Wake County, NC

Raleigh, NC short-term rental permit

Short-term rentals are a limited use in ten Raleigh zoning districts, from R-1 through DX, residential ones included. The fee comes from the city's Development Fee Guide and is due when the permit is issued.[4]

Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 2, 2026.

Can you rent short term in Raleigh?

Get a permit first

What you apply for: Short-term rental zoning permit

Seasonal homes
1,011
Housing units
224,853
Residents
481,031

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates

  • City rulePermit required
  • City feeNone published
  • Tax on each staySet locally
  • Seasonal homes5 per 1,000

Raleigh short-term rental permit

Before hosting a first guest in Raleigh, a short-term rental operator obtains a miscellaneous zoning permit from the city. The rental can be part or all of a dwelling, including an accessory structure, for stays of no more than 30 days. The permit number is posted on every advertisement and on the property itself. No exterior advertising is allowed. Bedrooms cannot hold cooking facilities, except in a one-room studio. In residential districts, guests may not use the premises for special events or gatherings. In a building with several units, short-term rentals are limited to 25% of the units or two, whichever is greater. The operator keeps a list of every lodger for three years. Two verified violations within 365 days lead the city to revoke the permit. A revoked address waits 365 days for a new one.[5]

What Raleigh asks of you

  • UDO Section 6.4.6.E requires each short-term rental operator to apply for and obtain a miscellaneous zoning permit from the city first.[5]

  • Short-term rentals are a limited use in ten zoning districts, from R-1 through DX.[4]

  • The application packet pairs a Short-Term Rental Application with an Owner's Affidavit, filed as one PDF through the Permit and Development Portal.[4]

  • The zoning permit number must be conspicuously posted on all advertisements for the rental and on the property. Exterior advertising is not allowed.[5]

  • No bedroom may hold cooking facilities, such as a refrigerator over seven cubic feet or a cooktop with more than two burners. One-room studios are exempt.[5]

  • In residential districts, guests may not hold special events or gatherings on the premises.[5]

  • In a multi-unit building, no more than 25% of the units, or two units if that is greater, may be used as short-term rentals.[5]

  • The operator keeps a list of all lodgers who stayed on the premises for three years.[5]

  • Two verified violations within 365 days, or a conviction under listed criminal laws on the premises, lead the city to revoke the permit. The address cannot get a new one for 365 days.[5]

Apply on the Raleigh site

What North Carolina asks wherever you host

These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.

  • Under G.S. 160D-1207(c), no North Carolina city can make registration a condition of renting your property. Demanding a housing-code permit before you rent is barred as well. The Court of Appeals applied that rule in Schroeder v. City of Wilmington.[1]

  • Zoning is what remains. In that case the court let a city keep whole-house lodging inside named districts. Parking rules survived too, as did limits on large events. So did insurance conditions and posted safety information.[1]

  • Renting out a private residence or cottage owes North Carolina's 4.75% sales tax. Local and transit rates come on top. So does any occupancy tax levied by the city or county. Sales tax stops once a single guest has stayed ninety days in a row.[3]

North Carolina short-term rental rules

What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Raleigh

Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.

Short-term rental tax layers in Raleigh
LayerRateRemitted to
North Carolina state sales tax[2]4.75%The state revenue department
Local and transit sales tax[2]Not publishedThe state revenue department
Wake County room occupancy tax[6]6%The county

Wake County's 6% room occupancy tax covers houses and rooms that individuals rent through websites such as Airbnb. Each monthly return must reach the county by the 20th of the next one.[6]

Airbnb taxes for hosts

What the census counts

How much of Raleigh is already a second home

The Census Bureau counts 1,011 of Raleigh's 224,853 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 5 out of every 1,000. It ranks Raleigh 30th of the 31 North Carolina cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.

Rank in the state
30th of 31
Share of housing
5 per 1,000
Median home value
$415,800

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.

Nearby and comparable

Where Raleigh sits among its neighbors

Carolina Beach, NC

Registration required

2,337 seasonal homes, 373 per 1,000 housing units.

Carolina Beach short-term rental rules

Banner Elk, NC

Permit required

384 seasonal homes, 443 per 1,000 housing units.

Banner Elk short-term rental rules

Beech Mountain, NC

Registration required

1,743 seasonal homes, 721 per 1,000 housing units.

Beech Mountain short-term rental rules

Charlotte, NC

No city ordinance

1,678 seasonal homes, 4 per 1,000 housing units.

Charlotte short-term rental rules
StatewideEvery North Carolina city on this site, in one tableState law, the tax stack and every city we cover in North Carolina, with what each one asks of a host.North Carolina short-term rental rules

Keep exploring

FAQ

Raleigh short-term rental questions

How much is a Raleigh short-term rental permit?

The city sets the zoning permit fee in its Development Fee Guide rather than on the permit page. You pay it at issuance.[4]

Can I rent my whole house in Raleigh?

Yes. The UDO lets part or all of a dwelling unit, including an accessory structure, be used for short-term lodging.[5]

What gets a Raleigh permit revoked?

Two verified violations of zoning, noise or nuisance rules on the premises within 365 days. A conviction under listed criminal laws on the premises does it too.[5]
Read nextHow to start an AirbnbThe six steps in order, starting with the permit check.Read the guide

Sources

  1. Short-Term Rental Regulations after Schroeder, Coates' Canons, UNC School of Government, read on September 20, 2026
  2. Rentals of Accommodations, Sales and Use Tax, North Carolina Department of Revenue, read on September 20, 2026
  3. Sales and Use Tax Bulletins, January 2026 (SUTB 1 and SUTB 6, Accommodations), North Carolina Department of Revenue, read on October 1, 2026
  4. Short-Term Rentals, Permits and Inspections, City of Raleigh, read on October 2, 2026
  5. Unified Development Ordinance, Sec. 6.4.6. Overnight Lodging, City of Raleigh, read on October 2, 2026
  6. Room Occupancy Tax, Tax Administration, Wake County, read on October 2, 2026

This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 2, 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

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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.

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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.

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Airbnb house rules

Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.

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Check-in instructions

The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.

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