Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in St. Paul?

Yes. St. Paul requires Short-Term Rental Host License, and the fee is $45. Short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) have been legal throughout St. Paul since December 2, 2017, but every host must hold an annual Short-Term Rental Host License ($45 per dwelling unit) from the Department of Safety and Inspections, and platforms need their own license. Owner-occupancy is not required, though zoning standards cap how many units in a building may be STRs (more units allowed when the owner is in residence), and hosts must carry $300,000 liability coverage or book exclusively through a covered platform. Lodging is taxed heavily: 6.875% state sales tax plus 3% city lodging tax and 3% in combined city/county/metro local sales taxes, for roughly 12.9% total.

How much does a short-term rental permit cost in St. Paul?

The Short-Term Rental Host License fee in St. Paul is $45, renewed annual. City Business License Fees table (last edited Jan 7, 2026) lists $45 for both 'Short Term Rental (Owner Occupied)' and 'Short Term Rental (Non Owner Occupied)'; the fee is charged per dwelling unit rented. An older DSI handout showed $40 before being revised to $45 (revision dated 9/22/2023). A separate Short-Term Rental Platform license (for Airbnb/Vrbo-type companies) costs $11,181. A 2.49% service fee applies to card payments.

How to get a short-term rental permit in St. Paul, MN (2026)

St. Paul requires Short-Term Rental Host License — the fee is $45, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.

Permit at a glance

Permit required	Yes
Permit name	Short-Term Rental Host License
Permit fee	$45
Renewal	Annual

Step by step

1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. STRs are allowed citywide; there is no STR-exclusion zone. Zoning Code Sec. 65.645 sets per-lot standards: in RL-H1 districts, max one STR dwelling unit per zoning lot unless a duplex/triplex/fourplex is owner-occupied with the owner in residence during the rental. In all other districts, one unit or up to 50% of units on a lot (max 4) may be STRs, except an owner-occupied duplex/triplex/fourplex may rent 2/3/4 units respectively while the owner is in residence; more than 4 STR units in a building requires a conditional use permit. Only one rental per unit per day; no commercial/social events; no exterior STR signage in residential districts; occupancy is capped at the zoning definition of family unless a CUP is granted (such CUP properties must be 1,000+ feet apart).
2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental Host License
Submit the Short-Term Rental Host License application to St. Paul and pay the $45 fee. City Business License Fees table (last edited Jan 7, 2026) lists $45 for both 'Short Term Rental (Owner Occupied)' and 'Short Term Rental (Non Owner Occupied)'; the fee is charged per dwelling unit rented. An older DSI handout showed $40 before being revised to $45 (revision dated 9/22/2023). A separate Short-Term Rental Platform license (for Airbnb/Vrbo-type companies) costs $11,181. A 2.49% service fee applies to card payments.
3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for St. Paul. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
4
Renew on schedule
The permit renews annual — set a reminder so it never lapses, since operating on an expired permit typically triggers fines.

STR rules change without warning.

Get an email the moment St. Paul changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.

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Verified July 21, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with St. Paul before applying.

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