About & methodology
How the rules get here.
Rental Rule Book is an independent research database run by a small editorial team. We aren't a city government, a booking platform, a property manager or a law firm. We compile short-term rental rules from official sources, link every rule to where it came from, date everything, and watch for changes.
Method
Four rules we hold ourselves to
| Official sources only | Municipal code, city permit pages, council records, state law and state tax guidance We read the rules where the government publishes them. Blogs and forums are never used. A platform's own help pages are cited only for what that platform does, such as which taxes it collects. |
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| Every rule cites its source | Numbered citations link each rule to the exact document it came from Each page lists its sources, with the date the source itself was last updated when it shows one. If a source doesn't say something, we say so rather than guess. |
| Verified, with a date | A page is Verified when every rule on it has been matched to its official source on the date shown What makes a rule reliable is the evidence behind it, not who read it. Each rule is compared line by line against the official document it cites, and the page records the result. Pages where some rules are still being confirmed show the date they were last updated instead of the Verified mark. |
| Watching for changes | Rule pages, council agendas and state legislation, not just the city's summary page Rules usually change in a council agenda or a state bill long before a city updates its website. We watch where changes start, record what we checked and when, and show it in each page's Changes section. |
Monitoring
How we watch for changes
| Sources we monitor | Municipal code, the city's STR department pages, city council and planning commission agendas, the state legislature, and state tax and regulatory agencies Each market's Sources section lists exactly which documents we watch. Rules usually change in a council agenda or a state bill months before the city updates its website, so we watch where changes start, not just the summary page. |
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| How often | Every market is re-checked against its official sources on a schedule, with busier and faster-changing markets checked more often Some official sites only load in a standard web browser. Those are read there instead, and each page's Changes section says what was checked. |
| Proposed vs. enacted | A change is "proposed" when it appears on an agenda or is filed as a bill, "pending" once passed but not yet in effect, and "enacted" from its effective date Rule pages show today's rules. Proposed and pending changes appear only in the Changes section, labeled, so a rule that is being debated is never presented as law. |
| Conflicting sources | The most authoritative document wins: adopted code over a summary page, the state over the city where state law preempts When two official sources disagree and we can't resolve it, the field is marked "Confirming" on the page and both sources are cited until the jurisdiction clarifies. |
| Missing information | If no official source states something, the page says so We don't fill gaps from forums, news articles or other cities' rules. "Not stated in the sources we reviewed" is a valid answer and is more useful than a guess. |
Policies
Independence, corrections and limits
| Independence | No one can pay to change how a rule or a market is described If we ever include affiliate links or sponsored listings, they will be clearly labeled and kept separate from the rule data. |
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| Corrections | Found something wrong or out of date? Email [email protected] Include the page and, if you can, a link to the official source. We review every report, correct confirmed errors quickly, and note significant corrections in the page's Changes section. |
| Rules we're still confirming | A rule stays marked "Confirming" until it matches an official source If the sources are incomplete or disagree, the page says so instead of picking one. |
| Not legal or tax advice | General information to help you ask the right questions Rules differ by zone, property and circumstance, and HOA rules or deed restrictions can be stricter than city rules. Confirm with the jurisdiction and a qualified professional before you buy or list. |
Contact
Questions, corrections or a market request
We read every message. Property managers working across several cities are especially welcome.
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