Short-Term Rental Laws in Springfield, IL (2026)

Springfield STR rules at a glance

What will guests pay in taxes on a Springfield stay?

Itemized occupancy taxes for Springfield, IL — enter your nightly rate to see the real cost breakdown.

Permits & licensing

Zoning & location rules

Springfield's zoning code (Chapter 155) has no 'short-term rental' use category. The closest defined use is 'Tourist home, bed and breakfast inn' — an owner-occupied single-family detached residence renting no more than three bedrooms to transient overnight guests. That use requires conditional-use approval from the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission in the R-3(a)/(b), R-5(a)/(b), R-5(c) and OFF districts (§ 155.179, with findings on parking, signage, and neighborhood impact), and is a permitted use in the S-1 and S-2 commercial districts; transient hotels are a permitted use in the S-1 district (§ 155.030 lists 'Hotels, transient' and 'Tourist homes') and, by incorporation of S-1/S-2 uses, in the S-2, S-3 and B-1 districts — but NOT in B-2, whose enumerated permitted-use list (§ 155.034) contains no hotel or lodging use. Whole-home, non-owner-occupied short-term rentals are simply not addressed anywhere in the code — they are neither expressly authorized nor expressly prohibited in the R-1/R-2 single-family districts, a gray area hosts should be aware of.

Taxes

Enforcement & penalties

Hotel/motel tax is administered by the city Office of Budget and Management, whose director may enter premises and inspect the books and records of any operator (§ 100.27). If an operator fails to pay, the corporation counsel can sue to enforce payment (§ 100.29), and under § 110.006(d) the city may suspend or refuse to issue or renew any city license, permit, or certificate of use and occupancy held by a delinquent taxpayer. There is no STR-specific inspection or enforcement program because there is no STR ordinance.

Violations of the hotel/motel tax article (§§ 100.25–100.30) are fined $200–$300 for a first offense and $300–$500 for each subsequent offense within two years, with each day a separate offense (§ 100.999(b)). Late filing or late payment of the tax adds a 5% penalty on the tax due (§ 100.62). The general catch-all penalty for Chapter 100 violations is $25–$500 per day (§ 100.999(a)).

Getting legal in Springfield: the playbook

Generated from this market's verified rules — each step traces to the sources at the bottom of this page.

1. 1

   Verify your zoning

   Location rules apply: Springfield's zoning code (Chapter 155) has no 'short-term rental' use category. The closest defined use is 'Tourist home, bed and breakfast inn' — an owner-occupied single-family detached residence renting no more than three bedrooms to transient overnight guests. That use requires conditional-use approval from the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission in the R-3(a)/(b), R-5(a)/(b), R-5(c) and OFF districts (§ 155.179, with findings on parking, signage, and neighborhood impact), and is a permitted use in the S-1 and S-2 commercial districts; transient hotels are a permitted use in the S-1 district (§ 155.030 lists 'Hotels, transient' and 'Tourist homes') and, by incorporation of S-1/S-2 uses, in the S-2, S-3 and B-1 districts — but NOT in B-2, whose enumerated permitted-use list (§ 155.034) contains no hotel or lodging use. Whole-home, non-owner-occupied short-term rentals are simply not addressed anywhere in the code — they are neither expressly authorized nor expressly prohibited in the R-1/R-2 single-family districts, a gray area hosts should be aware of. Confirm your parcel's zoning with the city before applying.

2. 2

   Check the covenant layer

   HOA/condo rules may prohibit STRs regardless of city law.

3. 3

   No city permit needed — but register for taxes

   Springfield doesn't require a dedicated STR permit today, but state or county registration and tax accounts typically still apply (see the tax table above). Statuses like this change fast — see the change history below.

4. 4

   Set up tax collection & remittance

   Platforms don't collect everything here: City of Springfield Hotel and Motel Room Tax (8%) is remitted by the host in at least some cases. Register with the taxing authority before your first booking and calendar the filing deadlines.

5. 5

   Know the cost of getting it wrong

   Violations of the hotel/motel tax article (§§ 100.25–100.30) are fined $200–$300 for a first offense and $300–$500 for each subsequent offense within two years, with each day a separate offense (§ 100.999(b)). Late filing or late payment of the tax adds a 5% penalty on the tax due (§ 100.62). The general catch-all penalty for Chapter 100 violations is $25–$500 per day (§ 100.999(a)). Hotel/motel tax is administered by the city Office of Budget and Management, whose director may enter premises and inspect the books and records of any operator (§ 100.27). If an operator fails to pay, the corporation counsel can sue to enforce payment (§ 100.29), and under § 110.006(d) the city may suspend or refuse to issue or renew any city license, permit, or certificate of use and occupancy held by a delinquent taxpayer. There is no STR-specific inspection or enforcement program because there is no STR ordinance.

Recent rule changes in Springfield

Related

Sources

• Springfield, IL Code of Ordinances, Chapter 100 Taxation (§§ 100.25–100.30 Hotel and Motel Room Tax) — Municoderetrieved July 20, 2026
• Springfield, IL Code of Ordinances, Chapter 155 Zoning (§ 155.179 Tourist homes, bed and breakfast inns; §§ 155.018–155.034 district use regulations) — Municoderetrieved July 20, 2026
• Springfield, IL Code of Ordinances, Chapter 110 Business Licensing (§ 110.004 master list of licensed businesses) — Municoderetrieved July 20, 2026
• City of Springfield Tax Rates (Office of Budget and Management)retrieved July 20, 2026
• 35 ILCS 145/3 — Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act (rate and re-renter provisions)retrieved July 20, 2026
• Illinois Department of Revenue — Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax overviewretrieved July 20, 2026
• IDOR Informational Bulletin FY 2025-28 — Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Updates for Hosting Platforms for Short-Term Rentals (effective July 1, 2025)retrieved July 20, 2026
• IDOR Informational Bulletin FY 2026-33 — Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Changes, Effective July 1, 2026 (PA 104-0468)retrieved July 20, 2026
• Airbnb Help Center — Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Illinoisretrieved July 20, 2026

This page is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules change and enforcement varies — verify current requirements with Springfield and a qualified professional before operating.