Las Vegas short-term rental laws (2026)
Inside the City of Las Vegas, a short-term rental is legal only in the owner's own home. You cannot rent out the whole house. Unincorporated Clark County has its own, separate program.[3]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified September 14, 2026.
Is Airbnb legal in Las Vegas?
Legal, owner on site
Only with a city license, in the owner's primary residence, with the owner there during each rental.
8 official sources · verified September 14, 2026
Photo: Christina on Unsplash
- PermitRequired · City license, $500 a year
- Primary residenceRequired
- Number on listingRequired
- Night capNone published
Las Vegas short-term rental license
A Las Vegas short-term rental license goes to one kind of host only. The owner lives in the home and stays on the property during every rental. Whole-home rentals are not allowed. The home can have three bedrooms at most, the owner's included, and must sit at least 660 feet from any other short-term rental. Summerlin, Skye Canyon and the other master-planned areas are excluded altogether. The license costs $500 a year. Rent without it and the fine runs $1,000 to $10,000 per violation. Unincorporated Clark County runs a separate program.[3]
Every Las Vegas rule, sorted by what it asks
Filter by topic. Each line carries the number of its official source, listed at the bottom of the page.
You must
- Own the parcel and live in the unit as your primary residence[3]
- Show a Nevada ID with the rental's address[1]
- Show the city license number and Nevada business ID in every listing[3][5]
- Pay the license fee yearly, in advance, for each unit[3]
- Get a conditional use verification that the zoning allows rentals[1]
- Be at least 660 feet from other short-term rentals, 2,500 from resort hotels[1]
- Common-interest community: have rentals expressly allowed by its documents[3]
- Live on site for the whole stay, in the bedroom on the approved floor plan[1][3]
- Say in ads that the rental is owner-occupied and not the entire home[3]
- Post the license inside and an exterior placard with occupancy, 24-hour contact[3]
- Respond to complaints within two hours[3]
- Put smoke alarms with a monthly test log in each sleeping room, CO as required[3]
- Keep extinguishers with current tags under the sink, in garages, on each floor[3]
- Mount an evacuation map of at least 10 by 8 inches in each sleeping room[3]
- Carry at least $500,000 liability insurance from a Nevada-licensed insurer[3]
- Pay city room tax yourself on stays booked outside a licensed platform[7]
You must not
- Rent a home with more than three bedrooms, yours included[2]
- Operate in Summerlin, Skye Canyon, Symphony Park or other barred areas[1]
- Rent a unit or room in an apartment building[3]
- Host over 2 people per bedroom or 16 total, children under 12 not counted[3]
- Host weddings, parties, receptions or similar events[3]
- Leave during a stay except for work or ordinary errands[3]
Stays of 31 days or more in Las Vegas
- Las Vegas keeps short-term rentals to the home you live in. A stay of 31 consecutive days or more is not a short-term rental under its rules.[3]
- At that length, a guest can gain tenant rights, and lodging tax and insurance work differently.
What a new permit costs
Annual business license fee per short-term rental unit, paid in advance
$500every year
- Business license$500
The conditional use verification application is free.[1]
How to apply in Las Vegas
Official name: Short-Term Residential Rental business license
- 1
Apply on the Citizen Portal for a conditional use verification, with a justification letter, site plan and floor plan.[1]
- 2
After initial review, schedule a home inspection with Code Enforcement at 702-229-6615, option 3.[1]
- 3
Once the inspection passes, Planning reviews the verification again and approves it if the location still qualifies.[1]
- 4
Apply for the business license with the $500 fee, $500,000 liability insurance, your platform list, a 24-hour contact and a Nevada ID showing the rental address.[1]
- 5
Do not rent the property until the whole application process is complete.[1]
Five jurisdictions, same questions
The Las Vegas column comes from the official sources on this page. The other columns show the headline rule from each WonderGuest page. Open a page for the full detail.
| Question | Las Vegas | Mesquite | Reno | Los Angeles | Austin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | RequiredCity license, $500 a year | Required$50 | Not required | Required$441 base fee, adjusted each year | Required$836.30 new, up to 2 years |
| Primary residence | Required | Not required | Not published | Required | Not required |
| Night cap | None published | No yearly night cap in Chapter 2-13 | None published by the city | 120 days a year unless Extended | None published |
| Number on listing | Required | Required | Not published | Required | Required |
| Occupancy tax | 13 to 13.38% TOT, Airbnb collects | 12.5% | 13% | 14% city TOT, Airbnb collects | 11% city tax, platforms collect |
| Mesquite short-term rental rules | Reno short-term rental rules | Los Angeles short-term rental rules | Austin short-term rental rules |
Coming up
What's changing
No change with an effective date appears in the official sources on this page as of September 14, 2026.
FAQ
Las Vegas short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in Las Vegas?
Can I rent out my whole house in Las Vegas while I am away?
Do I need a state business license for a short-term rental in Las Vegas?
If Airbnb collects room tax, do I still file with the city?
Sources
- Short-term residential rental general information (2026), City of Las Vegas Department of Community Development, read on September 14, 2026
- Can my home become a short-term rental?, City of Las Vegas Business Licensing Division, read on September 14, 2026
- Las Vegas Municipal Code chapter 6.75, short-term residential rentals, City of Las Vegas, read on September 14, 2026
- Las Vegas Municipal Code § 6.02.460, schedule of civil fines, City of Las Vegas, read on September 14, 2026
- NRS 268.09795 to 268.09798, transient lodging in cities, Nevada Legislature, read on September 14, 2026
- Short-term rental frequently asked questions, Clark County, Nevada, read on September 14, 2026
- Transient lodging room tax instructions (March 2026), City of Las Vegas Business License Division, read on September 14, 2026
- Occupancy tax collection and remittance in Nevada, Airbnb Help Center, read on September 14, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on September 14, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb income calculator
Nightly rate, occupancy, Airbnb fee, management, mortgage, taxes and depreciation. You get cash flow, cash-on-cash return and what is left after the IRS.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.