Airbnb Regulations by City (2026): 70 US Markets Compared
There is no national short-term rental law in the US — every city writes its own, and the spread is enormous. On one end, markets like the big coastal cities cap rentals to a host's primary residence or ban whole-home listings outright; on the other, plenty of vacation towns ask for little more than a lodging-tax remittance. Most cities sit in the middle: legal, but only with a permit, a fee, and sometimes a night cap.
This page compares all 70 US markets in our database with human-verified data. Every row is checked against official government sources — ordinances, city permit portals, and tax authorities — by the STR Rule Watch research team, and each shows the date it was last verified. Click any city for the full breakdown: permit steps, zoning, taxes, penalties, and cited sources.
Dataset last verified: July 13, 2026 · 70 markets · informational only, not legal advice.
Most restrictive markets
These cities ban typical short-term rentals, make them impractical through host-present or minimum-stay rules, or limit them to the host's primary residence. Investing in a dedicated STR here is either illegal or close to it.
| City | Legal status | Permit & fee | Primary residence only | Night cap | Lodging tax | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Primary residence only | Short-Term Rental Registration (Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement, Local Law 18 of 2022) — $145 | Yes | — | ~14.75% | July 10, 2026 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Primary residence only | Home-Sharing Registration (Regular or Extended) — $441 | Yes | 120 nights/yr | ~14% | July 10, 2026 |
| San Francisco, CA | Primary residence only | Short-Term Residential Rental Certificate (Office of Short-Term Rentals registry) — $925 | Yes | 90 nights/yr | ~16.25% | July 10, 2026 |
| Denver, CO | Primary residence only | Short-Term Rental License (Denver Department of Excise and Licenses) — $150 | Yes | — | ~13.65% | July 10, 2026 |
| Washington, DC | Primary residence only | Basic Business License with 'Short-Term Rental' endorsement (host present) or 'Short-Term Rental: Vacation Rental' endorsement (host absent) — $99 | Yes | 90 nights/yr | ~15.95% | July 12, 2026 |
| Las Vegas, NV | Primary residence only | Short-Term Residential Rental business license (with Conditional Use Verification) — $500 | Yes | — | ~13% | July 10, 2026 |
| Boston, MA | Primary residence only | Short-Term Rental Registration (City of Boston Inspectional Services Department) — $200 | Yes | — | ~17.95% | July 10, 2026 |
| Portland, OR | Primary residence only | Accessory Short-Term Rental (ASTR) Permit (Type A for 1-2 bedrooms; Type B conditional use for 3-5 bedrooms) — $400 | Yes | — | ~16% | July 12, 2026 |
| Orlando, FL | Primary residence only | Home Sharing Registration — $275 | Yes | — | ~12.5% | July 10, 2026 |
| Charleston, SC | Primary residence only | Short Term Rental (STR) Operational Permit (Certificate of Operation), plus City of Charleston business license — $345 | Yes | — | ~14% | July 10, 2026 |
Permit-required markets
Short-term rentals are legal in these markets, but only after registering or obtaining a permit — and often subject to caps, zoning limits, or per-owner unit maximums. Fees and renewal cycles vary widely, so check each city's page before budgeting.
| City | Legal status | Permit & fee | Primary residence only | Night cap | Lodging tax | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Permit required | Shared Housing Unit Registration (Shared Housing Registration Number) — $250 | No | — | ~17.5% | July 10, 2026 |
| Riverside County, CA | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Certificate — $740 | No | — | ~13% | July 12, 2026 |
| Houston, TX | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Certificate of Registration — $275 | No | — | ~17% | July 12, 2026 |
| Clark County, NV | Restricted | Short-Term Rental Unit License — $750 | No | — | ~13.38% | July 12, 2026 |
| San Bernardino County, CA | Permit required | Short-Term Residential Rental Permit — $1,144 | No | — | ~7% | July 12, 2026 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Permit (City of Phoenix Planning & Development Department) — $250 | No | — | ~13.07% | July 10, 2026 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Permit required | Limited Lodging Operator License — $150 | No | — | ~15.5% | July 12, 2026 |
| San Antonio, TX | Permit required | Short Term Rental (STR) Permit (Type 1 owner/operator-occupied; Type 2 non-owner-occupied) — $300 | No | — | ~16.75% | July 13, 2026 |
| San Diego, CA | Permit required | Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) License (Tiers 1-4) — $1,170 | No | — | ~13.75% | July 10, 2026 |
| Dallas, TX | Permit required | City of Dallas Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) registration (City Controller's Office; filed via dallas.munirevs.com) | No | — | ~15% | July 12, 2026 |
| Austin, TX | Permit required | Short-Term Rental (STR) Operating License — $836.30 | No | — | ~17% | July 12, 2026 |
| Seattle, WA | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Regulatory License (Operator's License) — $75 | No | — | ~16.17% | July 12, 2026 |
| Nashville, TN | Permit required | Short Term Rental Property (STRP) Permit — $313 | No | — | ~16.75% | July 12, 2026 |
| Atlanta, GA | Permit required | Short-Term Rental License (STRL) — $150 | No | — | ~16.9% | July 10, 2026 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | Restricted | Short-Term Rental Zoning Permit (plus Conditional Use Permit in the Oceanfront Resort STR Overlay District) — $500 | No | — | ~25.5% | July 10, 2026 |
| Miami, FL | Restricted | Certificate of Use (CU) for Lodging + Business Tax Receipt (BTR) (City of Miami), plus Florida DBPR lodging license and Certificate of Occupancy | No | — | ~13% | July 10, 2026 |
| Osceola County, FL | Restricted | Osceola County Local Business Tax Receipt (Short Term Rental) plus Tourist Tax account registration — $30 | No | — | ~13.5% | July 12, 2026 |
| Tampa, FL | Permit required | Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License (state) plus City of Tampa Business Tax Receipt; no city-specific STR permit exists — $170 | No | — | ~13.5% | July 13, 2026 |
| Horry County, SC | Permit required | Horry County Business License | No | — | ~12% | July 12, 2026 |
| New Orleans, LA | Restricted | Non-Commercial Short-Term Rental (NSTR) Owner Permit (residential zones); Commercial Short-Term Rental (CSTR) Owner Permit (commercial/mixed-use zones); plus a separate STR Operator Permit — $500 | No | — | ~16.75% | July 10, 2026 |
| Honolulu, HI | Restricted | Short-Term Rental Registration (certificate of registration as a Bed and Breakfast Home (B&B) or Transient Vacation Unit (TVU), issued by the Department of Planning and Permitting) — $1,000 | No | — | ~18.5% | July 10, 2026 |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Permit required | Vacation Rental License (Short-Term/Vacation Rental License) — $250 | No | — | ~13.97% | July 10, 2026 |
| Vancouver, WA | Permit required | Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit — $250 | No | — | ~10.9% | July 12, 2026 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Permit required | Vacation Rental Registration (Certificate of Compliance) — $880 | No | — | ~13% | July 13, 2026 |
| Maui County, HI | Restricted | Short-Term Rental Home (STRH) Permit — $1,916 | No | — | ~18.5% | July 12, 2026 |
| Savannah, GA | Restricted | Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) Certificate — $400 | No | — | ~15% | July 10, 2026 |
| St. George, UT | Restricted | Short Term Rental Business License (City of St. George business license) — $50 | No | — | ~13.32% | July 13, 2026 |
| Sevier County, TN | Permit required | Sevier County Short-Term Rental Unit (STRU) Annual Operational Permit — $250 | No | — | ~12.75% | July 12, 2026 |
| Asheville, NC | Restricted | Homestay Permit — $200 | Yes | — | ~13% | July 10, 2026 |
| Monroe County, FL | Restricted | Special Vacation Rental Permit — $490 | No | — | ~12.5% | July 12, 2026 |
| Miami Beach, FL | Restricted | Vacation/Short-Term Rental Business Tax Receipt (BTR), with Certificate of Use and Resort Tax registration | No | — | ~14% | July 10, 2026 |
| Kissimmee, FL | Restricted | Short-Term Rental Business Tax Receipt (plus Conditional Use approval where required by zoning) — $50 | No | — | ~13.5% | July 10, 2026 |
| Walton County, FL | Permit required | Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate (Walton County Vacation Rental Registration Program) — $300 | No | — | ~12% | July 12, 2026 |
| Galveston, TX | Permit required | Short-Term Rental License / Galveston Vacation Rental (GVR) registration number — $250 | No | — | ~15% | July 10, 2026 |
| Palm Springs, CA | Restricted | Vacation Rental Registration Certificate — $1,046 | No | — | ~12.5% | July 10, 2026 |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | Restricted | City of Myrtle Beach Business License | No | — | ~13% | July 10, 2026 |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | Permit required | Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit — $150 | No | — | ~10% | July 12, 2026 |
| Hot Springs, AR | Restricted | Short-Term Residential Rental Business License — $200 | No | — | ~14.5% | July 12, 2026 |
| Summit County, CO | Restricted | Short-Term Rental (STR) License (Resort License; Type I License; Type II License) — $360 | No | — | ~8.38% | July 12, 2026 |
| Camas, WA | Permit required | City of Camas General Business License (city endorsement via Washington State Business Licensing Service) — no STR-specific permit exists — $50 | No | — | ~10.8% | July 10, 2026 |
| Yucca Valley, CA | Permit required | Temporary Short-Term Vacation Rental Permit (TSTVRP) — $973 | No | — | ~12% | July 10, 2026 |
| South Lake Tahoe, CA | Permit required | Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Permit — $548 | No | — | ~12% | July 10, 2026 |
| Panama City Beach, FL | Permit required | Vacation Rental Certificate — $250 | No | — | ~12% | July 10, 2026 |
| Gulf Shores, AL | Permit required | Rental License (City of Gulf Shores business license for vacation rental of a dwelling unit) | No | — | ~16% | July 10, 2026 |
| Traverse City, MI | Restricted | Vacation Home Rental License — $200 | No | — | ~11% | July 13, 2026 |
| Destin, FL | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Registration (separate 'Condo STR Rental Registration' application for condominiums) — $500 | No | — | ~13% | July 10, 2026 |
| Steamboat Springs, CO | Restricted | Short-Term Rental License (also Hosted Short-Term Rental License and Temporary Short-Term Rental License) — $350 | No | — | ~20.4% | July 12, 2026 |
| Branson, MO | Permit required | Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit and Short-Term Rental Business License — $150 | No | — | ~12.35% | July 10, 2026 |
| Fredericksburg, TX | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Permit — $300 | No | — | ~20% | July 10, 2026 |
| Sedona, AZ | Permit required | City of Sedona Short-Term Rental Permit — $210 | No | — | ~20.23% | July 10, 2026 |
| Park City, UT | Permit required | Nightly Rental License — $149 | No | — | ~14.62% | July 10, 2026 |
| Ocean City, MD | Permit required | Rental License & Noise Control Permit plus Short-Term Rental License (Short-Term Rental Housing Unit additional fee) — $246 | No | — | ~12% | July 13, 2026 |
| Pigeon Forge, TN | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Unit Operating Permit — $300 | No | — | ~13.25% | July 10, 2026 |
| Moab, UT | Restricted | Nightly Rental Business License — $250 | No | — | ~16.42% | July 10, 2026 |
| Stowe, VT | Permit required | Short-Term Rental Registration — $100 | No | — | ~13% | July 13, 2026 |
| Big Bear Lake, CA | Permit required | Vacation Rental License (City of Big Bear Lake Vacation Rental Program registration) — $635 | No | — | ~13% | July 10, 2026 |
| Breckenridge, CO | Restricted | Accommodation Unit License (with prerequisite Business and Occupational License, 'BOLT') — $756 | No | — | ~12.28% | July 10, 2026 |
| Broken Bow, OK | Restricted | Not required | No | — | ~18.25% | July 10, 2026 |
| Gatlinburg, TN | Permit required | Tourist Residency Permit — $200 | No | — | ~14% | July 10, 2026 |
| Cape May, NJ | Permit required | Rental License (Mercantile License - Residential Short Term Rental Unit) — $125 | No | — | ~14.63% | July 13, 2026 |
Light-touch markets
The friendliest end of the spectrum: no dedicated STR permit is required to host. Lodging taxes and general business or safety rules still apply, and light-touch today does not mean light-touch forever.
No verified markets in this group yet — check back soon.
Frequently asked questions
›Which US cities ban Airbnb?
Very few US cities ban Airbnb outright; most restrict it instead. Common near-bans use host-present requirements or 30-day minimum stays. None of the 70 verified markets we currently track has a full ban, but several are heavily restricted.
›Which cities are most Airbnb-friendly?
Airbnb-friendly cities typically require at most a simple registration and impose no night caps or primary-residence rules. Of the 70 markets we track, the friendliest still collect lodging taxes, so check each city's tax line before listing.
›How do I find my city's Airbnb rules?
Start with our free address lookup tool, which maps an address to the jurisdiction that actually regulates it (city limits vs. unincorporated county matters). Then read the city's page in our directory — each one lists legal status, permit steps, fees, caps, and taxes, verified against official government sources with a visible verification date.
›Do all cities require a permit for Airbnb?
No. 69 of the 70 verified markets we track require a permit, license, or registration before hosting; the rest either allow short-term rentals without a dedicated permit or restrict them so tightly that permits are moot. Fees range from under $100 to over $1,000, and most permits renew annually.
›How often do Airbnb regulations change?
Constantly — city councils amend short-term rental ordinances year-round, and a single vote can add a night cap or a primary-residence rule overnight. That is why every row on this page shows a real "last verified" date, and why we re-verify each market against official sources instead of publishing a one-time guide.
Check the rules for your exact address
City-limit lines decide which ordinance applies — an address a block outside town can follow completely different rules. Look up yours, or get a plain-English verdict for any market we cover.
Methodology: compiled from 70 US markets whose short-term rental rules are human-verified against official government sources by the STR Rule Watch research team. Tables refresh automatically as the underlying data is re-verified. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice.