How to get a short-term rental permit in Salem, OR (2026)
Salem requires Short-Term Rental License — the fee is $320, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.
Permit at a glance
| Permit required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit name | Short-Term Rental License |
| Permit fee | $320 |
| Renewal | Annual |
Step by step
- 1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. Both license types are limited by structure type: STRs are allowed only in single-family or condominium dwelling units (accessory STRs also in two-family dwellings and guest houses); they are not allowed in three-family, four-family, or multifamily dwellings, nor in conjunction with ADUs. If the applicant lives in the home (minimum 270 days/year), an Accessory Short-Term Rental License suffices in residential zones RA, RS, NH, FMU (LI Area) and PM — hosted rentals of up to 3 guest rooms have no night limit; whole-home non-hosted rentals are capped at 95 days per calendar year and 10 guests. Renting 4+ guest rooms, exceeding 95 non-hosted days, or operating without living in the home makes it a Short-Term Rental, which requires a Conditional Use Permit plus license in RA, RS, and NH zones, but only a license in multifamily, commercial, mixed-use, and industrial zones (RM-I/II/III, CO, CR, CG, CB, FMU (MI/AU/VC), SWMU, IC, IP, IG).
- 2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental License
Submit the Short-Term Rental License application to Salem and pay the $320 fee. FY 2027 fee schedule (adopted by Resolution 2026-18 on June 8, 2026, effective with FY 2027 beginning July 1, 2026): new Short-Term Rental License and Accessory Short-Term Rental License are each $320.00, prorated per SRC 30.025(b). Annual renewal is $186.00 for either type. Caution on prior-year comparisons: the city's published FY 2026 fee schedule listed the standard Short-Term Rental License at $800.00 (renewal $300.00) and only the Accessory Short-Term Rental License at $311.00 (renewal $181.00), while the FY 2027 schedule's own prior-year column shows $311.00/$181.00 for both types — the two official documents conflict, so only the FY 2027 amounts ($320/$186) should be quoted as current. A Conditional Use Permit, where required by zoning, carries separate planning fees.
- 3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Salem. 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 Salem changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
Watch Salem for changes →Free monthly digest · same-day alerts from $5/mo · cancel anytime
Keep going
Verified July 21, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Salem before applying.