The strictest US cities for short-term rentals (2026)
Ranked by how hard it is to operate a short-term rental, combining legal status with residency requirements and night caps. Strictest first.
| # | City | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | Primary residence only |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | Primary residence only |
| 3 | Washington, DC | Primary residence only |
| 4 | Boston, MA | Primary residence only |
| 5 | Charleston, SC | Primary residence only |
| 6 | Denver, CO | Primary residence only |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | Primary residence only |
| 8 | New York, NY | Primary residence only |
| 9 | Orlando, FL | Primary residence only |
| 10 | Asheville, NC | Restricted |
| 11 | Portland, OR | Primary residence only |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | Allowed with permit |
| 13 | Breckenridge, CO | Restricted |
| 14 | Broken Bow, OK | Restricted |
| 15 | Clark County, NV | Restricted |
| 16 | Honolulu, HI | Restricted |
| 17 | Hot Springs, AR | Restricted |
| 18 | Kissimmee, FL | Restricted |
| 19 | Maui County, HI | Restricted |
| 20 | Miami, FL | Restricted |
| 21 | Miami Beach, FL | Restricted |
| 22 | Moab, UT | Restricted |
| 23 | Monroe County, FL | Restricted |
| 24 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Restricted |
| 25 | New Orleans, LA | Restricted |
| 26 | Osceola County, FL | Restricted |
| 27 | Palm Springs, CA | Restricted |
| 28 | Savannah, GA | Restricted |
| 29 | St. George, UT | Restricted |
| 30 | Steamboat Springs, CO | Restricted |
| 31 | Summit County, CO | Restricted |
| 32 | Traverse City, MI | Restricted |
| 33 | Virginia Beach, VA | Restricted |
Methodology: ranked from 33 covered US markets whose rules are human-verified against official sources. Rankings update automatically as the underlying data is re-verified. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice.