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Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Rules: What Hosts Need to Know in 2026
Las Vegas licenses short-term rentals only in the owner’s home, and the owner must stay on site for the entire guest stay. The property can have no more than three bedrooms, including the owner’s bedroom.
Location rules are strict: the unit must sit at least 660 feet from another licensed short-term rental and 2,500 feet from a resort hotel. Some master-planned areas prohibit the use entirely.
A narrow license: owner-occupied, three bedrooms, distance limits
The City of Las Vegas does not license investor-owned short-term rentals. The owner must live on site during every guest stay, and the home may have no more than three bedrooms in total.
Approval runs in stages: a free Conditional Use Verification checks zoning and distance from other rentals and resort hotels, Code Enforcement inspects the home, and only then can the business license application be filed.
Because a nearby license can make a property ineligible even after a CUV is approved, hosts should check the city’s short-term rental map before signing a lease or buying a property.
The three-step approval path
The business license is the last step. The city first verifies the land use, then inspects the home, then reviews the license application.
Conditional Use Verification
A free planning review that checks zoning, the bedroom count, and the distance from other licensed rentals and resort hotels.
Home inspection
Code Enforcement verifies bedrooms, building permits, and life-safety items before planning gives final CUV approval.
Business license
Apply for the $500 annual license with proof of $500,000 liability insurance, a 24-hour contact, and a list of advertising platforms.
License fees
| Label | Fee |
|---|---|
| New license | $500 |
License conditions
- The owner must live on site during the guests’ entire stay.
- The property may have no more than three bedrooms, including the owner’s bedroom.
- The unit must be at least 660 feet from any other licensed short-term rental and 2,500 feet from a resort hotel.
- The zoning must allow short-term rentals, and written HOA permission is required where an association governs the property.
- Short-term rentals are prohibited in some master-planned areas, including Summerlin, Sun City Summerlin, Town Center, Skye Canyon, Cliff’s Edge, Symphony Park, Grand Canyon Village, and Form-Based Code areas.
- The license number must appear in all advertising, and a $500,000 liability policy plus a 24-hour local contact are required.
Enforcement: posting, advertising, and room tax
The city licenses each unit and requires the license number in all advertising. A license and a 24-hour contact placard must be posted at the property.
Unpaid room tax can create a lien on the property and put the license at risk of revocation.
- Unlicensed operation: a license is required for each unit.
- Unpaid room tax: lien risk and possible license revocation.
| Item | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Unlicensed operation | A license is required for each short-term rental unit; operating without one is unlawful. |
| Unpaid room tax | Unpaid room tax may result in a lien on the property and put the business license at risk of revocation. |
Room tax: 13% in the city, 13.38% in the gaming corridor
Combined hotel occupancy tax ~13%
Room tax is 13% for locations outside the Primary Gaming Corridor and 13.38% inside it. Short-term rentals are expressly subject to room tax.
The operator collects room tax from guests as a separate charge. Monthly returns are due by the 15th of the following month.
A City of Las Vegas license covers only the city limits. Unincorporated Clark County runs a separate short-term rental licensing program.
- Collection
- The operator collects room tax from guests as a separate charge; platforms may collect and remit on bookings.
- Filing
- Monthly room tax returns are due by the 15th of the following month.
Ranges vary — verify. A City of Las Vegas license covers only the city limits; unincorporated Clark County runs a separate program.
Operating rules quick list
- Occupancy
- Two persons per bedroom, excluding children under 12, or the Uniform Housing Code limit, whichever applies.
- Parking
- All occupant vehicles must park on site and may not block the public right-of-way; commercial vehicles are not allowed.
- Noise
- Sound equipment may only be used inside the unit, and guests must not create unreasonable noise.
- Contact response
- A local 24-hour contact must respond to complaints within two hours.
- Placard
- A placard with the maximum occupancy and 24-hour contact must be posted outside the unit.
- Events
- Weddings, parties, receptions, and similar events are prohibited.
- Trash
- Trash must be kept out of public view except in proper collection containers.
Permit notes
- Local contact
- A local 24-hour contact person must be named on the application and posted outside the unit.
- Insurance
- $500,000 minimum liability insurance, verified through the city’s third-party vendor myCOI.
Compare Las Vegas with other STR markets
Las Vegas limits short-term rentals to owner-occupied homes and adds distance buffers from other rentals and resort hotels. Other cities license any unit under a flat permit, cap investor licenses, or preempt local bans at the state level.
Phoenix
Arizona
Allowed citywide with permit (state law bars city bans — host-friendly)
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Phoenix rules →Scottsdale
Arizona
Licensed; Arizona law preempts local bans and occupancy caps
Moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Scottsdale rules →Sedona
Arizona
Permit required; Arizona law sets the regulatory floor
Moderate enforcement
New license $210
Last verified
View Sedona rules →Los Angeles
California
Allowed in the host’s primary residence with registration; 120-night annual cap unless extended
High enforcement
New license $441
Last verified
View Los Angeles rules →Palm Springs
California
Allowed in single-family homes with an annual certificate; new certificates capped at 20% per organized neighborhood
High enforcement
New license — Vacation Rental $1,046
Last verified
View Palm Springs rules →San Diego
California
Licensed by tier; whole-home licenses are capped by ordinance
High enforcement
New license — Tier 1 — Part-Time $193
Last verified
View San Diego rules →San Francisco
California
Allowed only in the host’s permanent residence with registration; un-hosted stays capped at 90 nights per year
High enforcement
New license $925
Last verified
View San Francisco rules →Santa Monica
California
Home-sharing only in the host’s primary residence; un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful
High enforcement
New license $582.25
Last verified
View Santa Monica rules →Denver
Colorado
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Denver rules →Washington
District of Columbia
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $99
Last verified
View Washington rules →Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Licensed and inspected; annual Certificate of Compliance required
High enforcement
New license — Certificate of Compliance $880
Last verified
View Fort Lauderdale rules →Miami
Florida
Licensed and enforced; city and county requirements run in parallel
High enforcement
Last verified
View Miami rules →Orlando
Florida
Owner-occupied home sharing; whole-home rentals are limited by zoning
Moderate enforcement
New license — Home Sharing Registration $275
Last verified
View Orlando rules →Tampa
Florida
State-licensed; city rental registration repealed in 2023
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $230
Last verified
View Tampa rules →Atlanta
Georgia
Licensed, primary residence plus one additional dwelling unit
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Atlanta rules →Savannah
Georgia
Certified STVR, overlay district only, per-ward cap
High enforcement
New license $400
Last verified
View Savannah rules →Chicago
Illinois
Registered shared housing unit (31 days or fewer)
High enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Chicago rules →New Orleans
Louisiana
Licensed, capped, and lottery-based
High enforcement
New license — NSTR owner permit $500
Last verified
View New Orleans rules →Boston
Massachusetts
Registered, owner-occupied primary residence only
High enforcement
New license — Limited Share $25
Last verified
View Boston rules →New York
New York
Legal only in a registered primary residence (hosted stays)
High enforcement
New license $145
Last verified
View New York rules →Portland
Oregon
Permitted as an accessory use (primary residence required)
Moderate enforcement
Last verified
View Portland rules →Charleston
South Carolina
Licensed, primary residence only (commercial STRs only in the overlay district)
High enforcement
New license $345
Last verified
View Charleston rules →Nashville
Tennessee
Allowed with permit; heavy zoning restrictions on investor units
High enforcement
New license $313
Last verified
View Nashville rules →Austin
Texas
Licensed & enforced
High enforcement
New license $736.60
Last verified
View Austin rules →Seattle
Washington
Licensed; up to two units per operator
High enforcement
New license $75
Last verified
View Seattle rules →Frequently asked questions
Can I run an Airbnb in any Las Vegas home?
No. The home must be owner-occupied during the entire stay, have no more than three bedrooms, sit at least 660 feet from another licensed short-term rental and 2,500 feet from a resort hotel, and be in a zoning area that allows the use.
How much is the City of Las Vegas short-term rental license?
The business license costs $500 per year, and the property must carry at least $500,000 in liability insurance. A free Conditional Use Verification and a code enforcement inspection come first.
Does a Las Vegas license cover Clark County?
No. A City of Las Vegas license covers only the city limits. Unincorporated Clark County has a separate short-term rental licensing program.
Official sources and cross-checks
Sources with links
- City of Las Vegas — Short-Term Rentals lasvegasnevada.gov
- City of Las Vegas — Short-Term Rental Application Instructions 2026 (PDF) files.lasvegasnevada.gov
- City of Las Vegas — Room Tax lasvegasnevada.gov
- Clark County — Short-Term Rental Frequently Asked Questions clarkcountynv.gov