How to get a short-term rental permit in Branson, MO (2026)
Branson requires Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit and Short-Term Rental Business License — the fee is $150, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.
Permit at a glance
| Permit required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit name | Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit and Short-Term Rental Business License |
| Permit fee | $150 |
| Renewal | Annual |
Step by step
- 1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. Under Table 94-60.1 of the Branson zoning code, short-term rentals are permitted by right in the Conservation (CON), Agricultural (A), Medium Density Residential (MDR), High Density Residential (HDR), Neighborhood Commercial (NC), Community Commercial (CC), Mixed-Use (MU), Downtown (D), and Entertainment (ENT) districts, and prohibited in Low Density Residential (LDR), Business (BUS), and Industrial (I) districts. Sec. 22-36 additionally directs the city to deny a business license to any sub-30-day lodging business in a district zoned Low Density Residential. Use-specific standards (Sec. 94-61(e)(12)b) prohibit renting individual rooms within a single-family dwelling, and in planned developments STRs are allowed only where the PD specifically lists the use. The city provides a GIS tool (gis.bransonmo.gov/NightlyRentals) to check whether an address's zoning permits an STR.
- 2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit and Short-Term Rental Business License
Submit the Short-Term Rental (STR) Permit and Short-Term Rental Business License application to Branson and pay the $150 fee. $150 STR Permit / fire-safety inspection fee per address (permit issued by Fire Department, valid 3 years, transferable with new ownership). In addition: $100 annual STR business-license application fee per Short-Term Rental unit/address (license year runs May 1 - April 30; the fee was changed from an employee-based scale to a flat $100 per unit effective with the 2025 renewal season), plus a one-time $100 tourism-tax bond per STR business, refunded after 3 consecutive years of timely tourism tax payments.
- 3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Branson. 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 Branson changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
Watch Branson for changes →Free monthly digest · same-day alerts from $5/mo · cancel anytime
Keep going
Verified July 10, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Branson before applying.