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Tennessee · Short-Term Rental Compliance

Nashville Short-Term Rental Permit Guide

Nashville requires an STRP Permit for every short-term rental. Type 1 (owner-occupied) is allowed in most residential zones; Type 2 (non-owner-occupied) has been blocked in residential zones since January 1, 2022 and is only available in approved non-residential/mixed-use zones. Permits cost $313 annually and require proof of $1M liability insurance, fire-safety compliance, and 24/7 reachable local responsible party within 25 miles. Combined tax burden is 16.25% plus a $2.50/night per-room fee.

Permit
Short-Term Rental Property (STRP) Permit — Type 1 (owner-occupied) / Type 2 (non-owner-occupied)
Annual fee
$313
Occupancy tax
16.25%
Fine range
$50.00–$500 per day (unlicensed) or per violation (repeat)
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What the city requires

Requirements checklist

  • 1
    Annual STRP Permit
    $313/yr for both Type 1 and Type 2. Renewed annually by each permit's own anniversary date (not a unified fiscal deadline). Requires proof of current property insurance and Hotel Occupancy Tax payment.
  • 2
    Combined occupancy tax
    7% TN state sales + 2.25% local sales + 7% Metro Hotel Occupancy Tax = 16.25%, plus a $2.50/room/night nightly fee. Metro HOT was raised from 6% to 7% on July 1, 2023 for Titans stadium debt service.
  • 3
    Insurance + safety
    $1,000,000 minimum liability coverage. UL217 smoke detectors in every sleeping area and along egress paths; Fire Marshal inspection required for multi-family/common-hallway units. Posted floor plan required.
  • 4
    Zoning restrictions
    Type 2 permits halted in residential zones (AR2A, R, RS, RM) since Jan 1, 2022 — allowed only in MUN, MUL, MUG, MUI, OG, OR20-40, CN, CL, CS, CA, CF, DTC, SCN, SCC, SCR. Existing Type 2 permits cannot transfer to new owners.
  • 5
    Occupancy + responsible party
    Max 4 sleeping rooms, (rooms × 2) + 4 occupants (cap 12). Single-party rentals only. Type 2 responsible party must live within 25 miles and be available 24/7 during rental periods.
  • 6
    Neighbor notification + listing display
    Adjacent property owners notified in person or by certified mail at initial permit. Permit number must appear in standardized format on every Airbnb/VRBO listing; permits are publicly searchable via Metro's database.

Verified April 2026 against nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals, Substitute Ordinance BL2020-187, and TN Dept. of Revenue SUT-48. Enforcement focus is fraudulent owner-occupied claims. As of mid-2025 only ~10% of the ~9,000 active Nashville Airbnb/VRBO listings hold valid permits. No specific mandated Airbnb/VRBO data-sharing statute in TN.

Official filing portal: https://epermits.nashville.gov/

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