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Short-Term Rental Permit: State-by-State Guide

Short-Term Rental Permit applies to Airbnb, VRBO, and other short-term rental hosts. Who issues it is the first thing that changes at the state line — sometimes a state agency, often a city or county. Each state page below names the office we verified for that state, or says plainly that we could not.

Typical cost (US range)
$50–$1,500
Typical timeline
7–60 days
Renewal
Usually annual where a permit exists.

Who issues this across the US

50 jurisdictions issue this locally; 1 jurisdiction with a state issuer plus possible local rules.

What varies: whether STRs are permitted at all, whether there is a cap or lottery, whether the state licenses on top of the city, and which tax applies.

Choose your state

Related filings

Most businesses that need a short-term rental permit end up needing at least one of these too.

Business LicenseSales Tax Registration