Short-term rental regulations by city and state

There is no federal rule and no single state answer. Three layers decide whether you can host at a given address. The state may license or tax every short-term rental, and may also limit what its cities are allowed to do. The county governs the land outside city limits. The city usually decides who can host, how many nights and which permit number goes in your listing. A handful of states have taken the ban away from their cities. Arizona short-term rental rules and Florida short-term rental rules did it by statute, Tennessee short-term rental rules by protecting properties already rented before an ordinance. North Carolina short-term rental rules bars rental registers but leaves zoning untouched, and Texas short-term rental rules leaves the question entirely to each city. The table above compares 318 jurisdictions, each rule checked against the ordinance or tax authority that publishes it.

On the rules alone, the friendliest states are the ones whose legislature has removed the ban from the cities. Arizona short-term rental rules is the clearest. A city there may not prohibit short-term rentals, may only ask six things on a permit application, and may not charge more than $250 for it. That is why Sedona short-term rental rules stops at $210 a unit. Florida short-term rental rules bars local rules on how long or how often you rent, but only those adopted after June 1, 2011. That is how Miami Beach short-term rental rules and Longboat Key short-term rental rules still set minimum stays. Tennessee short-term rental rules freezes the rules that applied when a property first went on the market, and the permit that follows costs $15 in Gatlinburg short-term rental rules. North Carolina short-term rental rules forbids rental registers outright yet leaves zoning untouched, so Asheville short-term rental rules confines whole-house rentals to a single district. Texas short-term rental rules issues no state license at all, which is why Galveston short-term rental rules has run its own register since 2015. Rules are only half the question. The tax stack and the seasonal demand differ just as much, and both sit on the city pages.

A local law, ordinance or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate how long or how often they are rented. The exception is one adopted on or before June 1, 2011. Section 509.032, Florida Statutes (2026)

Florida short-term rental rulesPanama City Beach short-term rental rules

Under Act 17 of 2024, transient accommodations are not a residential use, and county zoning rules may phase them out in any zoning district. Hawaii Revised Statutes section 46-4, county zoning

Hawaii short-term rental rules

An ordinance that prohibits, effectively prohibits or otherwise regulates the use of a property as a short-term rental does not apply to a property already used as one. The Act supersedes any municipal requirement in conflict with it. Summary of the Short-Term Rental Unit Act

Tennessee short-term rental rulesGatlinburg short-term rental rules

Cities and certain counties and special purpose districts are authorized to impose an additional local hotel tax, which the local taxing authority collects itself. Texas sets no equivalent statewide frame for short-term rental permits. Hotel Occupancy Tax

Texas short-term rental rulesSouth Padre Island short-term rental rules

A city or town may not prohibit vacation rentals or short-term rentals. It also may not restrict or regulate them based on their classification, use or occupancy, except as the statute provides. A.R.S. § 9-500.39, Limits on regulation of vacation rentals and short-term rentals; state preemption

Arizona short-term rental rulesPinetop-Lakeside short-term rental rules

A local government may not require an owner or manager of rental property to register it. It also may not require a permit under the housing or minimum housing code articles to rent it. Zoning and development standards survive. Short-Term Rental Regulations after Schroeder, Coates' Canons

North Carolina short-term rental rulesAtlantic Beach short-term rental rules

California law does not preempt local short-term rental ordinances: the Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 says a local agency may regulate them differently. State law only caps the fines for health or safety infractions. Short-Term Rental Facilitator Act of 2025 (SB 346), Government Code sections 50990 to 50996

California short-term rental rulesBig Bear Lake short-term rental rules

State law hands short-term rental licensing to each board of county commissioners, under C.R.S. 30-15-401 (1)(s). HB23-1287, signed June 5, 2023, added a limited power over booking platforms. HB23-1287, County Regulation Related To Short-term Rentals, signed act (C.R.S. 30-15-401)

Colorado short-term rental rulesWinter Park short-term rental rules

New York State law leaves room for local rules. A county registry does not stop a city, town or village from regulating rental operations. Any county or municipality may also prohibit short-term rentals through a local law. Real Property Law section 447-c, registration

New York short-term rental rulesWebb short-term rental rules

Georgia's 2021 law on lodging taxes left front-end regulation of short-term rentals to local governments, the Department of Community Affairs says. It also does not require platforms to share host data. Hotel/Motel Tax, Community Development Division (updated December 2025)

Georgia short-term rental rulesSky Valley short-term rental rules

Most short-term rental rules in Massachusetts are written by cities and towns. Chapter 64G lets them regulate the location of operators and the classes they allow. They may also cap local licenses and limit the days a home is rented. General Laws chapter 64G, section 14, local regulation of operators

Massachusetts short-term rental rulesBarnstable short-term rental rules

Oregon law lets cities and counties levy their own transient lodging tax, within limits. Under ORS 320.350, at least 70% of net revenue from a new or increased local tax must go to tourism. ORS chapter 320, sections 320.300 to 320.365, transient lodging taxes

Oregon short-term rental rulesLincoln City short-term rental rules

Section 15.2-983 lets each locality run a yearly registry and caps its penalty at $500 per violation. Local zoning powers stay intact. For an owner-occupied primary residence, an ordinance enacted after 2023 may not require a special permit. Code of Virginia § 15.2-983, Creation of registry for short-term rental of property

Virginia short-term rental rulesChincoteague short-term rental rules

South Carolina has no statute aimed at local short-term rental rules. House Bill 3861 would bar a city or county from banning them. As of October 2, 2026, its record shows no action after its committee referral on January 30, 2025. H. 3861, Short-term rentals, Session 126 (2025-2026), bill status

South Carolina short-term rental rulesKiawah Island short-term rental rules

Section 469.190 lets a city, or a town by vote at its town meeting, tax lodging stays under 30 days at up to 3%. That ceiling counts any older or special-law lodging tax already in place. Minnesota Statutes section 469.190, local lodging tax

Minnesota short-term rental rulesEmily short-term rental rules

The Lodgers' Tax Act lets a municipality tax lodging within its limits and a county tax lodging outside them, up to 5% of rent. Each ordinance must provide a procedure for licensing every vendor. NMSA 1978, Sections 3-38-13 to 3-38-25, Lodgers' Tax Act

New Mexico short-term rental rulesAngel Fire short-term rental rules

R.C. 5739.091 lets a board of county commissioners, a board of township trustees or a city council act on its lodging tax. By resolution or ordinance, it can extend the tax to establishments with fewer than five rooms. Ohio Revised Code section 5739.091, expansion of definition of hotel

Ohio short-term rental rulesKelleys Island short-term rental rules

Missouri authorizes local lodging taxes in statute, city by city. RSMo 67.1360 lists cities and counties that may tax the charges transient guests pay for sleeping rooms, at 2% to 5%, after a public vote. RSMo Section 67.1360, transient guest tax for the promotion of tourism

Missouri short-term rental rulesVillage of Four Seasons short-term rental rules

Utah cities may require a business license or permit for short-term rentals. They have no power to ban booking-site listings, or to punish anyone over a listing alone. Utah Code Section 10-8-85.4, ordinances regarding short-term rentals (effective November 6, 2025)

Utah short-term rental rulesBrian Head short-term rental rules

Under MCL 125.3201 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, a local unit of government may set districts regulating the use of land and structures. MCL 125.3201, Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (2006 PA 110), regulation of land development and districts

Michigan short-term rental rulesNew Buffalo short-term rental rules

Under R.S. 33:4721, a Louisiana municipality may regulate the use of buildings and land, residential use included. Courts review those zoning rules for abuse of discretion. R.S. 33:4721, regulation of size and use of buildings

Louisiana short-term rental rulesGrand Isle short-term rental rules

AB 363 only sets a floor for Clark County. Section 10.5 lets the county adopt stricter rules, which is how its 660-foot minimum became 1,000 feet. Short-term rental frequently asked questions

Nevada short-term rental rulesMesquite short-term rental rules