Short-term rental rules · Portland, Oregon
Short-term rentals in Portland, explained properly.
Portland allows short-term rentals only as "Accessory Short-Term Rentals" (ASTR) inside a resident's primary home, under one of two permit tiers: Type A for 1-2 bedrooms with a streamlined process, and Type B for 3-5 bedrooms requiring a Conditional Use Review. The owner or long-term tenant must occupy the home at least 270 days a year, and renting a whole home with no resident present is not permitted. Combined lodging taxes and fees run to roughly 11.5% plus a separate 3% tourism district fee and a nightly per-booking fee.
Draft. These rules were compiled from the official sources listed below but have not yet been checked line by line. Confirm with the city before making decisions.
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Type A permit: 1-2 bedrooms | Type A permits cover a maximum of 2 bedrooms and 5 overnight guests, with a streamlined approval process; the applicant must notify the neighborhood association and nearby neighbors[1] |
| Type B permit: 3-5 bedrooms, Conditional Use Review | Type B permits allow 3-5 bedrooms with up to 10 guests maximum, with exact guest capacity determined during a Conditional Use Review process; the city, not the applicant, handles neighborhood notification[1] |
| 270-day owner/tenant occupancy requirement | The resident owner or long-term tenant must occupy the dwelling unit as their primary residence for at least 270 days during each calendar year (roughly nine months), verified with an Oregon Driver's License or ID showing the property as the residence address; the resident can be absent a maximum of 95 days annually while still renting bedrooms to overnight guests[1] |
| 6+ bedroom rentals are not ASTRs | Simultaneous rental of 6 or more bedrooms is not classified as an Accessory Short-Term Rental at all, and only bedrooms within an occupied primary residence are eligible; legal detached accessory structures can also be rented under the program[1] |
| Multi-unit property limit | In a multi-unit property, ASTRs are permitted in only one unit, or in 25% of total units, whichever is greater[1] |
| Business registration, safety equipment, and inspection required | Property owners must register as a business with the City of Portland, install interconnected smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, maintain permit documentation and guest records, and pass a rental inspection covering fire/life-safety and bedroom legality[1] |
| Combined transient lodgings tax and fees | The City of Portland charges a 6% transient lodgings tax (5% to the general fund, 1% to Travel Portland); Multnomah County charges an additional 5.5%, for a combined primary occupancy tax burden of 11.5%. A separate 3% Portland Tourism Improvement District (TID) fee applies on top, along with a $4-per-night fee on bookings made through booking intermediaries (platforms like Airbnb or VRBO)[2] |
| Civil penalties for unpermitted operation | Operating an accessory short-term rental without a permit, or violating ASTR regulations, subjects the owner to citations with civil penalties under Portland City Code Chapter 33.207[1] |
| Last researched | September 25, 2026 |
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Detailed rules
The full picture, section by section
Eligibility & zoning
| No whole-home, non-hosted short-term rentals | Portland's ASTR program does not permit renting an entire home short-term with no resident owner or long-term tenant present; short-term rentals are only allowed as an accessory use within an occupied primary residence[1]Confirming |
|---|
Licensing & application
| Neighborhood notification requirements differ by permit type | For a Type A permit, the applicant is responsible for notifying the neighborhood association and nearby neighbors before approval; for a Type B permit, the city itself handles neighborhood notification as part of the Conditional Use Review[1] |
|---|---|
| ASTR program contact | Questions about the ASTR permit program can be directed to the Portland Permitting & Development office by email or phone[1] |
Taxes & fees
| Separate nightly fee ordinance | Portland City Code Chapter 6.09 establishes a nightly fee on short-term rentals, distinct from the transient lodgings tax under Chapter 6.04[3]Confirming |
|---|
Operations & complaints
| Guest record-keeping required | Permit holders must maintain permit documentation and guest records as part of ongoing compliance with the ASTR program[1] |
|---|
Changes
Recent and pending changes
The City of Portland's own ASTR 'Before You Apply' page and Transient Lodgings Tax page are the primary official sources to monitor, along with Portland City Code Chapters 6.04 (Transient Lodgings Tax) and 6.09 (Nightly Fee on Short-Term Rentals) for the exact legal text on fees. This research pass did not fetch the full text of Chapter 6.09 directly, so the nightly fee's precise scope and any exemptions should be confirmed there. Portland's owner-occupancy model (no whole-home rentals permitted at all) is a stricter standard than most markets in this database, so any move toward allowing non-hosted rentals would be a high-impact change for subscribers watching this market.
Sources
Every rule above links to one of these
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This page is general information compiled from official sources, not legal or tax advice. HOA rules, deed restrictions and zoning for a specific property can be stricter. Confirm with the local permitting office and a qualified professional before buying or listing a property.