Short-term rental permits and registration in the US: a 2026 host guide
In the United States, whether you can rent a home or a room for a few nights is decided mostly at city and county level. The result is a patchwork: one town asks for a simple registration, the next caps the number of nights, a third bans whole-home rentals in residential zones. This guide explains the patterns that come up again and again, with New York City as the strictest example, and what to check before your first booking.
- Most rules are local: start with your city or county code, then your HOA and your state.
- Common requirements: a registration number on the listing, a local contact, occupancy limits and inspections.
- Some cities only allow rentals of your primary residence, or cap the nights per year.
- New York City requires registration under Local Law 18, with the host present and at most two guests.
Who makes the rules
Short-term rentals, usually stays of fewer than 30 nights, are regulated mainly through zoning and business licensing, which are local powers. Counties regulate unincorporated areas, cities regulate within their limits, and states set taxes and sometimes limit what cities can do. On top of that, homeowners associations and condo boards can restrict or ban rentals through their own covenants, and those rules bind you even where the city allows rentals.
Requirements that come up again and again
| Requirement | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Registration or permit | An application, a fee and a number that must appear on every listing. |
| Primary residence | You may rent only the home you live in, sometimes only while you are present. |
| Night caps | A maximum number of nights per year for whole-home rentals. |
| Local contact | Someone who can respond to complaints within a set time. |
| Occupancy and parking | Limits on guests per bedroom and on cars. |
| Safety inspection | Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, exits, sometimes a fire inspection. |
| Taxes | Registration for state and local lodging taxes and regular returns. |
The strictest example: New York City
New York City's Local Law 18, enforced from September 2023, requires hosts to register with the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement before listing a unit for stays of fewer than 30 days. Hosts must certify that the unit is their primary residence and that they will be present for the whole stay, and no more than two paying guests are allowed at a time. Booking platforms may not process transactions for unregistered listings. Hosts have pushed to roll back parts of the law, so check the current text before relying on any detail.
Many other large cities, including Los Angeles and Chicago, run their own registration programs with different conditions. Smaller tourist towns often have the tightest rules of all, because rentals make up a larger share of their housing.
Renting a room is not the same as renting the whole home
Many ordinances treat hosted rentals, where you rent a room and stay in the home, more lightly than unhosted whole-home rentals. A city may allow hosted stays all year with a simple registration while capping whole-home rentals at a set number of nights, or allowing them only in some zones. If you run a bed and breakfast in your own house, you may also fall under a separate B&B category with its own permit, food rules and parking requirements. Read the definitions section of the ordinance first: which category you fall into decides almost everything else.
Taxes are a separate step
A permit does not register you for taxes. Most states and many cities charge a lodging or occupancy tax on short stays; some booking channels collect it for you, others do not, and direct bookings are always on you. Our lodging tax guide by state covers rates, and the article on Airbnb and short-term rental taxes covers federal income tax.
A checklist before your first booking
- Read the zoning and short-term rental sections of your city or county code.
- Check your HOA covenants, condo bylaws or lease.
- Apply for the permit and put the number on every listing.
- Register for state and local lodging taxes.
- Install the required safety equipment and keep the receipts.
- Write house rules that match the permit: occupancy, parking, quiet hours.
- Keep records of each stay: dates, number of guests, tax collected.
Where Vezpa helps
Vezpa does not apply for permits or file taxes on your behalf. It keeps the day-to-day records in order:
- One calendar for every channel, including Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, so caps on nights are easy to track.
- Lodging tax set up as a percentage and calculated on each booking.
- Online check-in with guest details and number of guests, and a guest register you can export as PDF, CSV or Excel for any period.
- Automations that send house rules and arrival instructions in the guest's language.
Plans start at $39 a month (Smart, up to 8 rooms or 3 vacation rentals); Smart+ at $59 covers up to 15 rooms and adds team access and housekeeping; Pro at $89 covers up to 25 rooms and includes revenue management. No commission on bookings. See all plans.
Stay organized from the first booking
One calendar for every channel, lodging tax per booking, guest register you can export and house rules sent automatically. Open the demo in your browser.
Try it in your browser →Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit to rent my home on Airbnb?
- In many US cities and counties, yes. Requirements are local: some places ask for a simple registration, others limit rentals to your primary residence or cap the nights per year, and some ban whole-home rentals in residential zones. Start with your city or county code and your HOA rules.
- What is New York City Local Law 18?
- It requires short-term rental hosts in New York City to register with the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement before listing a unit for stays under 30 days. The host must live in the unit and be present during the stay, with at most two paying guests. Platforms may not process bookings for unregistered listings.
- Does a short-term rental permit cover lodging taxes?
- Usually not. Tax registration is a separate step with your state and, where it applies, your city or county. Some channels collect the tax for you, but direct bookings are your responsibility.
- Can Vezpa apply for my permit?
- No. Vezpa keeps your bookings, guest details and lodging tax figures in order and lets you export a guest register, but permits and tax returns stay with you.
Sources and caveats. New York City Local Law 18 and the Office of Special Enforcement registration, as summarized by News12 and PoliticsNY. Local ordinances change often: always check the current text of your city or county code. This is not legal advice. Vezpa prices and features as of October 2026.