What regulations apply to my city?
As an Airbnb host, it’s important for you to understand the laws in your city, county, state, province, territory and/or country (your “jurisdiction”). As a platform and marketplace, we don’t provide legal advice, but we do want to give you some useful considerations that may help you better understand laws and regulations in your jurisdiction. This list is not exhaustive, but it should give you a good start in understanding the kinds of laws that may apply to you. If you have questions, contact your local government, or consult a local lawyer or tax professional.
- Business Licenses: Many jurisdictions require owners or operators of certain businesses to apply for and obtain a license before the business can be operated. Many local governments have sections of their websites explaining the business licensing process, and providing you with relevant forms and information. Contact your local jurisdiction for more information.
- Building and Housing Standards: Most local governments and many jurisdictions have rules and regulations specifying minimum construction, design, and maintenance standards for buildings, including regulations on habitability, health, and safety. Certain rules applicable to residential and non-residential uses may be relevant to your listing. Some jurisdictions may also require an inspection of your property to make sure it meets minimum habitability standards. Contact your local government to find out what standards apply to your listing.
- Zoning Rules: Most cities or other local jurisdictions have laws that set out the way you can use your home. These rules are often found in a zoning code, planning code, or city ordinances. You should consult these rules or regulations to see if your listing is consistent with current zoning requirements or use definitions, or contact your local government directly.
- Special Permit: Some jurisdictions may require a special permit to rent out your home. Contact your local government to see if you need one, and, if you do, how to get it.
- Taxes: Many jurisdictions require hosts to collect a tax for each overnight stay, and pay that tax to the city or other jurisdiction. Contact your local government to see if you need to collect any taxes. In certain jurisdictions Airbnb automatically collects and remits certain taxes on your behalf. Learn more.
- Landlord-Tenant Laws: When hosting longer stays, you may be subject to landlord-tenant laws that vary by jurisdiction and may impose more onerous legal obligations on you and provide guests with certain additional legal rights. For example, in certain jurisdictions, guests who stay in a home or apartment for a certain period of time—the exact number of days depends on jurisdiction—may establish rights as a tenant. Generally, this means that local tenancy laws could protect them, and you may not be able to remove them from your property without proceeding through required eviction processes. Consult a local lawyer specializing in landlord-tenant law to learn more.
- Other Rules: It's also important to understand and follow other contracts or rules that might apply to your listing, such as leases, timeshare ownership rules, condo board or co-op rules, homeowners association (HOA) rules, or rules established by tenant organizations. Read your lease agreement and check with your landlord, if applicable. If you live in rent controlled or stabilized housing, there may be special rules that apply to you. Contact your local government to ask questions about this topic.
We're committed to working with local officials to help them understand how Airbnb benefits our community. Where needed, we will continue to advocate for changes that will allow regular people to rent out their own homes.
More information about your jurisdiction's laws and regulations may be available on our Responsible Hosting page in the Local regulations section.
Related articles
Buffalo, NY
If you're thinking about becoming an Airbnb Host, here's some information to help you understand the laws in your city.- Host
Your local laws and taxes
We want to help you get your hosting journey off to a great start, and that includes reviewing local laws and regulations when you list your… - Guest
'Pending' or 'exempt' license or registration numbers on listings
Some cities require Hosts to obtain a licence or registration number. This field allows Hosts to display that number.