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STRVE

Cities That Require a Primary Residence for Short-Term Rentals

Cities where only the place you live in most of the year can be rented short term.

17 of the 322 cities we’ve researched require a short-term rental to be the host’s primary residence.

Cities where this isn't established yet are left out. Not every US city is covered. What does this fact mean?

  • Laconia, NH25/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · Cityas of Oct 2026
  • Arlington County (Unincorporated), VA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · CountySource
  • Blacksburg, VA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Boston, MA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Cambridge, MA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Denver, CO20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Huntington Beach, CA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Jersey City, NJ20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Las Vegas, NV20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Los Angeles, CA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • New York City, NY20/100Heavily restricted30+ night stays only (mid-term)Primary residence required: Yes · City
  • San Francisco, CA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Santa Monica, CA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Walla Walla, WA20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Washington, DC20/100Heavily restrictedOwner-occupied onlyPrimary residence required: Yes · State law
  • East Rockaway, NY15/100Effectively bannedBannedPrimary residence required: Yes · City
  • Portland, OR15/100Effectively bannedBannedPrimary residence required: Yes · City

← All fact pages

Data as of Nov 2026.

Not legal advice

STRVE is a research tool, not financial or legal advice. Always verify regulation, tax, and permitting details with the local jurisdiction and a licensed professional before you buy.

The STRVE Score and the seven-level breakdown are our own rating framework, not an official or government rating, and no jurisdiction endorses or reviews them. The rules behind them are researched from public sources with AI assistance and are current only as of the verification date shown, so they can be incomplete, outdated, or wrong. None of it substitutes for advice from local counsel. Confirm every permit, tax, occupancy, and zoning requirement against the jurisdiction's own municipal code and with an attorney licensed in that jurisdiction before you buy, list, or operate. Terms of Service