Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in North Conway?

Yes. North Conway requires Rental Property Permit (Chapter 72 Rental Property Permit Program), and the fee is $50. North Conway is a village within the Town of Conway, NH, where short-term rentals are legal town-wide -- including in residential districts, per the NH Supreme Court's Town of Conway v. Kudrick ruling (May 2, 2023) -- but every rental property must hold a Rental Property Permit under Chapter 72 (Housing & Life Safety Standards), adopted April 8, 2025. One- and two-family homes register via a $50 self-affidavit (fire-department inspection required for new rental uses or ownership changes), and hosts owe New Hampshire's 8.5% Meals and Rooms (Rentals) Tax, which Airbnb/Vrbo collect as facilitators for platform bookings. There are no owner-occupancy rules, night caps, or minimum-stay requirements.

How much does a short-term rental permit cost in North Conway?

The Rental Property Permit (Chapter 72 Rental Property Permit Program) fee in North Conway is $50. Fee schedule approved by the Selectboard on Nov. 4, 2025: one- and two-family dwellings pay a $50.00 permit fee submitted as a self-affidavit (no inspection required); multi-family structures (3+ rental units) pay a $50.00 base fee plus $25.00 per unit (e.g., a 3-unit structure pays $125). The prior program (Sept. 2023 through 2025) charged $375 with a fire-department inspection for a 3-year license. New rental uses and changes of ownership still require a fire-department inspection under Chapter 72.

How to get a short-term rental permit in North Conway, NH (2026)

North Conway requires Rental Property Permit (Chapter 72 Rental Property Permit Program) — the fee is $50. Here's how to get and keep it.

Permit at a glance

Permit required	Yes
Permit name	Rental Property Permit (Chapter 72 Rental Property Permit Program)
Permit fee	$50
Renewal	—

Step by step

1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. STRs are allowed in all zoning districts of Conway, including North Conway village. In Town of Conway v. Kudrick (NH Supreme Court, May 2, 2023), the court held the Conway Zoning Ordinance permits non-owner-occupied short-term rentals in the town's residential districts, because occupants' residential-type use -- not duration of stay -- controls. There is no STR-specific zoning district or overlay; the town regulates rentals through the town-wide Chapter 72 life-safety permit program rather than zoning. Petition articles to repeal the rental inspection/licensing requirements failed at the April 2025 town election (Articles 55 and 56).
2
Apply for the Rental Property Permit (Chapter 72 Rental Property Permit Program)
Submit the Rental Property Permit (Chapter 72 Rental Property Permit Program) application to North Conway and pay the $50 fee. Fee schedule approved by the Selectboard on Nov. 4, 2025: one- and two-family dwellings pay a $50.00 permit fee submitted as a self-affidavit (no inspection required); multi-family structures (3+ rental units) pay a $50.00 base fee plus $25.00 per unit (e.g., a 3-unit structure pays $125). The prior program (Sept. 2023 through 2025) charged $375 with a fire-department inspection for a 3-year license. New rental uses and changes of ownership still require a fire-department inspection under Chapter 72.
3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for North Conway. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.

STR rules change without warning.

Get an email the moment North Conway 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 North Conway before applying.

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