually. A parcel under 2 acres may hold only 1 STR permit (2 acres or more allows 2), and no owner may hold more than 2 STR permits county-wide unless the permit predates the July 2022 ordinance update. Maximum occupancy is set by bedroom count (2 occupants per bedroom, plus 2) but is hard-capped at 12 occupants for any unit regardless of size, and further limited by on-site parking capacity — on-street and off-site parking are prohibited. Owners/agents must be reachable by phone 24/7 and able to reach the property within 1 hour of a complaint. Quiet hours run 10 p.m.-7 a.m. with a 45-decibel limit (55 dB other times), and all outdoor lighting must be off by 11 p.m. The unincorporated-county Transient Occupancy Tax is 7% (County Code §14.0203); a November 2024 ballot measure (Measure K) that would have raised it to 11% was rejected by voters (56.77% no). Operating without a permit draws an administrative fine of $1,000 per violation per day (or misdemeanor prosecution); for permitted units, confirmed violations escalate to $1,000 (2nd), $2,000 (3rd), and $5,000 (4th and subsequent) administrative citations, with permit suspension after two citations for the same violation type and revocation for repeat or severe violations. A County-commissioned Placeworks housing study (May 2024) specifically flagged Joshua Tree — where STRs are about 29% of the housing stock — as the one community in the Mountain/Desert regions where STR activity appears to be measurably reducing long-term housing supply, but as of this writing (2026-07-18) no STR cap or moratorium specific to Joshua Tree has been adopted as a result. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 12 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Joshua Tree is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County — it has no city government and no separate municipal STR ordinance. All STR law applicable to Joshua Tree properties is San Bernardino County Code Chapter 84.28, administered by County Land Use Services Code Enforcement. Chapter 84.28 applies only within the County's designated 'Mountain and Desert Regions' (per §84.28.020 Applicability); Joshua Tree is treated by the County's own STR program materials (str.sbcounty.gov) as squarely within that coverage area. Both hosted and unhosted (whole-home) STRs are permitted subject to obtaining a County STR permit, parcel/person permit caps, and the occupancy/parking/noise operational standards described above; neither is banned outright, but both are conditioned on holding a valid permit. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Residential Rental (STR) Permit (permit) - Authority: San Bernardino County Land Use Services Department, Code Enforcement Division - Cost: $1,144/new application (effective July 1, 2025: $600 application fee + $285 permit fee + $259 surrounding-property-owner notification fee) - Renewal: Annual. $550 if no changes; $859-$1,144 if there are physical or management/occupancy changes requiring inspection and/or re-notification. - Official source: https://str.sbcounty.gov/faqs/how-much-does-a-short-term-rental-permit-cost/ - Notes: One permit required per dwelling unit. Max 1 permit per parcel under 2 acres; max 2 permits per parcel of 2+ acres. An owner may not hold more than 2 STR permits county-wide unless the permit predates the July 2022 ordinance update. New applications require a passed exterior inspection, a 20-day surrounding-property-owner comment period, and a 30-day appeal period before issuance. Governed by San Bernardino County Code Chapter 84.28. ### Exterior/interior property inspection (inspection) - Authority: San Bernardino County Code Enforcement Division - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required for new applications and for renewals involving physical changes to the property; not required for a no-change annual renewal. - Official source: https://str.sbcounty.gov/getting-started/ - Notes: Inspection verifies bedroom count (for occupancy calculation), parking capacity, and compliance with fire/building/safety standards in Chapter 84.28 (smoke/CO detectors, fire extinguishers, egress, etc.). Cost is bundled into the permit application/renewal fee, not billed separately. ### Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Certificate/Registration (registration) - Authority: San Bernardino County Treasurer-Tax Collector - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Ongoing while operating; TOT return filing is required per County Code §14.0203. - Official source: https://main.sbcounty.gov/2024/08/14/transient-occupancy-tax-website-unveiled/ - Notes: Owners/operators must register with the County Tax Collector and collect/remit the 7% TOT on all rentals of 30 consecutive days or less. No registration fee was identified in county materials reviewed. ## Taxes - **Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)**: rate not verified — applies to Rent paid for occupancy of 30 consecutive calendar days or less, unincorporated San Bernardino County (including Joshua Tree), per County Code §14.0203; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.mytaxcollector.com/trTOTInfo.aspx ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating an STR without a valid County permit: administrative fine of $1,000 per violation per day, or misdemeanor prosecution (up to 6 months in county jail), per San Bernardino County Code Ch. 84.28 and the County's STR FAQ. For permitted units with confirmed violations, the County's published enforcement ladder (STR Operational Standard Guide, 2024) is: Notice of Violation (1st confirmed violation, no fine) -> $1,000 administrative citation (2nd violation of any type) -> $2,000 (3rd) -> $5,000 (4th and subsequent). Two citations for the same type of violation trigger permit suspension; a permit stays suspended until violations are abated or substantive management changes are demonstrated. Revocation follows if: a violation is severe enough to require immediate vacation of the property, suspension conditions go unremedied for 60 days, the same condition recurs within 12 months, the permit is suspended twice in 24 months, or the permit was issued in error, fraud, or deceit. No new STR permit application is allowed for 12 months after a revocation is finalized. Operating an STR while suspended or revoked is itself subject to fines of up to $1,000 per day. - Platform liability: San Bernardino County Code §84.28.110 (Hosting Platform Requirement) requires hosting platforms, upon County request, to disclose the address of each unincorporated-county STR listing, the name of the person responsible for the listing, length of stay, and price paid. Internet-only hosting platforms that comply with this disclosure duty are presumed to be in compliance with Chapter 84.28, but remain subject to the County's administrative subpoena authority. This is a data-disclosure/subpoena-compliance obligation on platforms, not an automatic platform liability for a host's permit or tax violations. - Notes: Enforcement is complaint-driven: Code Enforcement investigates reported violations (weekend complaints may get an in-person check between 7:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.) and a complaint is not itself a confirmed violation. Owners/agents must keep a written log of complaints and resolutions, available to the County on request. ## Pending changes - A County-commissioned Placeworks technical memorandum (Housing Element Program 4, dated May 2024, delivered to San Bernardino County Land Use Services) found that STR activity is 'distinctly and negatively affecting the long-term ownership and rental housing market' specifically in the Joshua Tree community — STRs there grew from roughly 2-5% of vacation/2nd-home ownership before 2012 to over 21% by 2022, and Joshua Tree's ~1,082 STRs represent about 29% of its total housing stock, the highest share of any studied Mountain/Desert community. The memo does not itself change any law; as of 2026-07-18 no STR cap, quota, or moratorium ordinance specific to Joshua Tree or the wider Morongo Basin has been identified as adopted by the Board of Supervisors as a follow-on to this study. (proposed, 2024-05) — https://lus.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/Planning/SBC-STR-TechMemo-May2024-Final.pdf ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Some third-party STR vendor guides claim San Bernardino County requires $500,000 in liability insurance for STR permits. This could not be verified in the official ordinance text (County Code §84.28.070, Conditions of Operation, checked directly via a Wayback Machine capture of the official code library) or in the County's own Operational Standards Guide or FAQ pages, none of which mention an insurance requirement. Treated as unverified and not included as a requirement. - Whether STR platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) automatically collect and remit the 7% TOT on behalf of hosts in unincorporated San Bernardino County could not be confirmed via an official county source — the Tax Collector's own TOT info pages (mytaxcollector.com / sbcountyatc.gov) returned blank/unreadable content when fetched this session. `collectedByPlatform` is set to null pending direct confirmation from the Tax Collector's office. - County Code §84.28.110 (Hosting Platform Requirement) is summarized from a secondary web-search synthesis of the section, not from a directly fetched and read copy of the primary ordinance text — live amlegal.com bot-walled the request (Cloudflare challenge, HTTP 403) and no Wayback Machine capture of that specific section URL was found/available in the time available. The platform_liability description should be treated as lower-confidence until the primary text is directly verified. - The specific on-site parking ratio (e.g., a fixed number of spaces per occupant) was not reconfirmed in the current text of County Code §84.28.060(c) Parking, which requires all STR-related vehicles to be parked on-site without stating a numeric ratio in the version reviewed. An older (2017-dated) county application PDF cites a 1-space-per-4-occupants ratio, but since that document's fee schedule and occupancy formula are demonstrably outdated (superseded by the 2022 ordinance amendment and the July 2025 fee update), that ratio was not carried into this profile as a current, verified figure. - No official San Bernardino County source was found stating that a specific STR cap, quota, or moratorium for Joshua Tree has been formally adopted following the May 2024 Placeworks housing study; this is recorded as a proposed/pending item (see pending_changes) rather than an enacted rule, based on the absence of any adoption notice in the county sources reviewed. - County TOT rate: commonly reported as 7% for unincorporated San Bernardino County, but no official source stating the rate could be fetched this session (press release announcing the TOT website does not state it; TouristExpress portal 403s non-interactive access; county code host codelibrary.amlegal.com bot-walled and the TOT chapter has no accessible Wayback capture). Rate set to null until verified against County Code §14.0203 or a tax-collector document. Registration/remittance obligation itself is verified (STR Operational Standards Guide: 'Compliance with Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is required'). ## Sources - About Short-Term Rentals - San Bernardino County (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://str.sbcounty.gov/about-str/ - Getting Started - Short-Term Rentals - San Bernardino County (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://str.sbcounty.gov/getting-started/ - FAQ: How much does a Short-Term Rental Permit cost? - San Bernardino County (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://str.sbcounty.gov/faqs/how-much-does-a-short-term-rental-permit-cost/ - FAQ: What is Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)? - San Bernardino County (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://str.sbcounty.gov/faqs/what-is-transient-occupancy-tax-tot/ - Short-Term Rentals FAQs archive - San Bernardino County (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://str.sbcounty.gov/faqs/ - Short-Term Rental Program: Operational Standards Guide (2024 PDF) - San Bernardino County (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://str.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/58/2024/07/STR-Operational-Standard-Guide-2024.pdf - Short-Term Residential Rental Permit application packet (S3-hosted, dated 2017; superseded fee/occupancy figures noted in needs_review) - San Bernardino County (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://sanbern-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/SBCounty_ShortTermRentalApplication.pdf - San Bernardino County Code, Chapter 84.28, Section 84.28.020 Applicability (via Wayback Machine capture of the official American Legal Publishing code library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sanbernardino/latest/sanberncty_ca/0-0-0-172403 - San Bernardino County Code, Chapter 84.28, Section 84.28.060 Occupancy Standards (via Wayback Machine capture of the official American Legal Publishing code library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sanbernardino/latest/sanberncty_ca/0-0-0-172452 - San Bernardino County Code, Chapter 84.28, Section 84.28.070 Conditions of Operation (via Wayback Machine capture of the official American Legal Publishing code library) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/sanbernardino/latest/sanberncty_ca/0-0-0-172467 - Transient Occupancy Tax website unveiled - County of San Bernardino (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://main.sbcounty.gov/2024/08/14/transient-occupancy-tax-website-unveiled/ - Housing Element Program 4: Summary of Short-term Rental Outreach and Study Findings (Placeworks technical memo to San Bernardino County LUS, May 2024) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://lus.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/Planning/SBC-STR-TechMemo-May2024-Final.pdf - Measure K | californiachoices.org (2024 election results: TOT increase to 11% rejected by voters) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.californiachoices.org/san-bernardino-measure-k-2024 - SB County implements 45-day pause in new STR permits - Joshua Tree Gateway Association of Realtors (jtgar.com), June 17, 2022 — historical context confirming the current occupancy/permit rules trace to the July 2022 ordinance update (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.jtgar.com/post/sb-county-implements-45-day-pause-in-new-str-permits --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Steamboat Springs, CO - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/steamboat-springs-co/ ## Summary Steamboat Springs requires an annual license (Ord. Nos. 2856-2858, adopted June 7, 2022) for every short-term rental (stays under 30 days), and eligibility depends on which of three overlay zones a property sits in: Zone A (unrestricted, unlimited licenses), Zone B (six subzones with hard caps filled via waitlist/lottery: B1 Sunlight 5, B2 Fairway/Clubhouse 20, B3 Walton Creek/Whistler 18, B4 Shadow Run 17, B5 Walton Creek/Village/Columbine 12, B6 Alpenglow 10), and Zone C (new whole-home licenses effectively prohibited; only properties registered as legal nonconforming or holding a Vacation Home Rental permit may renew). Hosted (one guestroom, max 400 sq ft, owner present) and Temporary (owner's primary residence, limited to 2 occurrences/30 cumulative days per year while the owner is away) licenses are exempt from the zone caps and available anywhere in the city. As of July 2026 the city's Licensing page states the license fee is $350/year for new and renewal applications; occupancy is capped at 1 guest per 150 sq ft of net floor area (minimum 2, maximum 16), overnight parking is capped at 6 vehicles outside a garage, and every listing must have a local responsible party able to respond to complaints within 1 hour. Short-term rentals stack taxes on top of the base transaction: 4.5% city sales/school tax, 1.0% city accommodations tax, and a voter-approved 9% short-term rental excise tax (Referred Measure 2A, approved Nov. 8, 2022, revenue earmarked for workforce housing) -- plus 2.9% state and 1.0% Routt County sales tax remitted to the state, and 2.0% more if the property sits within the Local Marketing District -- for a combined rate of 18.4% (20.4% within the LMD). Operating, advertising, or renewing without a license risks a municipal-court fine of up to $2,650 per violation per day, license suspensions of 14 days to 6 months on escalating offenses, and a 2-year bar on relicensing for the property and its owners after revocation or a code-violation conviction. Colorado has no statewide short-term-rental law; regulation is left entirely to home-rule cities and counties such as Steamboat Springs. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 16 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Whole-home (non-hosted, non-primary-residence) short-term rentals do not require the owner to live on-site, but where they are allowed depends entirely on the STR Overlay Zone: unrestricted/unlimited in Zone A, hard-capped with a waitlist/lottery in Zone B's six subzones, and effectively closed to new entrants in Zone C (renewal only for legal-nonconforming registrants, Vacation Home Rental permit holders, or fractional interests recorded before June 15, 2022). Hosted STR (one guestroom, max 400 sq ft, owner present) and Temporary STR (owner's primary residence, rented while owner is away, capped at 2 occurrences/30 cumulative days per calendar year) licenses are exempt from all zone caps and prohibitions and are available city-wide; a primary residence IS required only for the Temporary STR license type. Rules apply to any stay under 30 consecutive days; 30+ day rentals are treated as long-term housing and are not regulated as STRs. ADUs are excluded outright: the city's licensing page states accessory dwelling units (ADUs) may not be used as STRs (added to the page 2026-07-20; verified same day). ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental License (Unrestricted - Zone A, or Restricted - Zone B/C) (license) - Authority: City of Steamboat Springs (City Manager / Community Development) - Cost: $350/year - Renewal: Annual; renewal application and fee due at least 30 days before the 1-year expiration (Sec. 12-576). Restricted (Zone B/C) licenses may only be renewed if issued under the pre-2022-caps nonconforming/VHR/fractional-ownership exemptions or the waitlist/lottery process (Sec. 12-576(f)); a Zone C license cannot be reissued once it lapses. - Official source: https://www.steamboatsprings.net/1360/Licensing - Notes: Required for every whole-home short-term rental (Sec. 12-571). Zone A licenses are unlimited (Sec. 12-574(a)). Zone B restricted licenses are capped per subzone (B1 Sunlight 5, B2 Fairway/Clubhouse 20, B3 Walton Creek/Whistler 18, B4 Shadow Run 17, B5 Walton Creek/Village/Columbine 12, B6 Alpenglow 10) with a waitlist/lottery for new openings (Sec. 12-574(b),(f)). Zone C restricted licenses are issued only to registered legal-nonconforming uses, permitted Vacation Home Rental (VHR) uses, or properties eligible for the 2025 temporary waiver under Ordinance No. 3024 (Sec. 12-574(c)). Fee is set by the city manager on a cost-recovery basis per Sec. 12-572 of the code (no dollar figure is codified); $350/year is the amount currently posted on the city's Licensing page. ### Hosted Short-Term Rental License (license) - Authority: City of Steamboat Springs (City Manager / Community Development) - Cost: $350/year - Renewal: Annual, same process as the standard STR license (Sec. 12-576). - Official source: https://www.steamboatsprings.net/1360/Licensing - Notes: Covers renting one guestroom (max 400 sq ft) within an owner-occupied dwelling while the owner or a permanent resident is present (Sec. 12-541 definition of "hosted short-term rental"). Unlimited citywide and exempt from Zone B/C caps and Zone C prohibition (Sec. 12-574(a)). ### Temporary Short-Term Rental License (license) - Authority: City of Steamboat Springs (City Manager / Community Development) - Cost: $350/year - Renewal: Annual, same process as the standard STR license (Sec. 12-576). - Official source: https://www.steamboatsprings.net/1360/Licensing - Notes: Covers a primary residence rented while the owner is not present, limited to 2 occurrences and 30 cumulative days per calendar year (per the city's Licensing page; "primary residence" defined at Sec. 12-541). Unlimited citywide and exempt from Zone B/C caps and Zone C prohibition (Sec. 12-574(a)). ### Legal Nonconforming STR Registration (LNCR) (registration) - Authority: City of Steamboat Springs - Cost: not verified - Renewal: No fixed renewal; status terminates automatically if the STR use is abandoned/discontinued for any 12 consecutive months (documented via booking records) and transfers with the property only if there is no such gap. - Official source: https://steamboatsprings.net/1328/STR-Legal-Nonconforming-Registration - Notes: Documents that a multi-family unit in Overlay Zone B or C was lawfully operating as an STR within the 12 months before June 15, 2022, allowing it to keep a restricted license outside the normal zone caps (Sec. 12-574(d)). ### Local Responsible Party designation (other) - Authority: City of Steamboat Springs - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be kept current; licensee must notify the city of any change in the local responsible party's name or contact information. - Official source: https://library.municode.com/co/steamboat_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIISTSPREMUCO_CH12LIPEMIBURE_ARTIXSHRMRELI_DIV1GE - Notes: Sec. 12-542(5)-(7): every licensed STR, hosted STR, and temporary STR must have a locally based individual or management company able to access the premises and respond to any complaint within 1 hour; contact info plus occupancy, parking, and rules must be posted visibly inside the unit. ### Self-Inspection Checklist / Life-Safety Compliance (inspection) - Authority: City of Steamboat Springs - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Self-inspection affidavit required with every application and renewal. - Official source: https://library.municode.com/co/steamboat_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIISTSPREMUCO_CH12LIPEMIBURE_ARTIXSHRMRELI_DIV1GE - Notes: Sec. 12-543(a): operating without functioning smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers as identified on the STR self-inspection checklist is unlawful. City also will not issue a new license until the building is inspected and ready for occupancy (Sec. 12-575(c)). ### City of Steamboat Springs Sales Tax License (registration) - Authority: City of Steamboat Springs Sales Tax Department - Cost: $50 one-time application fee - Renewal: No renewal fee stated; filer files monthly, quarterly, or annual sales/accommodations tax returns as assigned, due the 20th of the month following the period end. - Official source: https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40617 - Notes: Steamboat Springs is a home-rule city that licenses vendors and collects its own sales tax separately from the Colorado Department of Revenue; any short-term rental host taking bookings must hold this license and collect/remit city sales and accommodations tax directly to the city (unless a platform such as Airbnb/VRBO does so on the host's behalf). ## Taxes - **City Sales Tax + School Tax**: 4.5% (4.0% city sales + 0.5% school tax) — applies to Room/accommodation rentals under 30 days, including cleaning, resort, pet, and damage fees; remitted to the City of Steamboat Springs.; platform collects: yes. Source: https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40617 - **City Accommodations Tax**: 1.0% — applies to Room/accommodation rentals under 30 days within city limits; remitted to the City of Steamboat Springs; funds trail development, Yampa Street improvements, and Haymaker Golf Course capital.; platform collects: yes. Source: https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40615/2025-Accommodations-Tax-Remediated?bidId= - **Short-Term Rental Excise Tax (Referred Measure 2A)**: 9.0% — applies to Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days); does not apply to hotels/motels. Voter-approved Nov. 8, 2022; revenue allocated to affordable/attainable workforce housing; remitted to the City of Steamboat Springs.; platform collects: yes. Source: https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40615/2025-Accommodations-Tax-Remediated?bidId= - **State of Colorado Sales Tax**: 2.9% — applies to Room/accommodation rentals under 30 days; remitted to the State of Colorado.; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40617 - **Routt County Sales Tax**: 1.0% — applies to Room/accommodation rentals under 30 days; remitted to the State of Colorado on the county's behalf.; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40617 - **Local Marketing District (LMD) Accommodations Tax**: 2.0% — applies to Short-term accommodation rentals located within the Steamboat Springs Local Marketing District boundary only; remitted to the State of Colorado.; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40617 ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating, offering, or advertising a short-term rental, hosted STR, or temporary STR without a license is punishable by a municipal-court fine of up to $2,650 per violation per day, and bars the property and any owner from obtaining or renewing a license for 2 years (Sec. 12-571(a)(1)). The city's hearings officer can independently impose a civil penalty of up to $2,650 per violation per day, or suspend/recommend revocation of a license (Sec. 12-579(a)), following escalating guidelines: warning/penalty/14-60 day suspension for a first offense in 2 years, 30-90 days for a second offense in 2 years, 60-180 days for a third offense in 2 years, and revocation recommended for a third offense within 1 year, for operating during a suspension, or for false statements in an application (Sec. 12-579(b)). A revoked license bars the licensee and all property owners/beneficial owners from relicensing for 2 years and subjects the property again to the full zone caps (Sec. 12-579(f)). For Zone A (unrestricted) properties, a first violation for operating without a license requires 15 days' written notice and an opportunity to cure before a citation issues (Sec. 12-571(a)(2), added by Ord. No. 3024, 9-16-25). - Platform liability: It is unlawful to advertise a short-term rental, hosted STR, or temporary STR without displaying the current license number in the advertisement, or to advertise an unlicensed STR at all; this prohibition explicitly extends to "any person providing advertising services to the owner or agent" -- i.e., booking platforms -- in addition to the owner and the owner's agent (Sec. 12-543(d)). - Notes: The city operates a 24/7 STR complaint hotline (970-788-3344) for noise, trash, parking, and other violations. Every licensed unit must post a local responsible party's 24-hour contact information and respond to complaints within 1 hour (Sec. 12-542(5)-(7)). ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - License fee discrepancy: the city's official Licensing page states the STR license fee (new and renewal) is $350/year, but the city's Planning Applications Fee Schedule (effective 1/1/2025) separately lists a 'Short Term Rental Application' fee of $315.00. These may be two distinct fees (e.g., a Community Development Code/zoning application fee vs. the annual Chapter 12 operating-license fee) but this could not be fully reconciled -- Sec. 12-572 of the code itself states only that the fee is 'established by the city manager' for cost recovery, without stating a dollar figure. This profile records $350/year (Licensing page) as the operating-license cost. - The $350/year license fee is stated generally on the city's Licensing page without breaking out whether Hosted and Temporary STR license fees differ from the standard/restricted STR license fee; this profile applies the same figure to all three license types without independent per-type confirmation. - Platform tax collection (collectedByPlatform: true) for the city's 4.5% sales/school tax, 1.0% accommodations tax, and 9.0% STR excise tax is based on Airbnb's own official occupancy-tax help page for Steamboat Springs (airbnb.com/help/article/2298), not a city or state government document. The city's own reporting of its Airbnb/HomeAway tax-collection agreements (via SteamboatToday news coverage) dates to 2016, predating the 2022 STR excise tax, and the current agreement text was not located on an official city source during this session. - Whether Airbnb/VRBO also collect and remit the 2.9% state sales tax, 1.0% Routt County sales tax, or the 2.0% Local Marketing District tax for Steamboat Springs bookings specifically was not confirmed against an official source; those three taxes are recorded with collectedByPlatform: null. - Which specific properties/parcels fall within the Local Marketing District (LMD) boundary, making the additional 2.0% LMD accommodations tax applicable, was not determined from an official source fetched during this session -- the tax PDFs state it applies 'if applicable' and direct hosts to contact the city's sales tax department to confirm. - The geographic boundaries of STR Overlay Zones A, B, and C (which neighborhoods/parcels fall in each zone) were not independently verified against the Official Zone Map or the Community Development Code overlay chapter (Chapter 26) during this session -- library.municode.com's Chapter 26 overlay-zone node could not be located by node ID, and the city's CDC Overlay Zone Amendment PDF (Ordinance No. 2888, steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/28264) could not be parsed as text via the tools available. This profile relies on the zone caps, rules, and city-published Zone A/B/C = Green/Yellow/Red naming (per the FAQ page) rather than the underlying map geometry. - The Vacation Home Rental (VHR) permit -- referenced repeatedly in the code (Sec. 12-574(c),(d), FAQ) as an alternate path to a restricted license in Zone B/C -- is a separate, older Community Development Code permit whose own application requirements and fees were not independently researched in this session. ## Sources - Steamboat Springs Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12, Article IX - Short-Term Rental Licensing (Divisions 1 & 2, current through version dated Jul 1, 2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/co/steamboat_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIISTSPREMUCO_CH12LIPEMIBURE_ARTIXSHRMRELI_DIV1GE - Steamboat Springs Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12, Article IX, Division 2 - License (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://library.municode.com/co/steamboat_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIISTSPREMUCO_CH12LIPEMIBURE_ARTIXSHRMRELI_DIV2LI - Licensing | Steamboat Springs, CO - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-20): https://www.steamboatsprings.net/1360/Licensing - Rules and Regulations | Steamboat Springs, CO - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-20): https://www.steamboatsprings.net/1361/Rules-and-Regulations - STR Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permits and Legal Nonconforming Registration | Steamboat Springs, CO - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://steamboatsprings.net/1328/STR-Legal-Nonconforming-Registration - Frequently Asked Questions | Steamboat Springs, CO - Official Website (STR) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.steamboatsprings.net/1362/Frequently-Asked-Questions - Municipal Tax | Steamboat Springs, CO - Official Website (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.steamboatsprings.net/119/Municipal-Tax - City of Steamboat Springs - Tax Information: Accommodations Tax (Revised 4/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40615/2025-Accommodations-Tax-Remediated?bidId= - City of Steamboat Springs - Tax Information: General Sales Tax Information (Revised 4/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/40617 - City of Steamboat Springs - Planning Applications Fee Schedule (effective 1/1/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.steamboatsprings.net/DocumentCenter/View/35903 - Colorado General Assembly - Short-Term Rentals publication (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://content.leg.colorado.gov/publications/short-term-rentals - Short-term rental regulations in Steamboat officially approved (2022 overlay zone/licensing adoption) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/short-term-rental-regulations-in-steamboat-officially-approved/ - After public pleas, council offers some STR owners 60-day licensing grace period (Ordinance No. 3024 background) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/after-public-pleas-council-offers-some-str-owners-60-day-licensing-grace-period - City of Steamboat Springs secures new tax agreement with Airbnb (2016 platform tax-collection background) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/city-of-steamboat-springs-secures-new-tax-agreement-with-airbnb/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Portland, OR - Status: **BANNED (DE FACTO)** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/portland-or/ ## Summary Portland does not allow non-resident, whole-home short-term rentals: under Portland City Code 33.207 (Accessory Short-Term Rentals, or ASTR), a dwelling can only be rented short-term (stays under 30 consecutive days) if a resident occupies it at least 270 days per calendar year, so an investor who does not live in the unit cannot legally operate it as a whole-home nightly rental in residential zones. Owner- or long-term-tenant-occupied hosts can rent out part of their home: a Type A permit (administrative, from Portland Permitting & Development) covers up to 2 bedrooms/5 guests and costs $504 to apply or renew every 2 years (Enforcement Fee and Penalty Schedule effective 2026-07-10); a Type B Conditional Use Review covers 3-5 bedrooms/up to 10 guests and costs a $10,686 (Type II) or $26,898-$36,126 (Type III, if commercial meetings are proposed) land-use review fee plus a $309 inspection fee, with no renewal but automatic lapse after 3 consecutive years of non-operation. The resident can be absent from the home for up to 95 days per year while guests stay. Guests pay a combined 16% in lodging taxes/assessments -- Portland Transient Lodgings Tax 6%, Multnomah County Transient Lodging Tax 5.5%, Oregon state lodging tax 1.5%, and a Portland Tourism Improvement District assessment of 3% -- plus a flat $4-per-night Portland Housing and Homelessness Fee (PCC 6.09), all of which registered platforms such as Airbnb collect and remit directly. Operating without a permit or exceeding approved bedroom/guest limits draws escalating citations of $1,829 (1st offense), $5,475 (2nd), and $9,122 (3rd and each additional offense) per the Portland Permitting & Development fee schedule effective 2026-07-10, and a March 2026 City Ombudsman report found these penalties fall disproportionately on marginalized operators and recommended (not yet adopted) warnings-first enforcement and a lower cap. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: No - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: 5 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: PCC 33.207.020 defines an ASTR as a dwelling where a resident rents bedrooms (not the whole unit) to overnight guests for fewer than 30 consecutive days; a resident must occupy the dwelling at least 270 days/calendar year (PCC 33.207.040.A.1, .050.A.1), and 'renting entire dwelling units on a short-term basis without a long-term resident occupying the unit for at least 270 days a year is not allowed in residential zones' (portland.gov/bds/astr-permits/before-you-apply). The resident/operator may be absent up to 95 days/year while guests occupy the unit. Type A caps at 2 bedrooms/5 guests (as-of-right, administrative permit); Type B allows 3-5 bedrooms and up to 10 guests, with the exact bedroom/guest count set during a discretionary Conditional Use Review. In commercial/mixed-use, employment, and industrial zones, PCC 33.207.030 lets a 3+ bedroom short-term rental instead be regulated as a Retail Sales and Service commercial use rather than under Chapter 33.207 -- a narrow carve-out whose practical use for non-resident whole-unit rentals was not independently confirmed (see needs_review). ## Requirements ### Type A Accessory Short-Term Rental (ASTR) Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Portland, Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) - Cost: $504 initial application/renewal every 2 years (Business Operation Validation Fee); $186 delinquent renewal fee -- effective 2026-07-10 - Renewal: Every 2 years, renewed by the resident (PCC 33.207.040.C) - Official source: https://www.portland.gov/code/33/200s/207 - Notes: For renting up to 2 bedrooms to a maximum of 5 overnight guests; requires the resident to occupy the dwelling >=270 days/year, mail/deliver a neighbor and neighborhood-association notification letter, and submit resident ID (Oregon driver's license/ID) and property-owner information to PP&D (PCC 33.207.040). Fee verified against Portland Permitting & Development's Enforcement Fee and Penalty Schedule, effective 2026-07-10 (https://www.portland.gov/ppd/documents/enforcement-fee-and-penalty-fee-schedule-city-portland-effective-july-10-2026/download); a City press release confirms ASTR fees increase roughly 5-6%/year for inflation (https://www.portland.gov/community-economic-dev/news/2025/5/27/city-updates-citation-procedure-and-short-term-rental-fees). A revoked Type A permit cannot be reissued for the dwelling for 2 years (PCC 33.207.040.D). ### Type B Accessory Short-Term Rental Conditional Use Review (permit) - Authority: City of Portland, Portland Permitting & Development, Planning and Zoning Division - Cost: Land Use Review fee: $10,686 (Type II, no commercial meetings) or $26,898-$36,126 (Type III, if commercial meetings proposed), plus a $309 Inspection Verification Fee -- effective 2026-07-10 - Renewal: No renewal required; approval is transferable with sale of the house, but is lost if ASTR operation stops for more than 3 consecutive years - Official source: https://portland.gov/bds/astr-permits/3-5-bedrooms-type-b-permits - Notes: For renting 3-5 bedrooms; same >=270 day residency rule as Type A (PCC 33.207.050.A.1). Processed as a Type II land-use review, or Type III if the operator proposes commercial meetings/events (up to 24/year, allowed in all zones except single-dwelling zones). Fees verified against the Land Use Services Fee Schedule effective 2026-07-10 (https://www.portland.gov/ppd/documents/land-use-services-fee-schedule-city-portland-effective-july-10-2026/download, 'Conditional Use' table) and the Enforcement Fee and Penalty Schedule effective 2026-07-10 for the Inspection Verification Fee. Renewal/lapse terms confirmed at https://www.portland.gov/ppd/astr-permits/maintain-astr-permits-and-conditional-uses. ### Bedroom Safety Standards (smoke/CO detectors, sleeping-room code compliance) (inspection) - Authority: City of Portland, Portland Permitting & Development - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Verified by PP&D for each bedroom at permit issuance (PCC 33.207.040.B.4 / .050.B.4) - Official source: https://www.portland.gov/code/33/200s/207 - Notes: Every rented bedroom must have met sleeping-room building-code requirements when created (exempt for bedrooms in multi-dwelling structures and triplexes), have a smoke detector interconnected with one in an adjacent hallway, and be on a floor with a functioning carbon monoxide alarm if the unit has a CO source. ### Transient Lodgings Tax Registration / Certificate of Authority (registration) - Authority: City of Portland Revenue Division - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Register within 15 calendar days of commencing business; Certificate of Authority is nonassignable/nontransferable and must be returned if the business closes or moves - Official source: https://www.portland.gov/code/6/04/060 - Notes: Required of every ASTR operator even if all bookings run through a platform that remits tax directly; the certificate must be displayed to guests (or linked during online booking). A separate City of Portland/Multnomah County Business License Tax program may also apply to rental income above an exemption threshold; the current rate/threshold as applied to ASTR hosts was not verified this session (see needs_review). ## Taxes - **Portland Transient Lodgings Tax**: 6% (5% General Fund + 1% Travel Portland/tourism promotion) — applies to Transient lodging stays under 30 consecutive days within Portland city limits; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.portland.gov/code/6/04 - **Multnomah County Transient Lodging Tax**: 5.5% — applies to Transient lodging stays under 30 consecutive days within Multnomah County, including Portland; platform collects: yes. Source: https://multco.us/info/multnomah-county-transient-lodging-tax - **Oregon State Transient Lodging Tax**: 1.5% — applies to Transient lodging stays under 30 consecutive days, statewide; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/businesses/pages/lodging.aspx - **Portland Tourism Improvement District (TID) Assessment**: 3% — applies to Hotel and short-term rental room revenue for reservations made on or after 2021-07-01, within Portland city limits; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.portland.gov/code/6/05 - **Portland Housing and Homelessness Fee (Nightly Fee on Short-Term Rentals)**: $4 per night per booking — applies to Short-term rental bookings of 1-30 nights within Portland (hotels are exempt), for reservations made on or after 2018-08-01; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.portland.gov/code/6/09/020 ## Enforcement - Penalties: ASTR violations (operating without a permit, exceeding approved bedroom/guest counts, violating Type B conditional-use conditions, or failing to provide guest transactional data within 30 days of a City request per PCC 33.207.060) are cited under PP&D Administrative Rule ENB-13.01 at escalating fines of $1,829 (1st offense), $5,475 (2nd offense), and $9,122 (3rd and each additional offense), per the Enforcement Fee and Penalty Schedule effective 2026-07-10 (https://www.portland.gov/ppd/documents/enforcement-fee-and-penalty-fee-schedule-city-portland-effective-july-10-2026/download; rule text at https://www.portland.gov/ppd/documents/enb-1301-accessory-short-term-rental-astr-enforcement-full-text-policy/download). Each day of continued non-compliance may be cited as a separate violation, and distinct violation types can be cited together; the City's own 2025-05-27 press release put the then-current stacked maximum at $26,201 (https://www.portland.gov/community-economic-dev/news/2025/5/27/city-updates-citation-procedure-and-short-term-rental-fees), and a 2026-03-04 City Ombudsman report cites an updated stacked maximum of $27,513 (https://www.portland.gov/auditor/ombudsman/news/2026/3/4/accessory-short-term-rentals-changes-city-rules-and-enforcement) -- the two figures were not reconciled to a single number (see needs_review). Unpaid citation fines double if not paid within 15 days and become a lien on the property plus a 10% surcharge. Separately, violating booking-agent/operator tax duties under PCC 6.04.040.C/D carries a $1,000-per-violation-per-day civil penalty, with each booking transaction or fee collected treated as a separate violation (PCC 6.04.080.G). Ordinary Transient Lodgings Tax delinquency penalties are 10% (original delinquency), an additional 15% (continued delinquency), 25% for fraud/evasion, and 1%/month compounding interest (PCC 6.04.080). - Platform liability: Booking agents/platforms (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo) must register with the Revenue Division and file monthly Transient Lodgings Tax/TID reports (PCC 6.04.040, 6.04.060). Platforms that have entered a direct collection arrangement with the City -- Airbnb is listed as a '100% remitter' of the City's 6% tax, the County's 5.5% tax, the 3% TID assessment, and the $4/night Housing and Homelessness Fee (https://www.portland.gov/revenue/tlt) -- collect and remit on the host's behalf, and the host does not file a separate return for those bookings (host still must register). A booking agent/operator that violates its PCC 6.04.040 collection/remittance duties faces a $1,000-per-violation-per-day civil penalty (PCC 6.04.080.G). PP&D also states it 'partners with short-term rental platforms and operators' on enforcement outreach regarding residency requirements (2025-05-27 press release). - Notes: ASTR permit/citation fee amounts are adjusted roughly annually; the figures above are those in effect as of the 2026-07-18 as-of date (fee schedule effective 2026-07-10). A 2026-03-04 City Ombudsman report found Portland's first-violation maximum fine to be at least 27x higher than comparable cities, that the City issues no warnings before fining (unlike Denver, Sacramento, San Diego, and Minneapolis), and that roughly 55% of operators fined $10,000+ may be non-white, recent immigrants, or LGBTQ+; see pending_changes. ## Pending changes - City Ombudsman report recommends: (1) issuing a warning before the first fine and cutting the first-violation maximum from roughly $27,513 to $7,255; (2) shifting to proactive enforcement using third-party listing/booking data instead of complaint-driven citations; (3) narrowing the cost gap between Type A and Type B permits; and (4) imposing a hard, no-exceptions cap of 95 rental days/year when the resident is not present. None of these recommendations had been adopted by City Council as of the report date. (proposed, 2026-03-04) — https://www.portland.gov/auditor/ombudsman/news/2026/3/4/accessory-short-term-rentals-changes-city-rules-and-enforcement ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - A separate City of Portland/Multnomah County Business License Tax (net income tax) likely also applies to ASTR rental income above a small-business exemption threshold; I confirmed the program exists (portland.gov/code/7/02, portland.gov/revenue/business-tax) but did not verify its current rate or exemption threshold as applied to ASTR hosts specifically, so it is omitted from requirements[]/taxes[] rather than guessed. - The maximum stacked ASTR citation figure differs between the City's own 2025-05-27 press release ($26,201) and the 2026-03-04 City Ombudsman report ($27,513); both are official portland.gov sources but I could not reconcile the discrepancy to one authoritative number (it likely reflects the July 2025 vs. July 2026 fee-schedule updates and/or different assumptions about which violation types stack). The base per-offense figures I cite directly ($1,829/$5,475/$9,122) are independently verified against the July 10, 2026 Enforcement Fee and Penalty Schedule and are not in question. - The Type B Conditional Use Review land-use fee figures ($10,686 Type II / $26,898-$36,126 Type III) were extracted from a dense multi-column PDF fee table (Land Use Services Fee Schedule effective 2026-07-10) using layout-preserving text extraction and cross-checked against the raw table structure, but I did not obtain independent phone/email confirmation from Portland Permitting & Development, so a residual risk of column-misalignment error exists on this specific figure. - PCC 33.207.030 allows a 3+ bedroom short-term rental in commercial/mixed-use, employment, or industrial zones to instead be regulated as a Retail Sales and Service commercial use rather than under the ASTR/residency framework; I confirmed this cross-reference exists in the code but did not independently verify how often, or under what additional commercial-zoning/change-of-use requirements, this pathway is actually used to operate a non-resident whole-unit short-term rental. ## Sources - Portland City Code 33.207, Accessory Short-Term Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/code/33/200s/207 - Portland City Code 33.207, Accessory Short-Term Rentals (full-text PDF) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/sites/default/files/code/207-accessory-short-term-rentals_3.pdf - Accessory Short-Term Rental Permits (ASTR) - Read Before You Apply (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/bds/astr-permits/before-you-apply - Accessory Short-Term Rental (ASTR) Permits - overview (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/ppd/astr-permits - ASTR Type A Permits - 1-2 Bedrooms (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/ppd/astr-permits/1-2-bedrooms-type-permits - ASTR Type B Conditional Uses - 3-5 Bedrooms (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://portland.gov/bds/astr-permits/3-5-bedrooms-type-b-permits - Maintaining Accessory Short-Term Rental Permits and Conditional Uses (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/ppd/astr-permits/maintain-astr-permits-and-conditional-uses - ENB-13.01 - Accessory Short-Term Rental (ASTR) Enforcement (policy page) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/policies/environment-built/permitting-development-administrative-policies-procedures/enb-1301 - ENB-13.01 - Accessory Short-Term Rental (ASTR) Enforcement (full-text administrative rule PDF, amended 2024-11-07) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/ppd/documents/enb-1301-accessory-short-term-rental-astr-enforcement-full-text-policy/download - Portland Permitting & Development Enforcement Fee and Penalty Schedule, effective 2026-07-10 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/ppd/documents/enforcement-fee-and-penalty-fee-schedule-city-portland-effective-july-10-2026/download - Land Use Services Fee Schedule, City of Portland, effective 2026-07-10 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/ppd/documents/land-use-services-fee-schedule-city-portland-effective-july-10-2026/download - Fee Schedules: Building Permit Costs, Trade Permit Costs and Other PP&D Fees (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/ppd/current-fee-schedules - Transient Lodgings Filing and Payment Information (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/revenue/transient-lodgings-tax - Portland City Code Chapter 6.04, Transient Lodgings Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/code/6/04 - Portland City Code 6.04.060, Registration of Operator; Form and Contents; Certification of Authority (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/code/6/04/060 - Portland Charter Section 7-113, Transient Lodgings Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/charter/7/1/113 - Portland City Code Chapter 6.05, Tourism Improvement District (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/code/6/05 - Portland City Code 6.09.020, Fee Imposed (Nightly Fee on Short-Term Rentals) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/code/6/09/020 - Transient Lodgings Tax & PTID Assessment Quarterly Report - Short Term Rental Only (Form TLQR STR, Rev. 09/29/2025) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/revenue/documents/short-term-rental-quarterly-report-updated-tid-fill-print/download - Transient Lodgings Tax (TLT) - Online Travel Companies collection status (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/revenue/tlt - File your Short Term Rental Transient Lodgings Report (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/revenue/file-str - Transient Lodgings Tax Policies (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/revenue/transient-lodgings-tax-policies - Multnomah County Transient Lodging Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://multco.us/info/multnomah-county-transient-lodging-tax - Oregon Department of Revenue, Transient Lodging Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/businesses/pages/lodging.aspx - Oregon Legislature, HB 2977 (2025 Regular Session) overview (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB2977 - City Updates Citation Procedure and Short-Term Rental Fees (press release, 2025-05-27) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/community-economic-dev/news/2025/5/27/city-updates-citation-procedure-and-short-term-rental-fees - Accessory Short-Term Rentals: Changes in City rules and enforcement methods needed to increase equity and effectiveness (City Ombudsman report, 2026-03-04) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.portland.gov/auditor/ombudsman/news/2026/3/4/accessory-short-term-rentals-changes-city-rules-and-enforcement - Portland's hefty fines harm short-term rental operators, report finds (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/04/portland-fines-short-term-rental-operators-report/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Atlanta, GA - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/atlanta-ga/ ## Summary Atlanta regulates short-term rentals (stays of 30 consecutive days or less) under the City of Atlanta Short-Term Rental Ordinance, 20-O-1656 (adopted March 15, 2021; effective September 1, 2021; licensing enforcement began March 5, 2023 after two earlier delays). A short-term rental owner or long-term tenant must first register their primary residence and may add one additional dwelling unit to the same license -- no more than two properties per person under current law -- by paying a non-refundable $150/year application fee to the Department of City Planning, notifying adjacent property owners by certified mail, posting written rules, and naming a 24/7-available STR agent; the host does not have to be present during a stay. Maximum occupancy is capped at two adults per bedroom rather than a flat guest number. Guests pay an 8% City of Atlanta hotel-motel occupancy tax on the total charge for the rental, plus Georgia's $5-per-night state hotel-motel fee (waived after 30 consecutive nights) and roughly 8.9% combined Georgia state/Fulton County sales tax; Airbnb and Vrbo, as marketplace facilitators/innkeepers, collect and remit the state fee and sales tax automatically. Operating without a license triggers citations and a mandatory one-year ban on applying for that property; a licensed property that accumulates three violations loses its license and can't reapply for 12 months, with fully adjudicated violations carrying a $500 penalty each. As of July 2026, two citywide bills remain stalled in council committee that would raise the fee to $250, add a $500,000 insurance requirement, and (in a separate, newer bill) create a City Office of Short-Term Rentals with platform permitting, a 275-day owner-occupancy test, and a 90-night annual cap on unhosted rentals -- none of this is current law yet. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Yes - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 31 days Notes: A short-term rental license (STRL) may be obtained by the owner or long-term tenant of a primary residence, and may cover one additional (non-primary) dwelling unit on the same license -- Sec. 20-1004(d) of Ordinance 20-O-1656. The owner/tenant does not need to be physically present during a guest's stay; the requirement is that they hold a primary residence in the city, not that they host in person. Nothing in the ordinance sets a single numeric guest cap -- Sec. 20-1005(b)(1)(b) instead limits occupancy to two adults per bedroom. 'Short-term rental' is defined (Sec. 20-1003) as a dwelling unit provided for lodging not to exceed 30 consecutive days, so stays of 31+ consecutive days fall outside the ordinance and the related state $5/night fee. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental License (STRL) (license) - Authority: City of Atlanta Department of City Planning - Cost: $150/year - Renewal: Annual; STRL is valid 12 months from issuance, email reminder sent 30 days before expiration, renewal via affidavit - Official source: https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/city-planning/ordinances-regulations/short-term-rental - Notes: Non-refundable $150 application fee under Sec. 20-1005(a) of Ordinance 20-O-1656. Covers a primary residence and, optionally, one additional dwelling unit per owner/long-term tenant (Sec. 20-1004(d)) -- no more than 2 properties per person under current law. Requires certified-mail notice to adjacent property owners, posted written rules (noise, occupancy, eviction/fine acknowledgement), and a designated STR agent available 24/7. Processing takes up to 10 business days per the city's FAQ. Direct fetch of this page returned HTTP 403 in this session; content verified via a Wayback Machine capture dated 2026-06-11, and the underlying ordinance PDF (id=53344) was likewise retrieved via a Wayback capture of the same atlantaga.gov URL after a direct-fetch 403. ## Taxes - **City of Atlanta Hotel-Motel Occupancy Tax**: 8% — applies to Total charge for furnishing a short-term rental (per Sec. 20-1010 of Ordinance 20-O-1656, citing O.C.G.A. Section 48-13-51(a)(5) and (b)(7)(a)); platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.atlantaga.gov/home/showdocument?id=53344&t=637732653252142114 - **Georgia State Hotel-Motel Fee**: $5.00 per night — applies to Each night of a taxable lodging stay, including short-term rentals booked through a marketplace innkeeper; the fee stops being collected once a guest's stay reaches 31 consecutive nights (extended-stay exemption); platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.georgia.gov/state-hotel-motel-faq - **Georgia State and Local Sales Tax (Fulton County / Atlanta)**: 8.9% combined (4% state + local Fulton County/Atlanta components, effective January 1, 2026 rate chart) — applies to Short-term rental listing price and mandatory fees (e.g., cleaning fees); marketplace facilitators with over $100,000 in annual Georgia sales (which covers Airbnb/Vrbo) must collect and remit on behalf of hosts; platform collects: yes. Source: https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/general-rate-chart-effective-january-1-2026-through-march-31-2026/download ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating a short-term rental without an STRL is unlawful; the city's official FAQ states this results in enforcement action, including citations, and a mandatory one-year waiting period before any STRL application will be accepted or considered for that property. For licensed properties, once a short-term rental agent/property has accumulated three violations, the city revokes any pending licenses and rejects all applications for that property for 12 consecutive months; fully adjudicated violations carry a $500 penalty per violation (Sec. 20-1008(c), Ordinance 20-O-1656). Separately, the ordinance provides that any person violating the Code generally 'shall be punished as provided by Section 1-8' of the Atlanta Code, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense -- the exact fine/imprisonment range under Section 1-8 could not be independently confirmed against a bot-wall-free official source this session (see needs_review). - Platform liability: Current law (Ordinance 20-O-1656, Sec. 20-1008(f)) requires an STRL holder to ensure that any online platform used to advertise their rental (i) provides a phone line/website for neighbors to submit complaints, (ii) helps educate STR agents about the ordinance, and (iii) meets with the Department of City Planning within the ordinance's first year to discuss implementation. It does not currently impose direct permitting, listing-verification, insurance, or fine obligations on booking platforms themselves -- a pending bill (Ordinance 26-O-1084, still held in committee as of July 6, 2026) would add those platform-side obligations; see pending_changes. - Notes: Licensing enforcement began March 5, 2023, after the city twice extended the original enforcement date (first from spring 2022 to June 1, 2022, then to September 6, 2022, and finally to March 5, 2023) via Ordinance 22-O-1241 and subsequent administrative extensions. The Atlanta Police Department enforces violations at properties with an active STRL; Zoning Enforcement (Dept. of City Planning) enforces against unlicensed properties. Complaints are submitted to STR@atlantaga.gov or CodeBustersDCP@atlantaga.gov, which assigns a case number for investigation. ## Pending changes - Ordinance 26-O-1084 (Councilmember Byron D. Amos) would create an Office of Short-Term Rentals within the Department of City Planning, establish a citywide STR registry, restrict STR eligibility to a 'permanent resident' (defined as occupying the unit at least 275 days per calendar year), cap unhosted rentals at 90 nights per calendar year, and require booking platforms to hold a City STR Platform Permit, re-verify every listing at least every 30 days through a City-run Electronic Verification System, carry at least $1,000,000 in commercial general liability insurance naming the City as additional insured, file monthly listing/tax reports, and pay civil fines of $1,000 per unverified/illegal listing per day. (proposed, 2026-01-20 introduced; referred to Community Development/Human Services Committee same day; held in committee 2026-01-27 (5-0) and again as of 2026-07-06) — https://atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=39598 - Ordinance 24-O-1687 (Councilmember Byron D. Amos) would raise the STRL application fee from $150 to $250, add a requirement for at least $500,000 in liability insurance and a City of Atlanta Occupational Tax Certificate, create a new multi-family-complex STR license tier (capped at 10% of a building's units), impose a 1,000-foot spacing rule between licensed single-family/two-family STRs, require the designated STR agent to reside in one of 12 listed metro-Atlanta counties, and remove the current 2-property-per-person cap so a licensee could hold an unlimited number of STR licenses. (proposed, Last committee action: held 2024-12-10 by committee for additional information and further review; current status beyond that date not confirmed) — https://atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=30&ID=420379&MeetingID=4068 - Atlanta City Council took several neighborhood-specific short-term-rental actions in 2025: news outlets reported passage of an ordinance banning new STR licenses in the Home Park neighborhood near Georgia Tech (~August 18, 2025, with existing licensed STRs grandfathered), while a similar ban proposed for parts of northeast Atlanta was rejected by a 7-6 council vote on November 17, 2025. These are hyperlocal zoning-style overlays layered on the citywide STRL framework, not changes to citywide rules, and their exact ordinance numbers/final text were not independently confirmed against an official council record this session. (passed-not-effective, 2025-08-18 (reported Home Park passage); 2025-11-17 (northeast Atlanta ban rejected)) — https://www.gpb.org/news/2025/08/19/atlanta-approves-short-term-rental-limits-for-neighborhood-near-georgia-tech ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Atlanta City Code Sec. 1-8 (general penalty for Code violations, referenced by Ordinance 20-O-1656 Sec. 20-1008(d) for continuing violations) could not be independently verified against atlantaga.gov or a bot-wall-free official code portal this session; library.municode.com returned only a JavaScript application shell (no rendered text) both live and via the one available Wayback capture, consistent with the known bot-wall on Municode/AmLegal this session. Secondary, non-primary sources suggest a general fine cap in this range, but this was not confirmed against an approved official source. - Whether the City of Atlanta's 8% hotel-motel occupancy tax (Ordinance 20-O-1656, Sec. 20-1010) is automatically collected and remitted by booking platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) versus falling on the individual host/agent to remit was not confirmed via an official government source. Georgia DOR confirms marketplace-facilitator collection for the state $5/night fee and for state/local sales tax, but no official source this session explicitly addressed platform collection of the city-specific hotel-motel occupancy tax. - Whether Ordinance 24-O-1687 (STRL fee increase to $250, $500,000 insurance requirement, multi-family tier, 1,000-foot spacing rule) remains actively pending, has been folded into the newer Ordinance 26-O-1084, or has quietly lapsed could not be confirmed beyond its last recorded committee action (held December 10, 2024). Neither bill is current law as of this review. - The 2025 Home Park neighborhood short-term-rental ban and the rejected northeast Atlanta ban were reported by multiple local news outlets but could not be independently verified against an official Atlanta City Council legislative record (search of atlantacityga.iqm2.com did not surface a confirmable official file for the reported ordinance number) this session. This citywide profile does not reflect neighborhood-specific overlays -- hosts in Home Park or other neighborhoods with council-passed overlays should confirm local rules separately. - The full current text of Atlanta Code Part 20 (Short Term Rentals) on Municode could not be loaded this session (JavaScript-rendered single-page application returns only an empty shell to both direct fetch and the one available Wayback Machine capture, dated 2022-08-22). The core requirements, occupancy formula, and penalty figures in this profile are instead sourced directly from the original adopted ordinance PDF (20-O-1656, official atlantaga.gov document id=53344), retrieved via a Wayback Machine capture dated 2026-06-11 because the live atlantaga.gov URL returned HTTP 403 to both WebFetch and curl with a browser user-agent this session. No amendment to Part 20 has passed since original adoption (23-O-1084 automatically terminated in 2024; 24-O-1687 and 26-O-1084 remain held in committee), so the 2021 ordinance text is believed current, but this could not be cross-checked against the codified Municode version. ## Sources - Short-Term Rental — Department of City Planning, City of Atlanta (program page: eligibility, fee, renewal, complaints, appeal process, FAQ) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/departments/city-planning/ordinances-regulations/short-term-rental - 20-O-1656 — City of Atlanta Short Term Rental Ordinance (adopted ordinance text, Sec. 20-1001 through 20-1010) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.atlantaga.gov/home/showdocument?id=53344&t=637732653252142114 - City of Atlanta Short Term Rental Program — ATL311 Knowledge Article KB0013809 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.atl311.com/en-us/knowledgearticle/?code=KB0013809 - State Hotel-Motel Fee FAQ — Georgia Department of Revenue ($5/night fee, marketplace innkeeper collection, extended-stay exemption) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.georgia.gov/state-hotel-motel-faq - State Hotel-Motel Fee — Georgia Department of Revenue (index page) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.georgia.gov/taxes/taxes-business/other-business-taxes/state-hotel-motel-fee - Marketplace Facilitators — Georgia Department of Revenue ($100,000 sales-price collection/remittance threshold) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.georgia.gov/marketplace-facilitators - Georgia Sales and Use Tax Rate Chart, Effective January 1, 2026 through March 31, 2026 — Georgia Department of Revenue (confirms 8.9% Fulton/Atlanta combined rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://dor.georgia.gov/document/document/general-rate-chart-effective-january-1-2026-through-march-31-2026/download - Ordinance 20-O-1656 legislative file — Atlanta City Council legislative management system (adoption record) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=22711 - Ordinance 22-O-1241 legislative file — Atlanta City Council (2022 enforcement-suspension ordinance, historical) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=29293 - Ordinance 23-O-1084 legislative file — Atlanta City Council (2023 amendment proposal; status 'Automatically Terminated (Filed) May 6, 2024' — confirms it never took effect) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=32010 - Ordinance 24-O-1687 full text — Atlanta City Council (fee increase, insurance, multi-family tier, spacing rule; held 12/10/24) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=30&ID=420379&MeetingID=4068 - Ordinance 26-O-1084 legislative file — Atlanta City Council (Office of Short-Term Rentals bill; full text, meeting history, held status through 2026-07-06) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=39598 - Community Development Committee holds changes to short-term rental ordinance — Center for Civic Innovation (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://civicatlanta.org/blog/2025-03-30-committee-holds-short-term-rental-ordinance - New short-term rental legislation introduced — Center for Civic Innovation (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://civicatlanta.org/blog/2026-01-25-new-short-term-rental-legislation - Atlanta City Council votes to ban short term rentals in Home Park — Rough Draft Atlanta (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2025/08/18/home-park-neighborhood-airbnb-regulation/ - Atlanta approves short-term rental limits for neighborhood near Georgia Tech — Georgia Public Broadcasting (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.gpb.org/news/2025/08/19/atlanta-approves-short-term-rental-limits-for-neighborhood-near-georgia-tech - City council rejects proposal to ban short-term rentals in northeast Atlanta — Atlanta News First (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/11/18/city-council-rejects-proposal-ban-short-term-rentals-northeast-atlanta/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Philadelphia, PA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/philadelphia-pa/ ## Summary Philadelphia splits short-term rentals (any stay of 30 consecutive days or less) into two tracks under Bill No. 210081 (2021), codified at Phila. Code §14-604(13) and §9-3909: 'Limited Lodging' is a homeowner or long-term renter offering their own primary residence (capped at 3 unrelated occupants including the host, guests only 8am-midnight, no separate street-facing entrance) under a $150/year Limited Lodging Operator License; 'Visitor Accommodations' is any non-primary-residence whole-home rental, which is a commercial 'hotel' use permitted by-right only in specific commercial/mixed-use zoning districts (CMX-3, CMX-4, CMX-5, CA-1, CA-2, RMX-1, RMX-2) and requires a Rental License with a hotel designation ($69/unit/year) plus a zoning permit -- in the ordinary residential rowhome districts that make up most of the city, an investor buying a whole home purely to run it as an unhosted STR needs a Zoning Board of Adjustment variance, which is discretionary and not guaranteed. Both tracks also require a free Commercial Activity License, an L&I inspection, and (for Limited Lodging) lead-safety certification; a zoning permit must be obtained before the operating license can be issued. Guests pay a combined 15.5% tax on every booking: 8.5% City Hotel Tax (Phila. Code Ch. 19-2400) plus 7% Pennsylvania Hotel Occupancy Tax (6% state + 1% Philadelphia County local add-on); Airbnb collects and remits both automatically, but hosts using other channels must register and file themselves. Enforcement has ramped up since 2023: booking agents (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) must hold their own Limited Lodging and Hotels Booking Agent License and must delist any property the City flags as unlicensed within 5 business days (Phila. Code §9-3910); a June 2026 City Controller review found roughly a third of STR-linked licenses citywide were inactive, expired, or ineligible. A Mayoral proposal to raise the combined tax to 21.5% for five years (part of the FY27 budget) was rejected by City Council in June 2026, so the 15.5% rate remains current as of this writing. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: 3 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Philadelphia does not require primary residence for all STRs -- it requires it only for the 'Limited Lodging' track (Phila. Code §14-604(13)); non-primary-residence whole-home STR is legal as 'Visitor Accommodations' but only in zoning districts that permit the commercial 'hotel' use by right (CMX-3/4/5, CA-1/2, RMX-1/2), which excludes most of the city's residential rowhome blocks -- elsewhere it requires a discretionary ZBA variance, hence 'conditional' rather than a flat yes/no. The 3-occupant cap (owner + lodgers, unrelated by blood/marriage/adoption/Life Partner status) is a Limited Lodging-specific standard under §14-604(13)(b)(.1); Visitor Accommodations occupancy is instead governed by building/fire code occupancy classification (e.g. R-1) rather than a single numeric guest cap, so no verified single figure applies to that track. The 30-consecutive-day threshold defines 'short-term rental' for both zoning tracks and for both the city Hotel Tax and PA Hotel Occupancy Tax. ## Requirements ### Limited Lodging Operator License (license) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) - Cost: $150/year (includes a $20 non-refundable application fee credited toward the total) - Renewal: Annual, with a required pass/fail inspection at renewal - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/rental-and-property/get-a-limited-lodging-operator-license/ - Notes: Required under Phila. Code §9-3909 for anyone offering their primary residence as a short-term rental. Only a primary resident (owner with homestead exemption, or a renter living there >half the year with the owner's written authorization) may hold this license; in the Tenth Councilmanic District only an owner-occupant may hold it (renters are excluded). Requires a valid Commercial Activity License, no outstanding unresolved L&I violations, and a Limited Lodging zoning permit already in hand. ### Zoning Permit for Limited Lodging (accessory use) (permit) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Tied to the underlying use; no separate renewal cycle identified - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/2022-07-21-updated-guidance-on-required-zoning-permits-and-licenses-for-philadelphia-short-term-rentals-and-hosts/ - Notes: Required under Phila. Zoning Code §14-604(13) before a Limited Lodging Operator License application can be submitted; must be filed alongside the primary underlying-use permit (e.g. Single/Two/Multi-Family Household Living). Exact zoning-permit application fee could not be confirmed against the City's own fee-schedule PDF this session -- see needs_review. ### Rental License (Hotel designation) for Visitor Accommodations (license) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) - Cost: $69/unit/year (no fee for units the owner occupies, which does not apply to Visitor Accommodations by definition) - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/rental-and-property/get-a-rental-license/ - Notes: Required under Phila. Code §9-3902 for any non-primary-residence unit offered as a short-term/'hotel' rental; must be specifically designated for hotel use and cannot be issued until the Visitor Accommodations zoning permit is obtained. ### Zoning Permit for Visitor Accommodations (permit) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Tied to the underlying use; no separate renewal cycle identified - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/2022-07-21-updated-guidance-on-required-zoning-permits-and-licenses-for-philadelphia-short-term-rentals-and-hosts/ - Notes: Visitor Accommodations (Phila. Zoning Code §14-601(7)(n)) is permitted by-right only in CMX-3, CMX-4, CMX-5, CA-1, CA-2, RMX-1 and RMX-2 districts. Outside those districts the permit application will be denied by L&I; the owner can appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a variance or special exception, which is discretionary and requires a posted notice and Registered Community Organization meeting. ### Commercial Activity License (license) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) / Department of Revenue - Cost: Free (no fee; never expires) - Renewal: Does not expire - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/activity/get-a-commercial-activity-license/ - Notes: Prerequisite for both the Limited Lodging Operator License and the hotel-designated Rental License. ### L&I Pre-Licensing Inspection (inspection) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required at initial application and at every annual renewal - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/media/20250924082427/PZ_003_FAQ-Limited-Lodging-Rev-9.25.pdf - Notes: Virtual or on-site inspection required to obtain and renew a Limited Lodging Operator License; one free reinspection is allowed if the first inspection fails, after which the application is cancelled and the owner may reapply. ### Lead-safe / lead-free certification (other) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Public Health / L&I - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Per Philadelphia lead-disclosure law renewal cycle - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/rental-and-property/get-a-limited-lodging-operator-license/ - Notes: Owners must certify compliance with the City's lead-safety rules and the property must be certified lead-free or lead-safe before a Limited Lodging Operator License is issued. ### Limited Lodging and Hotels Booking Agent License (license) - Authority: Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) - Cost: $7,000 initial (includes $20 non-refundable application fee), $5,000/year renewal - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/rental-and-property/get-a-limited-lodging-booking-agent-license/ - Notes: This license is held by the booking platform/agent (e.g. Airbnb, Vrbo), not by an individual host -- included here because Phila. Code §9-3909(4) requires a Limited Lodging operator to advertise only through a licensed Booking Agent, so a host's ability to list depends on the platform holding this license. ## Taxes - **Philadelphia Hotel Tax (Hotel Room Rental Tax)**: 8.5% — applies to Rental of any room/unit for accommodation, including private homes, for stays of 30 consecutive days or less (31+ day stays are exempt); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/taxes/business-taxes/business-taxes-by-type/hotel-tax/ - **Pennsylvania Hotel Occupancy Tax (state + Philadelphia County local add-on)**: 7% combined (6% state hotel occupancy tax + 1% Philadelphia County local hotel occupancy tax on the same base) — applies to Rental of rooms/apartments/houses, including via online/third-party brokers, for stays of less than 30 days to the same person; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax/home-sharing ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating a Limited Lodging or Visitor Accommodations short-term rental without the required license or in violation of §14-604(13)'s standards is a Title 9 violation; Phila. Code §9-105 sets a fine of not less than $150 nor more than $300 per violation, escalating to a separate 'Repeat Violation' offense (fine up to $300, or up to 90 days' imprisonment, or both) for each subsequent violation of the same provision. A licensee who does not pay an imposed fine/costs within 10 days of a final, non-appealable order has the license revoked and must cease operating until paid. Some press coverage from 2023 describes escalating daily fines of $300/$1,000/$2,000 tied to violation class, but that figure could not be verified against an official source this session -- see needs_review. - Platform liability: Booking agents must hold a Limited Lodging and Hotels Booking Agent License and, before listing a property, obtain evidence of a valid Limited Lodging Operator License or hotel-designated Rental License plus the license-holder's written consent to disclose booking data to the City (Phila. Code §9-3910). When L&I notifies a booking agent that a listed property's required license is not in place, the agent must remove the listing within 5 business days or risk liability for the violation itself; a booking agent that removes the listing within that window is not liable. - Notes: L&I began actively notifying booking agents of unlicensed listings starting July 12, 2023, leading to roughly 1,500-1,700 listings being removed from major platforms per contemporaneous local press coverage (not independently re-verified against an official L&I dataset this session). A Philadelphia City Controller's Office review (accessed 2026-07-18) found that of 3,734 licenses associated with STR bookings it analyzed, 1,327 were inactive, expired, or ineligible, and described L&I's ongoing oversight as complaint-driven and constrained by limited staff capacity. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - The exact dollar fee for the Zoning Permit application itself (as distinct from the Limited Lodging Operator License or Rental License fees, which are confirmed) could not be verified against the City's official 'Summary of zoning permit fees – 2025' PDF this session; a third-party source cites roughly $25 (1-2 family dwellings) or $100 (other buildings) plus $174 to issue, but this was not independently confirmed against the official fee schedule. - A recurring claim on several STR-vendor blogs (e.g. steadily.com) states Philadelphia's zoning code for short-term rentals changed 'effective December 2, 2025 through early 2026.' This could not be corroborated against phila.gov, phila.legistar.com, or a Philadelphia zoning-law firm's own 2025 mid-year legislative review (which lists no STR/limited-lodging/visitor-accommodations bills among the zoning changes passed in 2025). Treat this claim as unverified; it is not reflected in this profile. - Press coverage from 2023 (e.g. Billy Penn) describes an escalating L&I fine structure of $300/day (Class 1), $1,000/day (Class 2), and $2,000/day (Class 3) for short-term-rental-related violations. The only fine structure this session could verify against an official source is the flat Title 9 general penalty in Phila. Code §9-105 ($150-$300 per violation, escalating fines/imprisonment only for a separate 'Repeat Violation' offense), read via a 2021-09-20 Wayback Machine capture because the live amlegal.com page is bot-walled and no more recent capture was available. The daily/class-based figure could not be confirmed and may reflect a different, more general Property Maintenance Code (Title 4) fine schedule rather than the Title 9 licensing penalty specific to Limited Lodging/Visitor Accommodations. - Whether Airbnb (or other platforms) separately collects and remits the 1-percentage-point Philadelphia County local add-on to the PA Hotel Occupancy Tax, versus only the base 6% state rate, could not be confirmed from an official source; pa.gov describes the county add-on as part of the same 7% remittance base but does not explicitly confirm platform-level collection of that specific 1 percentage point. - No official numeric 'max guests' figure could be found for the Visitor Accommodations (non-primary-residence, whole-home) track; that use type appears to be governed by building/fire code occupancy classification (e.g. R-1 occupancy) rather than a single stated cap. The max_guests value of 3 recorded in this profile applies only to the Limited Lodging (primary-residence) track under Phila. Code §14-604(13)(b)(.1). ## Sources - Get a Limited Lodging Operator License — City of Philadelphia (fee, eligibility, inspection, renewal) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/rental-and-property/get-a-limited-lodging-operator-license/ - FAQ: Can I rent my unit as a short-term rental/limited lodging using services like Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, etc.? (PZ_003_FAQ, Rev. 9.2025) — Philadelphia Dept. of Licenses and Inspections (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/media/20250924082427/PZ_003_FAQ-Limited-Lodging-Rev-9.25.pdf - Rent your property (short-term) — City of Philadelphia (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/rent-or-sell-property/rent-your-property-short-term/ - Hotel Tax — City of Philadelphia (rate, filing, platform collection) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/taxes/business-taxes/business-taxes-by-type/hotel-tax/ - Home-sharing/Third-party Broker Rentals — PA Department of Revenue (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax/home-sharing - Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax — PA Department of Revenue (6% state rate, Philadelphia/Allegheny County 1% local hotel-tax add-on) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax - Hotel Occupancy Tax - Booking Agents — PA Department of Revenue (confirms 6%+1% Philadelphia County combined rate, distinct from City's own hotel excise tax) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/resources/tax-types-and-information/sales-use-and-hotel-occupancy-tax/hotel-occupancy-tax--booking-agents - Updated guidance on required zoning permits and licenses for Philadelphia short-term rentals and hosts — Dept. of Commerce, City of Philadelphia (2022-07-21) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/2022-07-21-updated-guidance-on-required-zoning-permits-and-licenses-for-philadelphia-short-term-rentals-and-hosts/ - Get a Rental License — City of Philadelphia ($69/unit fee, hotel designation) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/rental-and-property/get-a-rental-license/ - Get a Limited Lodging and Hotels Booking Agent License — City of Philadelphia ($7,000 initial / $5,000 renewal) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/rental-and-property/get-a-limited-lodging-booking-agent-license/ - Get a Commercial Activity License — City of Philadelphia (free, prerequisite license) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/activity/get-a-commercial-activity-license/ - Philadelphia Code §14-604(13) 'Limited Lodging' (zoning standards: 30-day cap, primary-resident definition, 3-occupant cap, accessory-use standards) — American Legal Publishing code library, verified via Wayback Machine capture dated 2025-11-15 (live amlegal.com page returns HTTP 403 bot-wall) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-292789 - Philadelphia Code §9-3909 'Limited Lodging Operator License' (license requirements, Tenth Councilmanic District owner-only rule) — American Legal Publishing code library, verified via Wayback Machine capture dated 2025-05-16 (live page bot-walled) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-280369 - Philadelphia Code §9-3902 'Rental Licenses' (general rental-license requirement; exempts Limited Lodging-licensed units) — American Legal Publishing code library, verified via Wayback Machine capture dated 2025-08-10 (live page bot-walled) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-280309 - Philadelphia Code §9-3910 'Limited Lodging and Hotels Booking Agent Licenses' (booking-agent license, 5-business-day delisting requirement) — American Legal Publishing code library, verified via Wayback Machine capture dated 2025-06-25 (live page bot-walled) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-280381 - Philadelphia Code §9-105 'Penalties' (Title 9 general fine structure, $150-$300 per violation, Repeat Violation offense) — American Legal Publishing code library, verified via Wayback Machine capture dated 2021-09-20 (live page bot-walled; no more recent capture found — see needs_review) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-192071 - Short-Term Rentals in Philadelphia: Compliance, Licensing, and Enforcement — Office of the City Controller, City of Philadelphia (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://controller.phila.gov/philadelphia-reports/short-term-rentals-in-philadelphia-compliance-licensing-and-enforcement/ - Parker Administration Announces Tentative Agreement on Revised Hotel and Short-Term Rental Tax Proposal as Part of FY27 One Philly, One Future Budget — Dept. of Commerce, City of Philadelphia (2026-05-27) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phila.gov/2026-05-27-parker-administration-reaches-tentative-agreement-with-philadelphias-hotel-industry-on-a-revised-proposal-to-help-fund-the-citys-plan-to-end-street-homelessness/ - City Council approves 2027 budget without Mayor Parker's proposed rideshare and Airbnb taxes — PhillyVoice (confirms the proposed 21.5% combined STR tax rate was rejected in the FY27 budget passed June 2026) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phillyvoice.com/philadelphia-budget-2027-rideshare-airbnb-taxes/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Phoenix, AZ - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/phoenix-az/ ## Summary Whole-home short-term rentals are legal citywide in Phoenix (state law, A.R.S. §9-500.39, bars cities from banning or capping them), but every STR needs its own city permit before it can be listed or rented. Phoenix replaced its 2020 registration system (Ordinance G-6653) with a permit regime under Ordinance G-7156, effective November 6, 2023: apply through the SHAPE PHX portal for a non-refundable $250 permit (initial and annual renewal), and the city must approve or deny within 7 business days. To qualify, an owner needs a valid Arizona TPT license, must register the property with the Maricopa County Assessor, must carry at least $500,000 in aggregate liability insurance (or list exclusively through a platform providing equal coverage), must notify all abutting neighbors and HOAs/neighborhood associations within 600 feet by certified mail before first renting, and must attest neither the owner nor designee is a registered sex offender or has a disqualifying violent/deadly-weapon felony within the past 5 years. There is no general primary-residence requirement, except that as of April 4, 2026 an owner renting out an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) whose certificate of occupancy was issued on or after September 14, 2024 must notarize an attestation that they live on the same property. Guests pay a combined Transaction Privilege Tax of roughly 13.07% on direct bookings (7.27% state/county Maricopa Transient Lodging + 5.80% city Hotel/Hotel-Motel-Additional, rates effective January 1, 2026) or roughly 11.52% on bookings made through an Airbnb/Vrbo-type online lodging marketplace (5.72% state/county + 5.80% city), which the marketplace collects and remits automatically. Verified violations escalate: minimum $500 (or one night's rent) first offense, $1,000 (two nights) second, $3,500 (three nights) third-plus within a 12-month period, and three violations in 12 months (or one qualifying felony) can suspend the permit for up to 12 months. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Yes - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: A.R.S. §9-500.39(A)-(B) preempts Phoenix from banning STRs or restricting them based on classification, use, or occupancy except as the statute specifically allows, so both hosted and unhosted whole-home STRs are legal citywide conditional on holding the City of Phoenix short-term rental permit (Ordinance G-7156, effective Nov. 6, 2023). No general owner-occupancy requirement applies. The sole primary-residence trigger is ADU-specific: if the STR is an accessory dwelling unit whose certificate of occupancy was issued on or after Sept. 14, 2024, the owner must notarize an attestation (plus proof of address) that they reside on the same property (A.R.S. §9-500.39(B)(9); Phoenix notice effective April 4, 2026). No numeric max-guest/occupancy cap was found in city or state law; A.R.S. §9-500.39(B) affirmatively bars occupancy-based restrictions outside the statute's own carve-outs. 'Vacation rental'/'short-term rental' covers stays of under 30 consecutive days; a lease of 31+ days is exempt (Ordinance G-6653 definitions; A.R.S. §42-5070 'transient' definition). ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department - Cost: $250/year (initial and renewal, non-refundable) - Renewal: Annual — permit must be renewed every 12 months with applicable fee - Official source: https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/pdd/registration-licensing/short-term-rental-registry.html - Notes: Required under Ordinance G-7156 (City Code Ch. 10, Art. XVI, effective Nov. 6, 2023) before offering any property for rent; apply via the SHAPE PHX portal. City must issue or deny within 7 business days of a complete application (A.R.S. §9-500.39(C)). Application requires: owner name/address/phone/email, owner's-designee authorization if applicable, notarized Affidavit & Attestation (TPT license, Maricopa County Assessor registration, $500,000 liability insurance, criminal-background self-attestation, lawful-presence attestation), notarized Attestation of Compliance with the neighbor-notification requirement, and a description/map of required safety equipment (smoke detector, CO detector, fire extinguisher) plus pool-barrier code compliance. Denial grounds are limited to: incomplete required info, unpaid fee, an existing suspended permit on the property, false information, or the owner/designee being a registered sex offender or having a disqualifying felony within 5 years (A.R.S. §9-500.39(C)). ### Liability Insurance ($500,000 minimum) (insurance) - Authority: City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be maintained continuously for as long as the permit is active - Official source: https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/pddsite/documents/short-term-rental/str-affidavit-attestation.pdf - Notes: Owner must maintain liability insurance with an aggregate of at least $500,000 covering the STR, or list exclusively through an online lodging marketplace that provides equal or greater coverage (A.R.S. §9-500.39(B)(8); confirmed on the notarized Affidavit & Attestation form referencing Ordinance G-7156). ### Notice of Intent to Operate STR (neighbor/HOA notification) (other) - Authority: City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required once before first renting; a new notice is required if previously-provided contact information changes - Official source: https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/pddsite/documents/short-term-rental/AttestationofCompliance-NoticetoAdjacentNeighborsUpdated.pdf - Notes: Owner/designee must send, by certified mail, a Notice of Intent to Operate a Short-Term Rental to (1) all abutting single-family residential properties (next-door, across the street, and diagonally across the street; or, for a unit in a multifamily building, all units on the same floor), and (2) any registered HOA or neighborhood association within 600 feet, before first offering the property for rent, and file a notarized Attestation of Compliance with mailing receipts (Ordinance G-7156 Sec. 10-199(C); statutory basis A.R.S. §9-500.39(B)(6)). ### Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) License (license) - Authority: Arizona Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Remains active until cancelled; seasonal-filing option available for properties not rented year-round - Official source: https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax/short-term-lodging - Notes: Required under A.R.S. §42-5005 before renting; is a precondition of the city STR permit. TPT/permit number must be displayed on every advertisement for the rental. A $0 TPT return must still be filed for any period with no rental activity. ### Maricopa County Assessor Rental Property Registration (registration) - Authority: Maricopa County Assessor's Office - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Update rental status whenever it changes - Official source: https://mcassessor.maricopa.gov/ - Notes: Owners of residential rental property, including STRs, must register/keep current with the county assessor under A.R.S. Title 33, Ch. 17, Art. 1 (§33-1902); confirmed as a Phoenix STR permit precondition on the official registry page and the notarized Affidavit & Attestation form. ## Taxes - **Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) — direct bookings**: 13.07% combined (7.27% state/county [Maricopa] Transient Lodging, code 025 + 5.80% City of Phoenix [2.80% Hotels code 044 + 3.00% Hotel/Motel Additional Tax code 144]), effective January 1, 2026 — applies to Short-term lodging stays under 30 days booked directly with the owner/operator (not through an online lodging marketplace); platform collects: no. Source: https://azdor.gov/sites/default/files/document/TPT_RATETABLE_01012026.pdf - **Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) — online lodging marketplace bookings**: 11.52% combined (5.72% state/county [Maricopa] Online Lodging Marketplace, code 325 + 5.80% City of Phoenix [2.80% Hotels code 044 + 3.00% Hotel/Motel Additional Tax code 144]), effective January 1, 2026 — applies to Short-term lodging stays under 30 days booked through an online lodging marketplace (e.g. Airbnb, Vrbo); platform collects: yes. Source: https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax/short-term-lodging ## Enforcement - Penalties: Civil sanctions for a verified violation of the STR ordinance escalate within a rolling 12-month period per property: minimum $500 or one night's advertised rent (whichever is greater) for the first violation; minimum $1,000 or two nights' rent for the second; minimum $3,500 or three nights' rent for the third and any subsequent violation (Phoenix STR Registry page, 'Code Enforcement / Penalty Structure'; matches the state-law cap in A.R.S. §9-500.39(F)). The permit may be administratively suspended for up to 12 months if the property has 3 court-adjudicated verified violations within 12 months, or one conviction for a felony or other serious crime within one year (A.R.S. §9-500.39(D)). A vacation rental operated without a permit must cease operations, and the city may impose an additional civil penalty of up to $1,000/month for continued non-compliance after notice (A.R.S. §9-500.39(G)). - Platform liability: Under Ordinance G-6653 Sec. 10-195(F) (retained in substance under the current ordinance), an online lodging marketplace is not liable for a violation committed by an operator advertising on its platform, unless the property owner has designated that marketplace/operator on the permit and filed a signed agreement making the online lodging operator responsible for compliance, in which case the online lodging operator (not the owner) is liable for violations. Marketplaces (as 'online lodging marketplaces' under A.R.S. §42-5076) are responsible for collecting and remitting TPT on the bookings they facilitate. - Notes: The Neighborhood Services Department is the lead enforcement agency, investigating unpermitted STRs and verifying violations through the code-compliance process; complaints can be filed via phxatyourservice.dynamics365portals.us or emailed to blight@phoenix.gov. STR program questions go to vacation.rental@phoenix.gov / 602-534-9723. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - The codified City Code text on phoenix.municipal.codes (the current official code portal for Phoenix, e.g. CC/10-194 through CC/10-200) returned HTTP 403 (Cloudflare bot-wall) on every fetch attempt, including via curl with a browser user-agent; no dated Wayback Machine capture exists for the current (post-G-7156) versions of these sections either (Wayback only had pre-2023 snapshots, which reflect the old registration regime and were not used). This profile instead relies on official phoenix.gov PDFs (the notarized Affidavit & Attestation and Attestation of Compliance forms, both of which quote Ordinance G-7156 section numbers directly) and the official Short-Term Rental Registry page. The exact full text of Sec. 10-197 through 10-200 as codified was not independently read. - Could not verify from an official source the exact response-time window for the required local emergency contact under the current Ordinance G-7156 (the 2020 ordinance, G-6653, specified 60 minutes; some vendor sources claim the current rule is 30 minutes, but this was not confirmed against an official document fetched this session). - Could not confirm from an official Phoenix source whether the STR ordinance requires a sex-offender background check on individual guests (as opposed to just the owner/designee). The only official document reviewed (the Affidavit & Attestation form) requires owner/designee self-attestation only. A.R.S. §9-500.39(E) contemplates cities requiring guest-level screening (waived if the booking platform performs it), so Phoenix may impose this separately in code text not accessible this session; flagging rather than asserting either way. - The signed/passed ordinance document for G-7156 itself (analogous to the G-6653 PDF found for the 2020 ordinance) could not be located at a stable phoenix.gov URL this session; its existence, section numbers, and effective date were corroborated via two independent official phoenix.gov PDFs that cite it plus the official registry page's own account of the September 2023 text amendment, but the ordinance's full passed text was not directly read. ## Sources - Short-Term Rental Registry — City of Phoenix (permit process, $250 fee, penalty structure, ADU primary-residence notice effective 4/4/2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/pdd/registration-licensing/short-term-rental-registry.html - Ordinance G-6653 — Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance (Phoenix City Code Ch. 10, Art. XVI, adopted Jan. 8, 2020; original registration regime, definitions, penalty structure as originally enacted) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/pddsite/documents/short-term-rental/ORD6653-G%20_Signed%20Short%20Term%20Vacation%20Rental%20Ordinance.pdf - Affidavit and Attestation — Acknowledgement of STR Permit Requirements and Agreement (City of Phoenix Planning & Development Dept.; cites Ordinance G-7156 Secs. 10-197(A)(8) and 10-200; $500k insurance, TPT license, Maricopa County Assessor registration, criminal background/lawful presence attestations) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/pddsite/documents/short-term-rental/str-affidavit-attestation.pdf - Attestation of Compliance with Notice of Intent to Operate STR (City of Phoenix Planning & Development Dept.; cites Ordinance G-7156 Sec. 10-199(C); 600-ft neighbor/HOA notification by certified mail) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.phoenix.gov/content/dam/phoenix/pddsite/documents/short-term-rental/AttestationofCompliance-NoticetoAdjacentNeighborsUpdated.pdf - Short-term Vacation Rental Property Registration User Guide (City of Phoenix Planning & Development Dept., Oct. 2022 — pre-permit registration process, confirms G-6653 origin and A.R.S. §9-500.39 statutory basis) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://phxatyourservice.dynamics365portals.us/stvruserguide.pdf - A.R.S. §9-500.39 — Limits on regulation of vacation rentals and short-term rentals; state preemption; civil penalties; TPT license suspension; definitions (Arizona State Legislature) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.azleg.gov/ars/9/00500-39.htm - Laws 2022, Ch. 343 (SB1168) — authorized cities/towns to create a limited STR permit/license process (Arizona State Legislature) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/laws/0343.pdf - Short-Term Lodging — Arizona Department of Revenue (TPT reporting codes 025/044/144 for direct bookings, 325 for online-lodging-marketplace bookings, OLM collection/remittance and deduction code 775) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax/short-term-lodging - Phoenix Transaction Privilege Tax & Use Tax Rates — Arizona Department of Revenue city profile (Hotels 044 = 2.80%, Hotel/Motel Additional Tax 144 = 3.00%, Ordinance G-7369 rate history) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://azdor.gov/model-city-tax-code/city-profile/phoenix - Transaction Privilege and Other Tax Rate Tables, effective January 1, 2026 (Arizona Department of Revenue — state/county Transient Lodging code 025 and Online Lodging Marketplace code 325 rates by county) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://azdor.gov/sites/default/files/document/TPT_RATETABLE_01012026.pdf - Maricopa County Assessor's Office (rental property registration) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://mcassessor.maricopa.gov/ - Phoenix updates STR ordinance — Avalara MyLodgeTax (discovery only; cites Ordinance G-7156 and $500k insurance figure, used to corroborate but not as sole source for any claim) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.avalara.com/mylodgetax/en/blog/2023/10/phoenix-updates-str-ordinance.html --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in San Antonio, TX - Status: **REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/san-antonio-tx/ ## Summary San Antonio requires a Short Term Rental (STR) permit for any dwelling unit rented for less than 30 consecutive days, under City Code Chapter 16, Article XXII (adopted Nov. 1, 2018; amended by Ordinance 2024-06-13-0433). Type 1 permits ($300 per 3-year term) cover units that are the owner's or operator's primary residence and carry no density cap. Type 2 permits ($450 per 3-year term) cover non-owner/operator-occupied units and are capped by right at roughly 12.5% of dwelling units per block face (single-family) or per multi-family building of 8+ units, with every block face/building guaranteed at least one Type 2 by right; exceeding the cap requires a Board of Adjustment special exception ($400 with homestead exemption, $600 otherwise). Hosts must self-certify liability insurance and annual fire-extinguisher inspection, post quiet-hours notices (10pm-6am Sun-Thu, 11pm-6am Fri-Sat) if there are outdoor amenities, and include the permit number on every listing; the City can direct platforms to pull non-compliant listings. Operators owe three layers of Hotel Occupancy Tax totaling 16.75% of rent: 6% state, 9% city (7% general + 2% Convention Center expansion), and 1.75% Bexar County (collected by the City on the County's behalf) - all reportable monthly through Avenu, with platforms remitting state HOT (e.g. Airbnb, Vrbo) also required since Sept. 12, 2024 to remit City/County HOT directly. Violations run $100-$500 per day (Class C misdemeanor) or $200-$500 per day administratively; three accepted citations on a property within a rolling 3-year period triggers permit revocation and a 12-month reapplication bar. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Two permit tiers exist: Type 1 requires the unit to be the owner's/operator's primary residence (no density limit; ADUs qualify if the owner lives on-site). Type 2 covers non-owner/operator-occupied units, including whole-home unhosted rentals, but is capped at roughly 12.5% of units per block face/building by right, with a Board of Adjustment special exception available above the cap. Type 2 STRs may not operate in ADUs. Maximum occupancy is set per-unit under the San Antonio Property Maintenance Code / approved floor plan rather than a fixed citywide number. STR rules apply only to stays under 30 consecutive days; longer stays are unregulated as STRs. ## Requirements ### Short Term Rental Permit - Type 1 (Owner/Operator-Occupied) (permit) - Authority: City of San Antonio, Development Services Department - Cost: $300 (one-time fee, valid 3 years) - Renewal: Every 3 years; renewal fee is also $300 - Official source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/2024-06-13-0433STROrdinance.pdf - Notes: Required when the STR is the owner's or operator's primary residence (documented via homestead exemption, vehicle registration, or similar), including qualifying accessory dwelling units. No citywide density limit. Permits issue within 5 business days of a complete application. City Code Ch. 16, Art. XXII, Secs. 16-1103 to 16-1107, as amended by Ord. 2024-06-13-0433 (fee increase effective June 14, 2024). ### Short Term Rental Permit - Type 2 (Non-Owner/Operator-Occupied) (permit) - Authority: City of San Antonio, Development Services Department - Cost: $450 (one-time fee, valid 3 years) - Renewal: Every 3 years; renewal fee is also $450 - Official source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/2024-06-13-0433STROrdinance.pdf - Notes: Required when the unit is not the owner's/operator's primary residence. Allowed by right up to ~12.5% of dwelling units per block face (single-family) or per multi-family building of 8+ units (buildings of 5-7 units: 1 Type 2 by right); every block face/building is guaranteed at least one Type 2 by right regardless of density math. May not rent less than the entire dwelling unit and may not operate in an ADU. City Code Ch. 16, Art. XXII, Secs. 16-1103 & 16-1107, as amended by Ord. 2024-06-13-0433. ### Board of Adjustment Special Exception (density cap exceedance) (permit) - Authority: City of San Antonio Board of Adjustment - Cost: $400 (property with homestead exemption) or $600 (all other properties) - Renewal: One-time, tied to the underlying permit - Official source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/STRApplicationPermitsEnforcement.pdf - Notes: Only required for a Type 2 STR application that would exceed the block-face/building density limit. Applicant has 45 days after notice to submit the special-exception application or the STR permit record is denied. Submitted via the BuildSA online portal. Director-level permit denials/revocations are also appealable to the BOA within 20 calendar days under UDC Sec. 35-481 (Ord. 2024-06-13-0433, Sec. 16-1112). ### Personal Injury Liability Insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of San Antonio (City Code Ch. 16, Sec. 16-1108(c)) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Maintained continuously; self-certified with each application/renewal - Official source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/2024-06-13-0433STROrdinance.pdf - Notes: Ordinance requires, at minimum, 'an insurance policy sufficient for personal injury liability of guests.' No specific coverage dollar amount is set in the code. ### Annual Fire Extinguisher Inspection & Life-Safety Standards (inspection) - Authority: City of San Antonio Development Services Department / Fire Code - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual (fire extinguisher inspection); self-certified at each permit application/renewal - Official source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/2024-06-13-0433STROrdinance.pdf - Notes: A 2A:10B:C (5-lb) fire extinguisher must be mounted within 75 feet of all portions of the STR on each floor and independently inspected annually; smoke/CO detectors, emergency escape openings, and a posted evacuation plan are also required (Ord. 2024-06-13-0433, Secs. 16-1104(a)(6), 16-1108(d)). ### Hotel Occupancy Tax Account Registration & Monthly Reporting (registration) - Authority: City of San Antonio Finance Department (administered by Avenu Insights & Analytics) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Monthly report required indefinitely, even if $0 due or a platform remitted tax on the operator's behalf - Official source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/STRHOTFAQ.pdf - Notes: Every STR operator in Bexar County (inside or outside San Antonio city limits) must hold a HOT account and file monthly reports through Avenu covering City and County HOT, regardless of whether a booking platform remits tax directly to the City. ## Taxes - **Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax**: 6% — applies to Receipts from sleeping rooms/space rented for less than 30 days where the cost is $15 or more per day; platform collects: yes. Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ - **City of San Antonio Hotel Occupancy Tax**: 9% (7% general occupancy tax + 2% Convention Center expansion) — applies to Same STR stays under 30 days, properties within San Antonio city limits; platform collects: yes. Source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/STRHOTFAQ.pdf - **Bexar County Hotel Occupancy Tax**: 1.75% — applies to Same STR stays under 30 days, anywhere in Bexar County; collected by the City of San Antonio on the County's behalf; platform collects: yes. Source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/STRHOTFAQ.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Operating without a valid permit, or violating any permit term, is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100-$500 upon conviction (each day is a separate violation); administrative/civil violations of permit terms carry a $200-$500 fine per occurrence, with each day of a violating occupancy a separate offense. Permits are revoked if a property accrues three or more citations accepted by Municipal Court (issued to the operator or any occupant) within a rolling 3-year period; a revoked property cannot reapply for a permit for 12 months. Failure to timely pay Hotel Occupancy Tax is a separate violation and results in permit revocation if the arrearage is not paid within 90 days of a delinquency notice. City Code Ch. 16, Art. XXII, Secs. 16-1110 & 16-1111, as amended by Ord. 2024-06-13-0433 (source: https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/2024-06-13-0433STROrdinance.pdf). - Platform liability: All platforms displaying San Antonio STR listings must require owners to include a valid permit number in the listing. The City notifies a platform to remove any listing lacking a valid, non-expired, non-revoked permit number (identifying the listing by URL and reason), and the platform must remove it within 10 business days (Ord. 2024-06-13-0433, Sec. 16-1103(c)). Separately, since September 12, 2024, any platform that collects Texas state Hotel Occupancy Tax on San Antonio bookings (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo) must also collect and remit City and Bexar County HOT directly to the City monthly (Sec. 16-1104.01). - Notes: Complaint-driven enforcement: a 311 report is forwarded to Code Enforcement, which inspects within 3 days; a violation triggers a 14-day compliance notice, a re-inspection, and - if still non-compliant - a City email to the platform requesting listing removal. Properties generating habitual complaints can be required to meet with the DSD Director on a compliance plan or face administrative revocation as a 'problem property' (Ord. 2024-06-13-0433, Sec. 16-1110(j)). ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - The precise UDC (City Code Chapter 35) section number that codifies the Type 2 block-face density-limit calculation (~12.5% of units) could not be confirmed against the primary code text this session: library.municode.com (the City's own code portal) returned only an empty JavaScript shell to curl/WebFetch, and no Chrome-extension or headless-browser fallback was available to render it. The 12.5% figure and calculation method are nonetheless independently confirmed across three official City of San Antonio Development Services Department documents (Ord. 2024-06-13-0433 Sec. 16-1103(b); the 'Density Limits' DSD Academy training slide; and the 2026-05-14 Application/Permits/Enforcement fact sheet), so the substantive rule is verified even though its exact UDC citation is not. ## Sources - Ordinance 2024-06-13-0433 (amending City Code Chapter 16, Article XXII - Short Term Rentals) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/2024-06-13-0433STROrdinance.pdf - Short Term Rentals - Application, Permits & Enforcement (Fact Sheet, updated 2026-05-14) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/STRApplicationPermitsEnforcement.pdf - Hotel Occupancy Tax - Short Term Rentals (Fact Sheet) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/STRHOTFAQ.pdf - Short Term Rentals - Updates to Current Ordinance, Amendment Overview (Fact Sheet) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/STRFactSheet.pdf - Current Short-Term Rental Ordinance (DSD Academy training slide deck: General Provisions, Density Limits, STRs & ADUs) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://docsonline.sanantonio.gov/DSDUploads/202312723CurrentSTROrdinance.pdf - Hotel Occupancy Tax - Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/hotel/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Fort Lauderdale, FL - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/fort-lauderdale-fl/ ## Summary Fort Lauderdale permits whole-home and hosted short-term rentals (stays of 30 days or less) but subjects every listing to a stacked state-county-city compliance regime under Ordinance C-16-25 (Code of Ordinances Ch. 15, Art. X), reflecting the amendment the City Commission approved September 19, 2023. Hosts must first get a Florida DBPR vacation rental license ($170/yr + $50 application + $10 Hospitality Education Program fee; waived only for a homestead owner renting a single room), a Broward County Local Business Tax Receipt, and Broward County Tourist Development Tax registration before applying to the city. City registration costs $880 for a new listing (up to 4 units under one folio, includes the first inspection) and $650/year to renew (non-owner-occupied) or $200/year (owner-occupied/homestead-exempt), due by August 1 each year with certificates expiring September 30 (a $100 late fee applies to a missed deadline, and a separate $100 fee applies to each reinspection or no-show). Inspection caps occupancy at 2 persons per legal bedroom and requires an in-unit noise-monitoring device retaining 180 days of data. Civil penalties run $250 (uncontested) to $325 (contested) per violation, and operating during a suspension can cost $5,000-$15,000 per day. Guests pay roughly 13% in combined tax (6% state sales tax + 1% Broward discretionary surtax + 6% Broward Tourist Development Tax) on top of the nightly rate. Florida's preemption statute, Fla. Stat. Section 509.032(7)(b), bars cities from banning rentals or capping rental frequency/duration unless the local law predates June 1, 2011, so Fort Lauderdale does not limit how many nights per year a property may be rented -- it regulates registration, safety, and taxes instead. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Both whole-home (non-owner-occupied) and hosted (owner-occupied room) rentals are allowed subject to City Vacation Rental Registration; owner-occupied/homestead listings pay a reduced city renewal fee ($200 vs. $650/year) and are exempt from the state DBPR license if only a room is rented (a notarized owner-occupied statement is required for that exemption). Accessory dwelling units in zoning districts RS-8 and RD-15 may not be used as vacation rentals per Unified Land Development Regulations Section 47-19.2.A.7. Occupancy is capped at 2 persons per legal bedroom (not a flat guest count) and verified at inspection. The city cannot and does not cap nights-per-year or minimum stay below what state law allows, because Fla. Stat. Section 509.032(7)(b) preempts local duration/frequency regulation absent a pre-June-1-2011 ordinance; nothing in the sources reviewed this session establishes that Fort Lauderdale's vacation rental ordinance predates that cutoff, so no grandfathered restriction is assumed here. ## Requirements ### DBPR Vacation Rental License (State of Florida) (license) - Authority: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants - Cost: $170/year license fee (single unit) + $50 one-time/change-of-ownership application fee + $10 Hospitality Education Program fee - Renewal: Annual; renewal date varies by license district - Official source: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Notes: Multi-unit license fees scale from $180 (2-25 units) up to $350 (501+ units) per the same fee schedule. Exempt if the property is a homestead, owner-occupied, and only a room is being rented (notarized DBPR exemption statement required). ### Broward County Local Business Tax Receipt (license) - Authority: Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, Tax Collector - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual, valid October 1 - September 30; renewal period July 1 - September 30 - Official source: https://www.broward.org/RecordsTaxesTreasury/taxcollector/Pages/LocalBusinessTaxes.aspx - Notes: Required before the City will process a Vacation Rental Registration application. Fee varies by business classification per the county's published fee schedule; the exact short-term-rental classification fee was not independently confirmed this session (see needs_review). ### Broward County Tourist Development Tax Registration (registration) - Authority: Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, Tourist Development Tax Section - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Ongoing (filing frequency assigned as monthly/quarterly/semi-annual/annual) - Official source: https://www.broward.org/RecordsTaxesTreasury/TaxesFees/Pages/TouristDevelopmentTaxes.aspx - Notes: Registers the owner to collect and remit the 6% county Tourist Development Tax; no registration fee is listed, only the ongoing tax obligation. ### City of Fort Lauderdale Vacation Rental Registration (new/initial) (registration) - Authority: City of Fort Lauderdale, Community Enhancement and Compliance Division - Cost: $880/year (up to 4 units under one folio; includes the first inspection) - Renewal: Annual - see separate renewal requirement - Official source: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program/Vacation-Rental-Registration - Notes: Governed by Ordinance No. C-16-25 (Code of Ordinances Ch. 15, Art. X - Vacation Rentals; fee schedule set by Vacation Rental Fee Resolution 17-81). Requires prior state and county licenses, proof of ownership, a sample lease, and a marked/photographed off-street parking plan. Applies to any single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family dwelling unit or condo advertised for 30 days or less to transient occupants (not timeshares). Transfer of rental agent carries a separate $50 fee. ### City of Fort Lauderdale Vacation Rental Registration Renewal (registration) - Authority: City of Fort Lauderdale, Community Enhancement and Compliance Division - Cost: $650/year (non-owner-occupied) or $200/year (owner-occupied/homestead-exempted) - Renewal: Annual; renewal deadline August 1, certificate expires September 30 - Official source: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program/Vacation-Rental-Renewal - Notes: A $100 late fee applies to any renewal not submitted/complete by the deadline. Applications not fully submitted and paid by September 30 are processed as new applications ($880 fee) and require a new inspection, even for owner-occupied properties. Accounts unrenewed for 6 months after expiration are closed. ### Vacation Rental Safety Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Fort Lauderdale Code Enforcement - Cost: Included in the $880 initial registration fee (first inspection); $100 for each subsequent safety inspection, reinspection, or no-show - Renewal: Required at initial registration and generally at renewal for non-owner-occupied properties (owner-occupied renewals filed before the deadline may not require reinspection) - Official source: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program/Vacation-Rental-Registration - Notes: Verifies maximum occupancy (2 persons per legal bedroom) and minimum housing/life-safety standards. Failed inspections get a reinspection within 10 days; a Certificate of Compliance issues within 3 business days of passing. ### City of Fort Lauderdale Business Tax Receipt (Local Business Tax) (license) - Authority: City of Fort Lauderdale - Cost: $157.50/year (renewal) - Renewal: Annual; expires September 30 - Official source: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program/Vacation-Rental-Renewal - Notes: Generated and invoiced once the Vacation Rental Application is approved; billed separately from the vacation rental registration fee. Not required to be resubmitted at renewal unless business information changed. ### In-Unit Noise Level Detection Device (other) - Authority: City of Fort Lauderdale (Ordinance C-16-25, as amended September 19, 2023) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: N/A (standing equipment requirement) - Official source: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program - Notes: Each vacation rental must be equipped with a device that alerts the owner/responsible party and occupants to noise levels; data must be retained 180 days and made available to the City on request. Device cost not published by the City. ## Taxes - **Florida State Transient Rental Sales Tax**: 6% — applies to Rental charges for living/sleeping accommodations rented for 6 months or less; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/brochure/gt800034.pdf - **Broward County Discretionary Sales Surtax**: 1% — applies to Same base as the state transient rental sales tax (delivered/occurring in Broward County); not subject to the $5,000 cap that applies to tangible personal property; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - **Broward County Tourist Development Tax (TDT)**: 6% — applies to Living quarters/accommodations (hotel, apartment, single-family home, condo, etc.) rented for 6 months or less; platform collects: not verified. Source: https://www.broward.org/RecordsTaxesTreasury/TaxesFees/Pages/TouristDevelopmentTaxes.aspx ## Enforcement - Penalties: $250 civil penalty per uncontested vacation-rental ordinance violation and $325 per contested violation (raised from $200/$275 by the City Commission's ordinance amendment approved September 19, 2023). Operating a vacation rental while its Certificate of Compliance is suspended carries penalties up to $5,000/day for repeat violations, and up to $15,000/day if a special magistrate finds the violation irreparable or irreversible; the same 2023 amendment removed a prior 12-month cap on suspension length. Source: City of Fort Lauderdale Vacation Rental Program page (fortlauderdale.gov). - Platform liability: Not established from the sources reviewed this session. The City's enforcement page directs neighbors with noise/party complaints to Airbnb's and Vrbo's own neighborhood-support channels but does not state a direct statutory or civil liability provision for hosting platforms; the full text of Ordinance C-16-25 was not machine-readable this session, so a platform-liability clause cannot be ruled out (see needs_review). - Notes: Vacation rental complaints go to a 24/7 hotline (1-800-685-7453) or VRInfo@fortlauderdale.gov; the City also publishes quarterly, district-level lists of registered/certified vacation rentals and open enforcement cases by HOA on its Registration Enforcement page. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Broward County Local Business Tax Receipt fee for the short-term-rental/vacation-rental business classification was not independently confirmed against the county's official fee schedule this session; recorded as null (cost varies by classification per broward.org). - Whether hosting platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) automatically collect and remit the Florida 6% state sales tax, the 1% Broward discretionary surtax, and/or the 6% Broward Tourist Development Tax on behalf of Fort Lauderdale hosts could not be confirmed against an official source this session. Florida's marketplace-facilitator statute, Fla. Stat. Section 212.05965, explicitly defines 'marketplace' around tangible personal property and excludes persons who solely provide travel-agency/lodging-booking services, so it does not clearly obligate platforms to collect transient rental taxes; collectedByPlatform is recorded as null for all three tax entries pending direct confirmation (e.g., from Airbnb's or Broward County's own tax-remittance agreements). - The full codified text of Ordinance C-16-25 / Code of Ordinances Chapter 15, Article X could not be parsed this session (the city's own ordinance PDF returned non-extractable binary text, and library.municode.com / codelibrary.amlegal.com bot-walled automated access). All ordinance-derived facts here come from the City's official program summary pages, which describe themselves as reflecting the ordinance but are not the primary codified text. - Whether hosting platforms bear any direct civil or statutory liability under the Fort Lauderdale vacation rental ordinance (as opposed to the property owner/responsible party) was not found stated in the city materials reviewed and could not be verified. - The original adoption date of Fort Lauderdale's vacation rental registration requirement (as distinct from the current codification cited as 'Ordinance No. C-16-25') was not confirmed. This matters because Fla. Stat. Section 509.032(7)(b) only allows local duration/frequency regulation for ordinances adopted on or before June 1, 2011; nothing fetched this session establishes whether Fort Lauderdale's program predates that cutoff, so no such grandfathered authority is assumed or claimed in this profile (consistent with the fact that no night-cap/frequency limit was found in city materials). ## Sources - City of Fort Lauderdale - Vacation Rental Program (background, ordinance C-16-25, 2023 amendment summary) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program - City of Fort Lauderdale - Vacation Rental Registration (property registration process and fee schedule) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program/Vacation-Rental-Registration - City of Fort Lauderdale - Vacation Rental Renewal (renewal fees, deadlines, business tax receipt fee) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program/Vacation-Rental-Renewal - City of Fort Lauderdale - Registration Enforcement (complaint process, published enforcement reports) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Community-Enhancement-and-Compliance/Administrative-Services/Vacation-Rental-Program/Registration-Enforcement - Ordinance No. C-16-25 (Vacation Rental Registration Program) - PDF (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/development-services/documents/vacation-rental-ordinance-c1625.pdf - Broward County - Tourist Development Taxes (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.broward.org/RecordsTaxesTreasury/TaxesFees/Pages/TouristDevelopmentTaxes.aspx - Broward County Tax Collector - Local Business Taxes (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.broward.org/RecordsTaxesTreasury/taxcollector/Pages/LocalBusinessTaxes.aspx - Florida DBPR - Hotels and Restaurants Lodging Fees (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Florida DBPR - Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Fla. Stat. Section 509.032 - Duties of the division; local law inspections (preemption of vacation rental duration/frequency regulation) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0509/Sections/0509.032.html - Fla. Stat. Section 212.05965 - Taxation of marketplace sales (definition of marketplace provider, excludes lodging/travel accommodations) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299/0212/Sections/0212.05965.html - Florida Department of Revenue - GT-800034, Sales and Use Tax on Rental of Living or Sleeping Accommodations (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/brochure/gt800034.pdf - Florida Department of Revenue - DR-15DSS, Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for 2026 (Broward County rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - Florida Department of Revenue - Discretionary Sales Surtax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/discretionary.aspx - Florida Department of Revenue - Florida Sales and Use Tax (state rate overview) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Florida Department of Revenue - TIP 21A01-03, New Registration Requirement for Marketplace Providers and Sellers (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/tips/Documents/TIP_21A01-03.pdf --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Tampa, FL - Status: **LIGHTLY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/tampa-fl/ ## Summary Tampa has no city-level short-term-rental registration, permit, or license program: the City repealed its general rental-certificate/registration requirement effective May 4, 2023, and a targeted search of Tampa's own zoning code (Chapter 27) turned up no short-term-rental-specific article, unlike some neighboring jurisdictions. A host operating a whole-home unhosted STR in Tampa instead deals with state and county requirements: a Florida DBPR vacation rental license ($170/year for a single unit, plus a $50 one-time application fee and $10 Hospitality Education Program fee) once the property is rented more than 3 times a year for stays under 30 days (Fla. Stat. § 509.242(1)(c)); a Hillsborough County Tourist Development Tax (TDT) account to remit the county's 6% transient-rental tax; and Florida's 6% state sales tax plus Hillsborough's 1.5% discretionary sales surtax on the rental charge, for a combined 13.5% guest-facing tax rate. Airbnb collects and remits all three taxes automatically for Hillsborough County listings per Airbnb's own tax disclosure. Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)(b)) bars any Florida local government from newly banning vacation rentals or regulating their duration/frequency unless the local ordinance predates June 1, 2011, which is why Tampa cannot simply pass a new short-term-rental ban or minimum-stay rule today. As of 2026-07-18. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: No City of Tampa STR-specific permit/registration exists. 'Conditional' reflects that operating legally still requires a Florida DBPR vacation rental license (triggered once a unit is rented more than 3 times/year for terms under 30 days, per Fla. Stat. 509.242(1)(c)) and compliance with state/county tax registration and remittance. No Tampa-specific occupancy cap or primary-residence requirement was found on any official City page. Note: unincorporated Hillsborough County (outside Tampa's city limits) is widely reported by secondary sources and a 2019 Fox 13 News article to restrict rentals under 7 consecutive nights to non-residential zoning districts, with fines up to $1,000/day — but this could not be verified against the primary county code text (see needs_review) and, as unincorporated-county zoning, would not govern properties inside the City of Tampa regardless. ## Requirements ### DBPR Vacation Rental License (single unit) (license) - Authority: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants - Cost: $170/year - Renewal: Annual; renewal window varies by county license district (roughly October 1–June 1). New applicants also pay a one-time $50 application fee plus a $10 Hospitality Education Program (HEP) fee. - Official source: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - Notes: Required once a dwelling is rented as a whole unit more than 3 times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days, or is advertised as available for such rental (Fla. Stat. § 509.242(1)(c)). Fee table (single/group license, 1 unit = $170/yr, $90 half-year) confirmed at the DBPR lodging-fees page. ### Hillsborough County Tourist Development Tax (TDT) account (registration) - Authority: Hillsborough County Tax Collector - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Ongoing account; monthly TDT returns due, delinquent after the 20th of the following month - Official source: https://www.hillstaxfl.gov/other-services/tourist-development/general-information/ - Notes: Property owners/managers who receive rent directly must open a TDT account to collect, report, and remit the county's 6% Tourist Development Tax on rentals of 6 months or less. No account-opening fee was found on the official page. Hosts whose bookings and payments run entirely through a platform with a county collection agreement (e.g., Airbnb) may not need to separately remit, per the Tax Collector's own account-deactivation guidance. ### Florida Sales and Use Tax registration (transient rentals) (registration) - Authority: Florida Department of Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Ongoing account; sales tax returns generally due monthly - Official source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/brochure/gt800034.pdf - Notes: Every person who rents, leases, or grants a license to use transient accommodations must register with the Department of Revenue to collect/report/remit the state 6% sales tax and applicable discretionary surtax, unless a registered marketplace provider (e.g., Airbnb) collects and remits on the host's behalf. ### City of Tampa Business Tax Receipt (license) - Authority: City of Tampa - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual - Official source: https://www.tampa.gov/business-tax - Notes: General local business tax receipt required for any rental business (residential or commercial) operating within Tampa city limits — this is not STR-specific. The separate requirement to obtain a rental certificate or register a rental property was repealed effective May 4, 2023, per the City's own Business Tax FAQ; business tax itself remains due. Exact fee for a rental-property BTR could not be confirmed on an official page (see needs_review). ## Taxes - **Florida State Transient Rental Sales Tax**: 6% — applies to Rental or lease of living quarters/accommodations for a term of 6 months or less; platform collects: yes. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - **Hillsborough County Discretionary Sales Surtax**: 1.5% — applies to Same transactions as the state sales tax, including transient rentals (composed of three stacked 0.5% surtaxes: school capital outlay, indigent care, and local government infrastructure); platform collects: yes. Source: https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - **Hillsborough County Tourist Development Tax (TDT)**: 6% — applies to Rental of living quarters/accommodations for a term of 6 months or less; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.hillstaxfl.gov/other-services/tourist-development/general-information/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: For operating without a required DBPR vacation rental license, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants may impose fines of up to $1,000 per offense (each day may count as a separate offense), suspend or revoke a license, and post a closed-for-operation notice; continuing to operate after an administrative or judicial determination of unlicensed operation is a second-degree misdemeanor under Fla. Stat. §§ 775.082/775.083 (Fla. Stat. § 509.261, leg.state.fl.us). The City of Tampa has no STR-specific ordinance or penalty schedule of its own to enforce, since it has no local registration/permit requirement. - Platform liability: Airbnb states it collects and remits Hillsborough County's 6% Tourist Development Tax and Florida's state sales tax plus discretionary surtax on Hillsborough County listings on hosts' behalf. Hosts who take direct bookings, or who use booking channels without a county/state collection agreement, remain personally responsible for registering with the Florida DOR and the Hillsborough County Tax Collector and remitting all applicable taxes themselves. - Notes: Because Tampa itself has no dedicated STR ordinance, there is no local STR-specific code-enforcement regime to describe beyond the City's general Business Tax and code-enforcement authority, and the state-level DBPR licensing penalties above. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Whether the City of Tampa's own zoning code (Chapter 27, Code of Ordinances) contains any provision restricting short-term/transient rental duration or frequency could not be directly verified: library.municode.com renders Tampa's code as a client-side JavaScript (Angular) application, so both a direct fetch and Wayback Machine captures of the specific code sections returned only an empty page shell with no code text. A targeted search of Municode's own site index found no dedicated 'Short Term Rental' article for Tampa (unlike Pinellas County, which has one), which is corroborating but not conclusive evidence Tampa's code is silent on the topic. - The widely-cited '7 consecutive nights minimum' rule for unincorporated Hillsborough County (restricting shorter stays to non-residential zoning; cited by a 2019 Fox 13 News article describing $1,000/day fines and by multiple vendor guides) could not be verified against the primary Hillsborough County Land Development Code text due to the same Municode bot-wall, and its original adoption date could not be confirmed — which matters because Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)(b) only grandfathers local duration/frequency ordinances adopted on or before June 1, 2011. In any case this is a rule for unincorporated county land, not the incorporated City of Tampa, so it is not included as a Tampa requirement here. - The exact fee for a City of Tampa Business Tax Receipt covering a residential/short-term rental property could not be confirmed on an official City page; the fee lookup requires the City's Accela permitting portal, which was not accessible to this research method. - Whether a separate Hillsborough County Business Tax Receipt (in addition to the City of Tampa's) is also required for a rental property located inside Tampa's city limits could not be confirmed. - Airbnb's collection of Florida state sales tax and the Hillsborough discretionary surtax (as opposed to just the county TDT) on Hillsborough County listings is corroborated only by Airbnb's own help-center disclosure, not by a Florida Dept. of Revenue or Hillsborough Tax Collector page naming Airbnb specifically as a registered collecting marketplace provider. ## Sources - Fla. Stat. § 509.032 — Duties of the division; general (official, accessed 2026-07-18): http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0509/Sections/0509.032.html - Fla. Stat. § 509.261 — Revocation or suspension of licenses; fines (official, accessed 2026-07-18): http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0509/Sections/0509.261.html - DBPR — Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/ - DBPR — Hotels and Restaurants Lodging Fees (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/lodging-fees/ - Florida Dept. of Revenue — Florida Sales and Use Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/sales_tax.aspx - Florida Dept. of Revenue — Form DR-15DSS, Discretionary Sales Surtax Information (2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/dr15dss_26.pdf - Florida Dept. of Revenue — GT-800034, Sales and Use Tax on Rental of Living or Sleeping Accommodations (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/brochure/gt800034.pdf - Hillsborough County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Tax General Information (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.hillstaxfl.gov/other-services/tourist-development/general-information/ - Hillsborough County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Tax account services (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.hillstaxfl.gov/other-services/tourist-development/ - City of Tampa — Business Tax, How Do I... (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.tampa.gov/business-tax/how-do-i - City of Tampa — Business Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.tampa.gov/business-tax - Airbnb Help Center — Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Florida (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2301 - Fox 13 Tampa Bay — Hillsborough County issues fines for nightly Airbnb rentals (2019) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.fox13news.com/news/hillsborough-county-issues-fines-for-nightly-airbnb-rentals --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Virginia Beach, VA - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/virginia-beach-va/ ## Summary Virginia Beach defines a short-term rental (STR) as a rental of 30 days or less of an entire home (or one or more rooms in a primary home), and where you may legally operate one depends on zoning. In the Sandbridge Special Service District, STRs are allowed by right with only an annual $500 zoning permit. Everywhere else, a new STR generally needs a Conditional Use Permit (CUP, standard fee $1,090, renewed every 5 years) in addition to the annual permit, and since a September 7, 2021 ordinance the city has largely confined new CUP approvals to the Oceanfront Resort STR Overlay District; STRs registered with the Commissioner of the Revenue before July 1, 2018 (taxes paid) or CUP'd before September 7, 2021 outside the Overlay are grandfathered and may continue operating. Every STR, regardless of district, must register annually with the Commissioner of the Revenue, carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance, pass a life-safety inspection (valid 5 years) and a structural-safety inspection (every 3 years), and provide one off-street parking space per bedroom. Occupancy is limited to 2 persons per bedroom, no more than 2 rental contracts in any consecutive 7-day period, and no outdoor amplified sound after 10 p.m. Guests pay a city lodging tax of 9% of gross rental plus $2/night (10.5% + $2/night inside Sandbridge), on top of Virginia's 6% state/local/regional retail sales tax on accommodations (rentals of 90 days or less); accommodations intermediaries like Airbnb and Vrbo are required by state law to collect and remit these taxes. As of the city's last-updated official enforcement guidance, zoning violations are civil offenses ($200 first offense, $500 each subsequent, escalating to a criminal misdemeanor only if unpaid fines exceed $5,000) -- though 2025 news reports say City Council voted in August 2025 to make STR violations straight misdemeanors and to loosen the parking rule to 1 space per 2 bedrooms; those specific changes could not be confirmed against the current codified ordinance text this session (see needs_review). ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Allowed by right (no CUP) in the Sandbridge Special Service District with an annual STR zoning permit. Requires a Conditional Use Permit plus the annual permit in the Oceanfront Resort STR Overlay District. Outside those two areas, new CUPs have generally not been granted since September 7, 2021; only STRs registered with the Commissioner of the Revenue before July 1, 2018 (with TOT paid) or granted a CUP before September 7, 2021 outside an Overlay District remain grandfathered, and grandfathered status is lost if the dwelling expands by more than 25% or 1,000 sq ft (whichever is less). No flat citywide guest cap; occupancy is limited to 2 persons per bedroom, and events cannot exceed the maximum overnight capacity (bedrooms x 2) without a special-events permit. The city's own STR definition covers rentals of 30 days or less, but the transient occupancy tax is charged and remitted on all rentals of 90 days or less -- these are two different thresholds, both confirmed on official city pages. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Virginia Beach Planning Department -- Zoning Administration - Cost: $500/year - Renewal: Annual; permit expires one year after issuance - Official source: https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental - Notes: Required for every address used as an STR citywide, including Sandbridge and the Oceanfront Resort STR Overlay District. The $500 fee is due only after the property is found zoning-compliant. Requires proof of current Commissioner of the Revenue registration, life-safety and structural-safety inspection reports/attestations, liability insurance, and (where applicable) an active CUP. ### Conditional Use Permit (STR Overlay District) (permit) - Authority: Virginia Beach City Council / Planning Commission - Cost: $1,090 (standard Conditional Use Permit application fee) - Renewal: Every 5 years (CUP expires 5 years from date of adoption) - Official source: https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/conditional-use - Notes: Required before completing the annual STR zoning permit process for a new STR within the Oceanfront Resort STR Overlay District. Not required in the Sandbridge Special Service District (by right). Since a September 7, 2021 ordinance change, new CUP approvals for STRs outside the Overlay District have generally not been granted; CUPs issued before that date outside an Overlay District are grandfathered but must still meet their original conditions. ### Commissioner of the Revenue STR Registration (registration) - Authority: Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Annual registration, plus monthly TOT reporting/remittance - Official source: https://cor.virginiabeach.gov/businesses/short-term-rentals - Notes: Required for every STR regardless of zoning status. Applicants complete the Virginia Beach 311 Form naming a responsible party reachable within 30 minutes; applications are forwarded to the Planning Department's Zoning office for approval. ### Life Safety Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Virginia Beach - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Every 5 years (annual attestation form accepted in interim years) - Official source: https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental - Notes: Report required with the initial STR zoning permit application; valid for 5 years. ### Structural Safety Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Virginia Beach - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Every 3 years - Official source: https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental - Notes: Required with the initial zoning permit request and every 3 years thereafter; stairways, decks, porches, and balconies under 30 inches high require only photo verification instead of a full inspection. ### Liability Insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Virginia Beach - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Proof required at registration and at each renewal - Official source: https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental - Notes: Minimum $1,000,000 liability insurance covering the rental activity, listing the STR property address, underwritten by an insurer acceptable to the city. ## Taxes - **Virginia Beach Transient Occupancy Tax (city lodging tax)**: 9% of total gross rental + $2/night flat tax (10.5% + $2/night within the Sandbridge Special Service District) — applies to Short-term rentals of 90 days or less; remitted monthly by the 20th of the following month; platform collects: yes. Source: https://cor.virginiabeach.gov/businesses/transient-occupancy-taxes - **Virginia Retail Sales Tax on Accommodations**: 6% (4.3% state + 1% local + 0.7% Hampton Roads regional transportation tax) — applies to Accommodations/lodging charges statewide in the Hampton Roads region, including Virginia Beach; remitted to the Virginia Department of Taxation; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.tax.virginia.gov/retail-sales-and-use-tax ## Enforcement - Penalties: Per the city's official enforcement guidance (virginiabeach.gov blog, 'What to Expect When... Filing a Complaint'): civil fines starting at $200 for a first zoning violation and $500 for each subsequent violation; if unpaid fines on a property exceed $5,000, the case may be pursued as a criminal misdemeanor. Since February 2022 the city has issued 269 STR-related summonses per that page. News reports (WAVY, 13News Now, August 2025) state City Council voted to reclassify STR zoning violations as criminal misdemeanors from the first offense, with fines escalating to $1,000 (first offense), $1,500 (uncorrected), and up to $2,000 (ongoing) -- this could not be independently verified against the current codified ordinance text this session; see needs_review. - Platform liability: Under Virginia Code Section 58.1-3826, an accommodations intermediary (e.g., Airbnb, Vrbo) that facilitates a retail sale of an accommodation is deemed 'a facility making a retail sale of an accommodation' and must collect the transient occupancy tax on the room charge and remit it to the locality, and is liable for that amount; the accommodations provider (host) remains responsible for remitting any portion the intermediary does not collect. - Notes: Complaints are filed via the city's 3-1-1 system or the STR team's 24/7 hotline (757-210-5385); STR properties must post signage directing neighbors to the complaint line. The Zoning Office's STR team investigates within 1-2 days via interviews, site visits, and online research. See needs_review for the unresolved status of the reported August 2025 penalty and parking-requirement changes. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Could not confirm whether Virginia Beach's reported August 2025 City Council ordinance amendments -- reclassifying STR zoning violations as criminal misdemeanors from the first offense (fines escalating $1,000/$1,500/$2,000 per WAVY and 13News Now) and reducing the STR parking requirement from 1 space per bedroom to 1 space per 2 bedrooms -- have actually been codified. The live official pages fetched on 2026-07-18 (planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental and the city's enforcement blog) still state 1 parking space per bedroom and describe the older civil-fine structure ($200/$500, misdemeanor only above $5,000 unpaid). library.municode.com returned only a JavaScript application shell (bot-wall, no rendered text) and virginiabeach.elaws.us returned HTTP 503/403 on every attempt this session, so the current codified parking requirement and penalty structure could not be independently verified against the zoning ordinance text itself. The `enforcement.penalties` field and the 1-space-per-bedroom parking figure in this profile reflect the officially-published-but-possibly-stale city pages; verify directly with Zoning Administration (757-385-8074) before relying on either figure. - Whether Virginia Beach imposes any primary-residence/owner-occupancy requirement on STR operators could not be confirmed or ruled out from an official source. None of the fetched official pages (planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental, its /rules page, or the Code of Virginia sections reviewed) explicitly address owner-occupancy, so `primary_residence_required: false` reflects the absence of any such requirement in the material reviewed, not an explicit official statement that none exists. - Virginia Code Section 58.1-3826 legally requires accommodations intermediaries to collect and remit Virginia Beach's transient occupancy tax, and `collectedByPlatform: true` reflects that legal requirement. Non-official vendor sources (not used as a cited source) suggest actual per-platform practice may vary -- e.g., a platform might collect the state sales-tax portion but not the local TOT in every case. Hosts should confirm their specific platform's current collection status with the Commissioner of the Revenue (757-385-4515) rather than assume full automatic remittance. - The specific statutory or charter provision authorizing Virginia Beach (a city) to levy its 9%/10.5% transient occupancy tax plus the $2/night flat component was not independently located this session. Code of Virginia Section 58.1-3819 as reviewed authorizes counties generally and preserves 'any authority heretofore granted to any county, city or town' (subsection C) without spelling out Virginia Beach's specific grant, and the only $2/night flat-tax authorization found in Article 6 (Section 58.1-3823(C)) is explicitly limited to James City and York Counties, not Virginia Beach. The 9%/10.5% + $2/night rates themselves are directly corroborated by Virginia Beach's own Commissioner of the Revenue page with worked calculation examples, so the rates are verified even though the precise enabling statute/charter citation is not. - The official grandfathering rule (CUPs granted before September 7, 2021 outside STR Overlay Districts are grandfathered) implies new CUP applications outside Sandbridge and the Oceanfront Resort Overlay are generally no longer approved, but no official source fetched this session explicitly states this as a standing citywide policy covering every non-overlay zoning district; the official FAQ page (planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental/faqs) did not return readable content this session to confirm directly. ## Sources - Short-Term Rentals -- Virginia Beach Planning Department (program page: zoning permit, districts, CUP, grandfathering, inspections, insurance, parking) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental - Short-Term Rental Rules -- Virginia Beach Planning Department (occupancy, noise, trash, fireworks, events) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental/rules - Short-Term Rental FAQs -- Virginia Beach Planning Department (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/short-term-rental/faqs - Conditional Use Permits -- Virginia Beach Planning Department (standard CUP application fee) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://planning.virginiabeach.gov/permits/conditional-use - Short Term Rentals -- Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue (registration, 30-day/90-day definitions) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cor.virginiabeach.gov/businesses/short-term-rentals - Transient Occupancy Taxes -- Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue (rate calculations, worked examples, remittance) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cor.virginiabeach.gov/businesses/transient-occupancy-taxes - Short-Term Rentals: What to Expect When... Filing a Complaint -- City of Virginia Beach blog (complaint process, civil fine schedule) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://virginiabeach.gov/connect/blog/short-term-rentals-what-to-expect-when-filing-a-complaint - Section 58.1-3819, Code of Virginia -- Transient occupancy tax (general local authority) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title58.1/chapter38/section58.1-3819/ - Article 6, Chapter 38, Title 58.1, Code of Virginia -- Transient Occupancy Tax (index of sections) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title58.1/chapter38/article6/ - Section 58.1-3826, Code of Virginia -- Scope of transient occupancy tax (accommodations intermediary collection duty) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title58.1/chapter38/section58.1-3826/ - Section 15.2-983, Code of Virginia -- Creation of registry for short-term rental of property (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter9/section15.2-983/ - Retail Sales and Use Tax -- Virginia Department of Taxation (Hampton Roads regional rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.tax.virginia.gov/retail-sales-and-use-tax - Criminal penalties back for short-term rental zoning violations in VB -- WAVY News (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/virginia-beach/criminal-penalties-back-for-short-term-rental-zoning-violations-in-vb/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Santa Monica, CA - Status: **BANNED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/santa-monica-ca/ ## Summary Santa Monica bans unhosted whole-home short-term rentals (called 'vacation rentals' in the code) outright for stays of 30 consecutive days or less — no path to legalize one exists. The only legal short-term rental is hosted 'home-sharing': a permitted host renting one or more bedrooms in their primary residence while living on-site for the entire visitor stay. Home-sharing requires an annual City home-sharing permit plus business license (initial cost $582.25 as of 2026: $75 minimum license tax + $44.85 processing fee + $458.40 home-share review fee + $4.00 CASP fee), $500,000 liability insurance (waived if booking exclusively through Airbnb or HomeAway/VRBO, which provide equivalent coverage), smoke/CO detectors and a fire extinguisher, and compliance with occupancy caps (lesser of 10 people, 1 per 200 sq ft, or 2 per bedroom excluding minors) and a 2-booking/2-listing limit per date. Hosts must collect and remit a 17% Transient Occupancy Tax (effective March 1, 2023, up from 14%, per voter-approved Measure CS; hotels/motels pay 15%). Permits run July 1–June 30 and require renewal. Violations are an infraction (fine up to $750) or misdemeanor (fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 6 months in jail), plus administrative fines, cost recovery, and disgorgement of illegal rental revenue; two final citations in a permit term trigger a 30-day-minimum suspension and three trigger revocation. Hosting platforms are legally barred from completing bookings for any home-share not on the City's registry and must collect/remit TOT as the host's agent — a scheme the Ninth Circuit unanimously upheld against Airbnb and HomeAway's Communications Decency Act and First Amendment challenges in 2019. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: No - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: 10 guests - Rules apply to stays under: 31 days Notes: SMMC Chapter 6.20 defines 'vacation rental' (whole-home, no host on-site) as flatly prohibited for stays of 30 consecutive days or less — there is no permit or license that legalizes it. 'Home-sharing' is the only lawful short-term rental: the host must be an owner or long-term (12+ month) resident for whom the unit is their primary residence, must hold a City home-sharing permit and business license, and must physically live on-site throughout every visitor's stay. Occupancy is capped at the LESSER of (1) 10 total persons (host + residents + visitors), (2) 1 person per 200 sq ft of the unit, or (3) 2 persons per bedroom excluding minor children — so max_guests=10 is a ceiling, not a guarantee. A host may not be host for more than one home-share, and may post at most 2 listings per platform with at most 2 groups booked for any given date. Stays of 31+ consecutive days fall outside the ordinance and TOT entirely. ## Requirements ### Home-Sharing Permit and Business License (combined application) (permit) - Authority: City of Santa Monica, Business License Division / Code Enforcement - Cost: $582.25 initial ($75.00 minimum license tax + $44.85 processing fee + $458.40 home-share review fee + $4.00 CASP fee) - Renewal: Annual; permit and license year runs July 1–June 30, renewal application due each July 1. Renewal requires a signed declaration of continued compliance for the prior year and (for non-owner hosts) renewed proof of ongoing 12-month residency. - Official source: https://www.santamonica.gov/process-explainers/how-to-apply-for-a-home-share-business-license - Notes: Issued together under SMMC Sections 6.20.020(a)(1), 6.20.021, and 6.04. The City's 2019 'Home-Sharing Ordinance Rules and Regulations' document cites a flat $100 initial / $50 renewal application fee, but SMMC 6.20.021(b)/6.20.090 lets Council set the fee by resolution, and the current process-explainer page (fetched 2026-07-18) shows the $582.25 itemized total superseding that 2019 figure; a distinct renewal-year total was not found separately (see needs_review). ### Liability Insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Santa Monica (SMMC 6.20.020(a)(9)) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Must be maintained continuously while the permit is active - Official source: https://ecode360.com/42735096 - Notes: Minimum $500,000 liability coverage for home-sharing, unless every booking runs through a hosting platform that itself provides equal or greater coverage — the City names Airbnb and HomeAway/VRBO as platforms currently doing so. Verified via a Wayback Machine capture (timestamp 2026-03-11) of this official ecode360.com URL, the City's designated municipal-code hosting platform; the live page returned an HTTP 403 bot-wall on direct fetch. ### Basic Health & Safety Equipment (other) - Authority: City of Santa Monica (SMMC 6.20.020(a)(5)) - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Ongoing condition of the permit - Official source: https://ecode360.com/42735096 - Notes: Fire extinguisher, smoke detector(s), and carbon monoxide detector(s) required in the home-share; hosts in multi-story multifamily buildings must also give visitors emergency-exit-route information. Verified via the same Wayback capture (2026-03-11) noted above. ### City Home-Share Registry Listing (registration) - Authority: City of Santa Monica - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Automatic upon permit issuance/renewal; hosts must submit each listing's URL to the Code Enforcement Division within 10 days of permit approval or of any listing change - Official source: https://ecode360.com/42735096 - Notes: SMMC 6.20.020(b) requires the City to maintain a public registry of authorized home-shares; SMMC 6.20.050(c) bars hosting platforms from completing any booking for a property not on that registry. This registry/platform-gatekeeping mechanism is what the Ninth Circuit upheld in HomeAway.com, Inc. v. City of Santa Monica (2019). ## Taxes - **Transient Occupancy Tax (Home-Share rate)**: 17% of total room rental amount — applies to Home-share stays of 30 consecutive days or less; occupants staying 31+ consecutive days are exempt; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.santamonica.gov/transient-occupancy-tax ## Enforcement - Penalties: Per SMMC 6.20.100(a) (verified via Wayback capture, 2026-03-11, of the official ecode360.com code page — direct fetch returned HTTP 403): violating Chapter 6.20 is an infraction punishable by a fine up to $750, or a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 6 months in County Jail. Hosts are separately subject to administrative fines/penalties under SMMC Chapters 1.09 and 1.10 (base administrative citation fine of $75 for a first violation, rising for repeat violations within 36 months, per the City's Administrative Citation Fine Schedule — this specific dollar schedule could not be independently re-verified this session, see needs_review). Convicted/adjudicated violators must reimburse the City's investigative costs, pay all back TOT, and disgorge illegally obtained rental revenue (6.20.100(b)). A home-share with 2 final citations in a permit term faces suspension of at least 30 days (or until the citation is resolved, whichever is longer); 3 final citations trigger revocation; a single citation for conduct endangering public health/safety can trigger immediate revocation (6.20.100 / 2019 Rules and Regulations, Section IX). - Platform liability: Hosting platforms are the host's legal agent for TOT collection and remittance (SMMC 6.20.050(a)), must periodically disclose listing/host/price/length-of-stay data to the City (6.20.050(b)), and — the central enforcement mechanism — may not complete any booking transaction for a property that is not on the City's home-share registry (6.20.050(c)); platforms that comply with these duties get a 'safe harbor' presumption of compliance (6.20.050(e)) but remain liable for violating them. This scheme was challenged by Airbnb and HomeAway and unanimously upheld by the Ninth Circuit in HomeAway.com, Inc.; Airbnb Inc. v. City of Santa Monica, Nos. 18-55367, 18-55805, 18-55806 (9th Cir., filed March 13, 2019) — the panel held the ordinance was not preempted by the Communications Decency Act and did not violate the First Amendment. Verified directly against the court's own published opinion PDF. - Notes: The City's home-sharing press releases describing the 9th Circuit litigation and a 2019 Airbnb settlement (santamonica.gov/press/... URLs) could not be fetched this session — both direct fetch and Wayback Machine captures of those exact URLs returned only the City's Cloudflare bot-wall interstitial page, not article content. The underlying legal facts were instead verified directly against the court's own opinion PDF (cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov) and the operative code section, so no needs_review entry was needed for the case outcome itself. ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - The $582.25 initial home-share license/permit fee total was verified against the current santamonica.gov process-explainer page (2026-07-18), but I could not independently verify a separate, current renewal-year fee total — the 2019 Rules PDF's $100 initial/$50 renewal figures appear superseded by Council resolution and should not be relied on. - The administrative citation fine schedule under SMMC Chapters 1.09/1.10 (base $75 first-violation figure and escalation percentages surfaced via web search) could not be fetched from an official source this session — finance.smgov.net/Media/Default/fines/Administrative.pdf redirected to a generic finance department landing page instead of the PDF, and a Wayback capture of the original PDF URL was found but not verified in time. Treat the $75 base administrative fine as unconfirmed. - Whether Santa Monica's Tourism Marketing District (TMD) per-room-night assessment (added on top of TOT, tiered by average daily rate) applies to home-shares or only to traditional hotels/motels was not conclusively confirmed from an official source; it has been left out of the taxes[] array pending that confirmation. - Two Santa Monica press releases about the Airbnb/HomeAway litigation and a 2019 Airbnb settlement (santamonica.gov/press/...) could not be fetched — both live and Wayback-archived versions returned only the site's bot-wall interstitial rather than article content. The core legal facts they'd support were instead confirmed directly against the 9th Circuit's own opinion PDF, so this does not affect any claim in the main fields, but the settlement terms specifically (santamonica.gov/press/2019/12/10/settlement-with-airbnb-guarantees-compliance-with-home-sharing-ordinance) were not verified and are not referenced above. ## Sources - Santa Monica Municipal Code, Chapter 6.20: Home-Sharing and Vacation Rentals (ecode360.com, via Wayback Machine capture of 2026-03-11) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://ecode360.com/42735096 - City of Santa Monica Home-Sharing Ordinance Rules and Regulations (Revised November 21, 2019) — official PDF (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.santamonica.gov/media/Document%20Library/Business%20License%20Forms/INFO-Home-Share%20Admin%20Regs.pdf - santamonica.gov — How to Apply for a Home-Share Business License (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.santamonica.gov/process-explainers/how-to-apply-for-a-home-share-business-license - santamonica.gov — Transient Occupancy Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.santamonica.gov/transient-occupancy-tax - HomeAway.com, Inc.; Airbnb Inc. v. City of Santa Monica, Nos. 18-55367, 18-55805, 18-55806 (9th Cir., filed March 13, 2019) — official published opinion (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2019/03/13/18-55367.pdf - santamonica.gov — Santa Monica Home-Sharing Law Stands After Challenge by Airbnb, Inc. and HomeAway.com (press release; unreachable this session — bot-walled on direct fetch and via Wayback capture) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/08/19/santa-monica-home-sharing-law-stands-after-challenge-by-airbnb-inc-and-homeaway-com --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Jersey City, NJ - Status: **HEAVILY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/jersey-city-nj/ ## Summary Jersey City defines a short-term rental (STR) as a rental of a residential dwelling for 28 or fewer consecutive days, regulated under Chapter 255 of the Municipal Code (adopted as Ordinance 19-077 on 6/25/2019, upheld by voter referendum 11/5/2019, and substantially amended by Ordinance 25-059 on 6/11/2025). A pure absentee investor who does not live in the building generally cannot legally operate: a permit is issued only to an owner who is a 'principal resident' of the STRP or of another unit on the same lot (residing there at least 275 days/year, per the 2025 amendment), and no owner or entity may hold more than 2 STR permits citywide. Where an owner does live on-site, whole-unit rentals of the unit they do NOT occupy are capped at 60 nights/year when the owner isn't present (each excess night is a separate violation), and are barred entirely in buildings of more than 4 units. Tenants (renters) can never operate an STR or sublease short-term. Every STR needs an annual permit from the Division of Housing Preservation ($250 initial, $200/year renewal), $500,000 minimum general liability insurance, a fire-safety/property-maintenance inspection (valid 3 years), a zoning determination letter, and proof of no outstanding city taxes, water/sewer charges, or municipal court fines. Guests must be 21+ to be the primary renter, and violations of Chapter 255 carry Municipal Court fines of $100-$2,000 per violation (minimum $100/violation/day the violation continues). On top of city rules, guests booking through a marketplace like Airbnb/Vrbo (or renting a 'professionally managed' unit) pay a combined 13.625% in state and local taxes: 6.625% NJ Sales Tax, 1% NJ State Occupancy Fee (reduced from the standard 5% because Jersey City has its own local tax), and 6% Jersey City Hotel and Transient Accommodation Occupancy Tax (Ordinance 20-027, effective 12/1/2021) -- all collected and remitted by the marketplace under NJ law. A federal court upheld Chapter 255's constitutionality against a regulatory-takings challenge (D.N.J., cited in legal commentary through 2024). ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Conditional - Hosted rental (host present): Conditional - Primary residence required: Yes - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 29 days Notes: STR permits are issued only to an owner (or a designated Responsible Party) who is the 'principal resident' of the short-term rental property itself or of another dwelling unit on the same lot/building -- defined since Ordinance 25-059 (6/11/2025) as residing there at least 275 days/year, evidenced by 2 of: vehicle registration, state ID, tax documents, or a utility bill. A pure absentee investor with no on-site residence cannot obtain a new permit (narrow exceptions in Ord. 19-077 for owners/tenants already operating non-owner-occupied STRs before 6/6/2019 were time-limited to 1/1/2021 and are closed to new entrants). Where the owner does live on the lot, the OTHER unit(s) may be rented whole-unit while the owner is away, capped at 60 nights/calendar year, and only in buildings of 4 units or fewer where at least one other unit is owner-occupied; that path is also capped at 2 total STR permits per owner/entity citywide (new in Ord. 25-059). Single-family homes and condos/co-ops (where the HOA/Master Deed permits STRs) may operate as STRs while owner-occupied; a bed-and-breakfast-style partial-home rental is capped at 1-3 rooms depending on bedroom count, each room capped at 2 adults + 2 minor children. Tenants/renters can never hold an STR permit or sublease short-term -- this supersedes any conflicting private lease clause. STR definition covers stays of 28 or fewer consecutive days; stays of 29+ consecutive days fall outside Chapter 255 entirely. No single citywide numeric max-guest figure was found for whole-unit rentals (only per-room caps for partial-home rentals); see needs_review. ## Requirements ### Short-Term Rental Permit (permit) - Authority: City of Jersey City, Division of Housing Preservation - Cost: $250 initial application; $200/year renewal - Renewal: Annual, on the anniversary of original issuance; renewal application due at least 30 days before expiration; permit expires automatically if the property changes ownership - Official source: https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/File/City%20Hall/Housing%20Economic%20Development/Tenant%20Landlord%20Relations/Ord.%2025-059%20(Chapter%20255%20-%20STR%20)%20.pdf - Notes: Required before renting or advertising any STR (including on MLS or any booking platform); the permit number must appear in every listing. A separate permit is required for every individual STR unit, even if commonly owned. No owner or entity may hold more than 2 STR permits citywide (Ord. 25-059, 6/11/2025). Application requires: owner/agent/responsible-party contact info available 24/7, driver's license/state ID proving principal residence, Owner's Affidavit, STRP Agent and Responsible Party certifications, 2 recent utility bills, proof of ownership, $500,000 liability insurance proof, zoning determination letter, fire-safety/property-maintenance inspection documentation (within 6 months for initial application), Municipal Court compliance certificate (no outstanding fines, no disturbing-the-peace/nuisance violations), and proof of no outstanding city taxes/water/sewer charges. Approval or written denial is due within 30 days; denials may be appealed within 10 business days to the Business Administrator. ### General Liability Insurance (insurance) - Authority: City of Jersey City, Division of Housing Preservation - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Proof required with every initial and renewal permit application - Official source: https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/File/City%20Hall/Housing%20Economic%20Development/Tenant%20Landlord%20Relations/Ord.%2025-059%20(Chapter%20255%20-%20STR%20)%20.pdf - Notes: Minimum $500,000 general liability insurance coverage required (not a flat fee -- actual premium cost varies by insurer/property). ### Fire Safety and Property Maintenance Code Inspection (inspection) - Authority: City of Jersey City -- Housing Code Enforcement and the Fire Official - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Initial application requires inspection within the past 6 months; renewals require inspection within the past 3 years - Official source: https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/File/City%20Hall/Housing%20Economic%20Development/Tenant%20Landlord%20Relations/Ord.%2025-059%20(Chapter%20255%20-%20STR%20)%20.pdf - Notes: Property Maintenance Code is Chapter 254 of the Jersey City Municipal Code. The city retains the right to re-inspect at any time on a substantiated complaint, regardless of permit status. No inspection fee amount was found on an official source (see needs_review). ### Zoning Determination Letter (other) - Authority: City of Jersey City, Division of Zoning Enforcement - Cost: not verified - Renewal: Required with initial applications only (not required for renewals if no information has changed) - Official source: https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/housinganddevelopment/housingpreservation - Notes: Confirms the property is not occupied or used in violation of the City's Land Use Regulations and Zoning Ordinances. No fee amount was found on an official source (see needs_review). ## Taxes - **New Jersey Sales Tax**: 6.625% — applies to Rentals of transient accommodations (28 days or fewer) obtained through a transient space marketplace (e.g. Airbnb, Vrbo) or that are a 'professionally managed unit' (owner offers 2+ other units for rent); direct owner-to-renter rentals outside a marketplace, and rentals executed entirely by a licensed NJ real estate broker, are exempt; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/pdf/pubs/tb/tb81r.pdf - **New Jersey State Occupancy Fee**: 1% (reduced from the standard statewide 5% because Jersey City imposes its own local hotel/transient-accommodation occupancy tax) — applies to Same transient accommodations subject to NJ Sales Tax (marketplace-booked or professionally-managed-unit rentals); platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/hotelfeeinfo.shtml - **Jersey City Hotel and Transient Accommodation Occupancy Tax**: 6% — applies to Charges for use/occupancy of transient accommodations and hotel rooms in Jersey City (Municipal Code Ch. 304, Art. V, adopted by Ordinance 20-027, effective for transient accommodations 12/1/2021); platform collects: yes. Source: https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/File/City%20Hall/Housing%20Economic%20Development/Tenant%20Landlord%20Relations/Ord.%2025-059%20(Chapter%20255%20-%20STR%20)%20.pdf ## Enforcement - Penalties: Under Chapter 255-7 (as amended by Ordinance 25-059, effective 6/11/2025), a violation subjects the STRP owner, transient occupant(s), short-term rental agent, responsible party, and/or intermediary (defined to include hosting platforms) to Municipal Court fines of $100 to $2,000 per violation, with a minimum of $100 per violation per day the violation continues; the violator has 30 days to cure and may request a Municipal Court hearing within that period. Renting a non-owner-present unit beyond the 60-night/year cap makes each excess night a separate violation. Advertising or operating without a valid permit, or advertising without publishing the permit number, is a separate violation per day the ad/listing appears. A permit may be suspended or revoked by the Director of Housing Preservation for unabated property-maintenance violations, an owner conviction for disturbing the peace/maintaining a nuisance, or 3+ substantiated complaints (1 substantiated complaint at the Director's discretion for serious cases); a revoked STRP cannot reapply for 1 year. - Platform liability: Ordinance 25-059 (6/11/2025) added 'intermediary' -- defined to include a broker or hosting platform that collects rent/taxes on an owner's behalf -- as a party subject to Chapter 255 fines for violations such as unpermitted advertising. Separately, under NJ Division of Taxation guidance (Technical Bulletin TB-81R2), a 'transient space marketplace' (e.g. Airbnb, Vrbo) is legally required to collect and remit NJ Sales Tax, the State Occupancy Fee, and any applicable local occupancy tax (including Jersey City's 6% tax) whenever a rental is booked and paid for through the marketplace. - Notes: A federal district court (D.N.J.) upheld Chapter 255 against a constitutional regulatory-takings challenge; legal commentary describes the ruling as finding owners retain economically viable uses (long-term rental, personal occupancy, or sale) even where STR use is restricted. Full case citation was not independently verified against a primary court-opinion source this session (see needs_review). ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Chapter 255 as amended by Ordinance 25-059 is provided as a legislative redline (struck-through old text / underlined new text) rather than a clean codified version, and the city's own Municode-hosted Chapter 255 page (library.municode.com) returned a JavaScript/CAPTCHA bot-wall on every attempt this session and could not be used to cross-check the fully consolidated text. The interplay between the single-family-home room-rental cap (added by Ord. 25-059: 'no more than two rooms... provided the residence contains four or more bedrooms') and the pre-existing 60-night/year whole-unit-while-owner-away rule is not fully unambiguous in the redline text -- specifically whether a single-family homeowner can still rent the ENTIRE home for up to 60 nights/year while away, or whether Ord. 25-059 restricted single-family STRs to room-only rentals. This profile assumes both provisions coexist (room rental while resident, OR whole-home rental capped at 60 nights/year while away) based on the plain text of both sections, but this could not be independently confirmed against a clean consolidated code. - No official source found stating a single citywide maximum-guest-count number for whole-unit STR rentals (only per-room caps of 2 adults + 2 minor children apply, and only to partial-home/bed-and-breakfast-style rentals). `legality.max_guests` is set to null rather than guessed. - No fee amount was found on an official source for the Fire Safety/Property Maintenance Code inspection or the Zoning Determination Letter (both may be bundled into general city inspection/certificate fee schedules not located this session); `requirements[].cost` for both is set to null rather than guessed. - The federal district court decision upholding Chapter 255 against a regulatory-takings challenge is referenced only through secondary legal-commentary sources (TAPinto news article and MROD Law firm blog); the primary court opinion (case name, docket number, exact holding date) was not independently located and fetched this session, so the case citation in `enforcement.notes` is not sourced to a primary judicial record. - NJ Treasury's own 'Municipal Occupancy Tax List' spreadsheet (munitaxlist.pdf) shows a conflicting figure for Jersey City -- it lists a 'Transient Accommodations tax rate' of 3% effective 12/1/2021 in a column distinct from the (blank) 'Hotel/Motel tax rate' column. This conflicts with the explicit, detailed 6% figure stated in NJ Treasury's own TB-81R2 technical bulletin (with a worked calculation example naming Jersey City specifically) and with the City of Jersey City's own Ordinance 20-027 text (which sets the rate at 6% and was fetched and read directly from the city's CDN). This profile uses the 6% figure as primary because it is corroborated by two independent official sources including the taxing authority's own ordinance text, but the discrepant 3% entry in the state's spreadsheet was not resolved and should be checked with NJ Division of Taxation or Jersey City's Division of Collections before high-stakes use. ## Sources - Ordinance 25-059 -- An Ordinance Amending and Supplementing Chapter 255 (Short-Term Rentals), adopted 6/11/2025 (full text, hosted on City of Jersey City's own CDN) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/File/City%20Hall/Housing%20Economic%20Development/Tenant%20Landlord%20Relations/Ord.%2025-059%20(Chapter%20255%20-%20STR%20)%20.pdf - Ordinance 20-027 -- An Ordinance Amending Chapter 304 (Taxation), Article V (Hotel Occupancy Tax) to Include Transient Accommodations (6% tax; full text, City of Jersey City CDN) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/File/City%20Hall/Housing%20Economic%20Development/Tenant%20Landlord%20Relations/Ord.%2025-059%20(Chapter%20255%20-%20STR%20)%20.pdf - Short-term Rentals Frequently Asked Questions -- City of Jersey City, Division of Housing Preservation (dated 12/4/2019, City of Jersey City CDN) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/Image/City%20Hall/Housing%20Economic%20Development/HousingPreservation/FAQ%20-%2012-4-19.pdf - Housing Preservation -- City of Jersey City (STR permit program page: application process, Tyler portal, contact info) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/housinganddevelopment/housingpreservation - TB-81R2: Taxes Imposed on the Rental of Transient Accommodations -- NJ Division of Taxation (Sales Tax, State Occupancy Fee, Jersey City's 6% local tax, marketplace collection duty, worked example: 13.625% total for Jersey City) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/pdf/pubs/tb/tb81r.pdf - New Jersey Hotel/Motel and State Occupancy Fee Information -- NJ Division of Taxation (1% reduced rate for Jersey City) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/hotelfeeinfo.shtml - Hotels and Motels Occupancy Fee and Municipal Occupancy Tax -- NJ Division of Taxation (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/hotelmotel.shtml - Municipal Occupancy Tax / Transient Accommodations Tax List by Municipality -- NJ Division of Taxation (spreadsheet, updated 5/14/2026) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/pdf/munitaxlist.pdf - New Jersey Hotel and Motel Occupancy Fee Information - Municipal Occupancy Tax -- NJ Division of Taxation (confirms Jersey City is barred from the standard Municipal Occupancy Tax because it has its own local hotel/transient tax) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/hotelfee.shtml - NJ Division of Taxation - Transient Accommodations FAQ (marketplace collection duty, host registration thresholds) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/transientaccommodationsfaq.shtml - Ballotpedia -- Jersey City, New Jersey, Municipal Question 1, Short-Term Rental Property Regulations and Permit Requirements Measure (November 2019) (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://ballotpedia.org/Jersey_City,_New_Jersey,_Municipal_Question_1,_Short-Term_Rental_Property_Regulations_and_Permit_Requirements_Measure_(November_2019) - Court Upholds Jersey City Ordinance Aimed at AirBNB, Short Term Rentals -- TAPinto Jersey City (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.tapinto.net/towns/jersey-city/articles/court-upholds-jersey-city-ordinance-aimed-at-airbnb-short-term-rentals - Jersey City Short Term Rental Regulation Not a Regulatory Taking -- MROD Law (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.mrod.law/2024/06/05/jersey-city-short-term-rental-regulation-not-a-regulatory-taking/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC). --- # Short-term rental rules in Boise, ID - Status: **LIGHTLY REGULATED** - Last checked: 2026-07-18 (claims cite official sources; items we could not verify are listed below) - Canonical page: https://strwatch.ai/boise-id/ ## Summary Boise has no short-term rental permit, license, or registration requirement as of 2026-07-18. The city repealed its 2022 STR licensing ordinance (which had required an $80/year license) effective May 18, 2026, after Idaho Governor Brad Little signed House Bill 583 on March 16, 2026. HB 583 amended Idaho Code section 67-6539, effective July 1, 2026, to bar any Idaho county or city from requiring 'a license, fee, permit, certification, or registration to operate a short-term rental' and from imposing on STRs any rule that would not also apply to an ordinary single-family home (no owner-occupancy mandate, no extra insurance, no inspections, no night caps, no density limits, no professional-management mandate). Cities may still enact only five specific safety measures (smoke alarms, a fire extinguisher and CO detector per floor, egress ladders, IBC-standard occupancy limits, and an emergency information handout), but Boise has not re-enacted any STR-specific ordinance since the repeal, so hosts are governed only by the same general nuisance, noise, parking, and building/fire code that applies to any residence. Whole-home and hosted short-term rentals of any duration are both allowed, with no primary-residence requirement. Hosts owe Idaho sales tax (6%), the Idaho Travel & Convention Tax (2%), and, within district boundaries, the Greater Boise Auditorium District room tax (5%) on stays of 30 days or less — a combined 13%. Idaho Code section 63-1804, also amended by HB 583 effective July 1, 2026, requires short-term rental marketplaces (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) to register with the Idaho State Tax Commission and collect/remit these taxes on hosts' behalf; a host who books directly without a marketplace must register and remit the taxes themselves. ## At a glance - Unhosted whole-home rental: Yes - Hosted rental (host present): Yes - Primary residence required: No - Guest cap: none verified - Rules apply to stays under: 30 days Notes: Idaho Code 67-6539(2)(a) explicitly bars cities/counties from requiring owner-occupation, professional property management, extra insurance, inspections, additional parking, signage, night limits, proximity/density limits, or conditional-use permits for STRs. Under 67-6539(3), a city MAY (but is not required to) mandate five safety items (smoke alarms in all sleeping areas, a fire extinguisher and CO detector on each floor, removable escape ladders for above-ground sleeping-area windows, occupancy limits per the international building codes' non-transient residential standard, and an emergency information handout); Boise has not enacted such an ordinance since repealing its STR chapter, so max_guests has no fixed citywide number — it would default to whatever the adopted building code sets for a given unit. 'Short-term rental'/'vacation rental' is statutorily defined (Idaho Code 63-1803(4)) as a rental for a fee of 30 days or less; longer stays fall outside this regime. ## Requirements ## Taxes - **Idaho Sales Tax**: 6% — applies to Short-term lodging rentals of 30 days or less, including cleaning/guest fees; platform collects: yes. Source: https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/sales-use/guides-for-certain-groups/lodging/ - **Idaho Travel and Convention Tax**: 2% — applies to Occupants of hotel/motel rooms, vacation-home rentals, and private campgrounds for stays of 30 days or less; platform collects: yes. Source: https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/taxes-on-sales/travel-and-convention-tax/ - **Greater Boise Auditorium District (GBAD) Room Tax**: 5% — applies to Short-term lodging (30 days or less) at properties located within the Greater Boise Auditorium District boundaries; platform collects: yes. Source: https://www.boiseauditorium.com/faq/ ## Enforcement - Penalties: No STR-specific penalty framework exists in Boise. Idaho Code 67-6539(6) provides that STR properties, owners, and tenants are subject to the same county/city ordinances and penalties that apply to any other residential use, including noise, parking, nuisance, curfew, and traffic regulations — enforced through Boise's general municipal code rather than a dedicated STR ordinance. Specific dollar fine amounts for those general code violations were not independently verified for this profile (see needs_review). - Platform liability: Cities and counties may not regulate the operation of a short-term rental marketplace (Idaho Code 67-6539(7)). Idaho Code 63-1804, as amended by HB 583 effective July 1, 2026, requires a short-term rental marketplace to register with the Idaho State Tax Commission and to collect, report, and remit state sales tax, state travel and convention tax, and any applicable local-government taxes administered by the Tax Commission (e.g., GBAD) on transactions it facilitates; a marketplace new to Idaho has 45 days after its first Idaho transaction to come into compliance. A host who rents directly without a marketplace must independently register for and remit those same taxes. - Notes: Local governments are additionally barred from levying any sales, use, franchise, receipts, or similar tax/fee on the business of operating a short-term rental marketplace itself (Idaho Code 63-1804(1)). ## Not yet verified (we say so instead of guessing) - Specific dollar fine/penalty amounts for general Boise municipal-code violations (noise, nuisance, parking) that would apply to an STR as an ordinary residence were not verified — the official code portal (codelibrary.amlegal.com, Boise's municode host) returned an HTTP 403 bot-wall on every fetch attempt (direct WebFetch and curl with a browser user-agent), and no Wayback Machine snapshot exists for that page after the May 18, 2026 repeal date to check via that fallback either. - Could not directly inspect the current full text of Boise City Code Chapter 22 (Short-Term Rentals) to confirm exactly how the repeal was codified (e.g., whether the chapter was deleted outright or replaced with a reference to state law) — this profile relies on the City Clerk's official summary page (cityofboise.org) stating the license is 'no longer required' as of 2026-05-18, which is corroborated by the state statute change but is a summary, not the ordinance text itself. ## Sources - Idaho Code 67-6539 — Limitations on Regulation of Short-Term Rentals and Vacation Rentals (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title67/t67ch65/sect67-6539/ - Idaho Code 63-1803 — Definitions (Short-Term Rental Marketplaces) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title63/t63ch18/sect63-1803/ - House Bill 583 (2026) — full engrossed bill text amending 67-6539 and 63-1804 (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/H0583.pdf - House Bill 583 (2026) — bill status/history page (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/h0583/ - City of Boise — Short-Term Rental License (current status: license no longer required, effective 2026-05-18) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/city-clerk/licensing/other/short-term-rental-license/ - City of Boise — Legislative Updates 2026 (HB 583 tracking and city testimony) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/mayor/government-affairs-legislative-updates/city-of-boise-legislative-updates-2026/ - Idaho State Tax Commission — Travel and Convention Tax (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/taxes-on-sales/travel-and-convention-tax/ - Idaho State Tax Commission — Lodging: Short-term Rental Marketplaces (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/sales-use/guides-for-certain-groups/lodging/rentals/ - Idaho State Tax Commission — Hotels, Motels and Short-Term Rentals (lodging guide) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/sales-use/guides-for-certain-groups/lodging/ - Idaho State Tax Commission — Sales and Use Taxes: Basics Guide (6% rate) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/sales-use/online-guide/ - Idaho State Tax Commission — Auditorium District Taxes (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/taxes-on-sales/aud/ - Idaho State Tax Commission — press release: STR marketplaces reminded to charge taxes on booking fees (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.idaho.gov/pressrelease/idaho-short-term-rental-marketplaces-reminded-to-charge-taxes-on-booking-fees/ - Idaho State Tax Commission — City Sales Taxes (confirms Boise has no local-option city sales tax) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://tax.idaho.gov/taxes/sales-use/sales-tax/local-sales-tax/city-sales-tax/ - Greater Boise Auditorium District — FAQ (5% room tax, district is a public/governmental entity) (official, accessed 2026-07-18): https://www.boiseauditorium.com/faq/ - BoiseDev/Valley Lookout — Short-term rental reform passes both Idaho statehouse chambers (news, accessed 2026-07-18): https://valleylookout.com/2026/03/10/str-senate-2026/ --- Educational information, not legal advice. Published by STRWatch (Laniakea Technologies LLC).