STR Rules by City

New York City has the strictest STR rules in the country. Since Local Law 18 took effect in September 2023, hosts must register with the city, be present during guest stays, and may only rent rooms — not entire unoccupied units — for fewer than 30 days.

Los Angeles limits STRs to the host's primary residence, requires a permit, and caps unhosted rentals at 120 nights per calendar year. Entire-home rentals when the host is away count against this cap.

San Francisco allows STRs only in a host's primary residence. Unhosted rentals are capped at 90 nights per year. Hosted (host-present) rentals have no annual cap. A certificate from the city is required.

Chicago requires all STR operators to obtain a city license. The type of license depends on the building (owner-occupied vs. investor-owned, size). No night cap, but protected zones restrict density. High effective tax rate.

Miami Beach heavily restricts STRs in most residential neighborhoods. While Florida state law preempts outright STR bans for rentals under 30 days, Miami Beach has grandfathered restrictions in residential zones that were enacted before 2011. The city requires multiple licenses and actively enforces.

Nashville uses a two-tier permit system. Owner-occupied STRs (Type 1) can operate anywhere permits are issued. Non-owner-occupied STRs (Type 2) are restricted to commercial or mixed-use zones and the city has imposed a cap.

Austin uses a Type 1 / Type 2 permit system. Type 1 (owner-occupied) are more widely permitted. Type 2 (non-owner-occupied) licenses in residential areas stopped being issued after 2016; existing licenses are non-transferable and dwindling.

Denver requires a Short-Term Rental License and mandates that the property be the host's primary residence. Non-primary residence STRs in residential areas require additional approval and are rarely granted.

Seattle requires an operator license and mandates that at least one STR be the host's primary residence. Hosts may operate up to two STRs, but one must be the primary residence.

Phoenix remains one of the more permissive major STR markets thanks to Arizona's state preemption law (A.R.S. § 9-500.39) — no night cap and no residency requirement. However, since November 2023 the city requires a Short-Term Rental Permit ($250/year) for every STR property. State and city transaction privilege taxes apply.