Nashville short-term rental license guide
Last updated: October 21, 2026
Starting an Airbnb, Vrbo, or other short-term rental in Nashville is not just a matter of creating a listing. Nashville and Davidson County use a specific Short Term Rental Property permit system, and your permit path changes based on who owns the property, whether it is your primary residence, and the zoning at the address.
This guide walks through the Metro permit, location eligibility, inspections, insurance, neighbor notice, operating rules, business-tax license, state and local lodging taxes, and annual renewal steps that can apply to a Nashville short-term rental.
Bottom line
Do not advertise a Nashville short-term rental before the Metro permit is issued. Metro Codes says anyone wishing to rent a property through a Short Term Rental Property website must receive a Short Term Rental Property, or STRP, permit before listing it. The permit is separate from the Davidson County business-tax license and separate from sales and hotel occupancy tax obligations.
Your first decision is whether the property qualifies for an owner-occupied or not-owner-occupied permit. Those categories have different ownership and zoning rules. A prior owner’s permit does not transfer with the property.
If you have not yet bought or leased the property, use Metro’s Short Term Rental Property Search page and the official eligibility viewer before committing money.
Quick start: check these in this order
- Check the address. Use Metro’s STRP Eligibility Viewer. Do not rely on a real-estate listing or an old permit.
- Choose the permit type. Confirm whether the property can qualify as owner-occupied or not-owner-occupied.
- Prepare the file. Gather ownership/residence proof, tax records, floor plan, safety certification or inspection, insurance, affidavits, and neighbor-notice proof.
- Apply through Metro. The current application page routes applicants to ePermits.
- Handle business and tax accounts. Check the Davidson County Clerk’s STR business-license page plus Tennessee and Metro lodging-tax rules.
- List only after approval. Metro requires the STRP permit before the property is advertised as a short-term rental.
Nashville short-term rental requirement map
| Requirement | Who handles it | When it matters | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRP operating permit | Metro Codes and Building Safety | Before advertising or operating a qualifying short-term rental | Start the Metro STRP application |
| Address eligibility and zoning | Metro Codes / Planning | Before purchase, listing, or application | Check STRP property eligibility |
| Business-tax license | Davidson County Clerk | Depends on gross receipts and district | Check the STR business-license chart |
| Sales tax | Tennessee Department of Revenue | Short-term lodging is taxable; marketplace collection can change what the host remits directly | Read Tennessee STR sales-tax guidance |
| Hotel/local occupancy tax | Metro Finance and, for marketplace rules, Tennessee Revenue | Short stays in Nashville; collection route depends on how the booking is made | Use Metro’s STR occupancy-tax page |
| Vacation lodging service licensing | Tennessee Real Estate Commission | If you manage, market, book, and rent residential units owned by other people as a vacation lodging service | Check TREC Vacation Lodging Service rules |
The ordinary owner renting one property has a different path from a company managing rentals for other owners. Do not assume a Metro STRP permit is a property-management license or that a business-tax license replaces the STRP permit.
Owner-occupied and not-owner-occupied permits are different
Nashville separates Short Term Rental Property – Owner-Occupied from Short Term Rental Property – Not Owner-Occupied. The classification changes the ownership proof and where a new permit can be issued.
Owner-occupied STRP
This category is tied to the owner’s primary residence. Metro currently requires four owner-occupation documents: two from its Group A list and two from Group B, with the address matching the rental property.
Metro also says the owner must be a natural person; entities such as LLCs, corporations, trusts, partnerships, and joint ventures do not qualify for an owner-occupied permit. In single- and two-family zoning districts, only one owner-occupied STRP permit may be issued per lot.
Not-owner-occupied STRP
New not-owner-occupied permits are limited to listed commercial, mixed-use, office, downtown, and shopping-center zoning districts. Metro states that new NOO permits are not allowed in AR2A, R, RS, or RM districts.
An older valid NOO permit in a restricted zone may have renewal rights, but it does not pass to a buyer. Metro says STRP permits are not transferable and a change in ownership cancels the permit.
The governing ordinance also sets a minimum-distance rule for new NOO permits near specified uses including religious institutions, schools or playgrounds, parks, and licensed day-care facilities. A Metro Council exemption process exists, but approval is not automatic.
An existing Airbnb listing is not proof that you can keep operating after a purchase. Check the parcel as a new applicant before closing.
Check the property before you spend money
The location decision is the biggest Nashville-specific risk. A property can look perfect for guests and still fail the permit path because of zoning, an SP or PUD restriction, a non-owner-occupied restriction, or another parcel-specific condition.
Start with Metro’s property-search page. It sends you to the official eligibility viewer, where you can search the property address and see what STRP category may be available.
If the parcel is in a Specific Plan, or SP, district or a Planned Unit Development, or PUD, Metro says an STRP permit will be issued only if that plan allows the use. That is why a simple zoning label from a real-estate advertisement is not enough.
Metro Nashville-Davidson County is a consolidated government with two service districts. The General Services District covers Davidson County, while the Urban Services District covers the former City of Nashville plus annexed areas. The County Clerk’s STR chart lists the business-license amount as $15/$30 for GSD/USD. Confirm which service district applies to the property before paying.
For broader Nashville licensing context, see BLG’s Nashville, TN Business License Guide. That parent guide covers the general city/county licensing map; this page is focused on the STR-specific path.
What the STRP application requires
Metro’s new online STRP application process became effective March 11, 2026. The current application page tells applicants to prepare the required documents first and complete the application through ePermits.
Ownership, residence, and tax records
Applicants must show property taxes are current. Owner-occupied applicants need Metro’s current residence documents. A not-owner-occupied applicant using an entity may need documents connecting the applicant to that entity. Renewals also require proof of applicable room, occupancy, and sales-tax compliance.
Floor plan and safety review
The floor plan must show rooms, walls, doors, windows, and smoke-detector locations. Metro permits no more than four sleeping rooms and says a property with more than four bedrooms cannot be permitted as an STRP.
Single- and two-family dwellings use certification from a Tennessee-licensed architect, engineer, or home inspector. Multifamily structures follow Metro’s Fire Marshal inspection path.
Insurance and neighbor notice
Metro requires proof of fire, hazard, and liability insurance, with at least $1 million in liability coverage per occurrence. Applicants must also notify adjacent property owners, including applicable properties in front, behind, to the sides, and above or below. Notice is required; ordinary neighbor approval is not.
Permit fee
Metro’s current STR FAQ lists a $313 permit fee for the initial permit and annual renewal. Recheck the official fee before paying.
Rules after you receive the permit
Approval is not the end of the process. Metro has operating rules that continue while the unit is rented.
- One rental party at a time. Separate simultaneous contracts to different parties are not allowed.
- Principal renter must be at least 21.
- No ultra-short occupancy. Metro says an STRP owner cannot accept compensation for occupancy of less than 24 hours.
- Maximum stay is 30 consecutive days under Nashville’s STRP definition and permit framework.
- Occupancy is limited. Metro caps the total at twice the number of permitted sleeping rooms plus four, with an overall maximum of 12.
- The responsible party must be reachable. The name and phone number of the local responsible party must be posted inside the unit, and that person must answer calls 24/7 during each rental period.
- Noise and waste rules still apply. The permit holder is responsible for guest activity.
- Building and fire rules continue to apply.
- No food preparation or service by the permit holder or manager for the transient guest under the STRP operating rule.
- Permit information must appear on listings. Metro tells permit holders to include the permit number or an image of the permit on short-term-rental postings.
Metro also says the permit is not transferable to another person, entity, address, or owner. Changing ownership from an individual to an LLC or trust, or the reverse, can cancel the permit. Treat ownership changes as a permit event, not just a deed or tax-planning event.
Business license and tax layers
The STRP permit is an operating permit. It does not replace business-tax licensing or lodging taxes.
Davidson County business-tax license
The Davidson County Clerk has a page specifically for short-term-rental owners. Current Tennessee Revenue guidance uses $3,000 and $100,000 as key in-state gross-receipts thresholds.
More than $3,000 but less than $100,000 in annual gross receipts generally falls under a minimal activity license. At $100,000 or more, a standard business license plus Tennessee business-tax registration and filing generally apply. The County Clerk’s general application page lists a $30 local license fee in Nashville’s Urban Services District and $15 in the General Services District.
For the broader state framework, see BLG’s Tennessee business license guide. An LLC does not replace the local license or STRP permit; see Business License vs LLC vs DBA vs Seller’s Permit.
Sales tax and hotel occupancy tax
Tennessee says short-term vacation lodging is subject to sales tax. A qualifying marketplace may collect and remit tax for marketplace bookings, but direct bookings or other taxable charges can create host duties. Keep records showing what the platform collected.
Metro also requires applicable hotel occupancy tax compliance. Use Metro Finance’s STRP Occupancy Tax page for the local route.
If you manage rentals owned by other people
A management company can trigger a separate Tennessee licensing issue. The Tennessee Real Estate Commission regulates Vacation Lodging Services that manage, market, book, and rent qualifying residential units owned by others. Use the TREC Vacation Lodging Service page before taking management clients.
What changed in 2026
Metro moved STRP applications to a new online process effective March 11, 2026. Applicants now follow the current document-preparation sequence and submit the permit application through ePermits. Old instructions that describe a different submission path should not be treated as current.
Tennessee also changed part of the Vacation Lodging Service framework effective May 22, 2026. Public Chapter 1095 changed designated-agent licensing and supervision rules for vacation lodging services involving licensed brokers or affiliate brokers. This matters mainly to businesses managing units owned by others, not to an owner simply renting their own Nashville property. Management companies should use current TREC guidance rather than older summaries.
No general Nashville ordinance replacing BL2024-478 was found in the official research through October 2, 2026. Metro’s legislative-history page still identifies BL2024-478, effective November 12, 2024, as the current STRP law. Site-specific zoning ordinances and council distance waivers can still affect individual properties.
Three real-world examples
1. You live in the home and rent it short term
Start with owner-occupied eligibility. The natural-person owner must meet Metro’s primary-residence proof rules, complete the safety path, notify adjacent owners, carry the required insurance, and receive the STRP permit before listing.
2. You buy a house only to use as an Airbnb
This is a not-owner-occupied path. Zoning is the first major gate. A seller’s existing Airbnb operation does not transfer eligibility to you, so check the official viewer before closing.
3. You manage Airbnbs for other owners
Each property needs its own valid Nashville STRP permit, while the management company may also fall under Tennessee’s Vacation Lodging Service or real-estate licensing framework. Check TREC before taking management contracts.
Common mistakes that cost time or money
- Listing before approval. Metro requires the permit first; unpermitted operation can trigger enforcement and a waiting period.
- Assuming the seller’s permit transfers. It does not.
- Buying without checking zoning. Eligibility depends on the parcel, zoning, ownership category, and sometimes an SP or PUD.
- Using an LLC for owner-occupied status. Metro requires a natural-person owner for that category.
- Confusing neighbor notice with approval. Notice is required, but the standard process is not a neighborhood vote.
- Ignoring separate tax licensing. The STRP permit, business-tax license, and lodging taxes are different layers.
- Assuming a platform handles every tax. Direct bookings can change the filing path.
Nashville STR compliance checklist
- Search the exact address in Metro’s STRP eligibility viewer.
- Confirm owner-occupied or not-owner-occupied classification and any SP/PUD limits.
- Gather ownership/residence documents and confirm property taxes are current.
- Prepare the floor plan and required safety certification or Fire Marshal inspection.
- Obtain proof of required insurance and notify adjacent owners.
- Submit through the current Metro ePermits path and pay only through the official process.
- Do not list the property until the STRP permit is issued.
- Check Davidson County business-tax licensing and Tennessee/Metro lodging-tax accounts.
- Follow Metro’s listing and operating rules and calendar the 365-day expiration.
What to ask Metro Codes before you apply
Email or phone script
“I am considering a short-term rental at [property address]. I expect it to be [owner-occupied / not-owner-occupied]. Before I spend money or list the property, can you confirm the permit category the address is eligible for, whether any SP, PUD, distance, or other zoning condition affects it, and which inspection path applies to this building type? I also want to confirm that I am using the current 2026 ePermits application process.”
Metro’s STR pages list the Short Term Rental Department contact information and the dedicated application email. Use the current contact page rather than copying an old email or phone number from a third-party article.
What if the permit path does not work?
If the eligibility viewer says the parcel is not eligible, do not try to solve the problem by choosing the other permit type on the application. The owner-occupied and not-owner-occupied categories have different legal facts.
If you believe Metro made an eligibility or permit decision in error, the Short Term Rental Appeals Board handles appeals from certain zoning-administrator decisions. For a NOO minimum-distance issue, Metro law also provides a council-resolution exemption process with public notice and a public hearing. These are formal processes, not guaranteed approvals.
Do not operate without the permit while an issue is unresolved. Metro’s FAQ says unpermitted operation can trigger citations and a one-year waiting period before applying.
Official resources
- Metro Nashville Short Term Rental Property hub
- STRP property eligibility search
- Owner-occupied and not-owner-occupied permit types
- Current STRP application instructions
- STRP operating rules and requirements
- STRP renewal instructions
- Davidson County Clerk STR business-license page
- Tennessee business-tax registration and licensing
- Tennessee STR tax reporting guidance
- Tennessee Vacation Lodging Service licensing
About BusinessLicenseGuide.com
BusinessLicenseGuide.com is a plain-English licensing resource, not Metro Nashville, the State of Tennessee, a law firm, CPA firm, or filing service. If you are sorting out an operating permit, business license, LLC, and tax registration, start with Do I Need a Business License?.
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FAQ
Do I need a permit before listing an Airbnb in Nashville?
Yes. Metro Codes says anyone wishing to rent a property on a Short Term Rental Property website must receive an STRP permit before listing. The permit is separate from the Davidson County business-tax license and tax obligations.
Can an LLC get an owner-occupied Nashville STR permit?
No. Metro’s current permit-type page says an owner-occupied permit requires a natural-person owner and lists LLCs, corporations, trusts, partnerships, joint ventures, and other entities as ineligible for the owner-occupied category.
Can I buy a Nashville Airbnb and use the seller’s permit?
No. Metro says STRP permits are not transferable and a change in ownership cancels the permit. A buyer must qualify under the rules that apply when the new application is filed.
How much is the Nashville STR permit fee?
Metro’s current STR FAQ lists a $313 permit fee due when the application is approved and also lists $313 for annual renewal. Check the official fee information again when you apply because fees can change.
How long does a Nashville short-term rental permit last?
Metro says the permit is valid for 365 days and must be renewed before it expires. Renewal is the owner’s responsibility even if a reminder email is missed.
Do Airbnb or Vrbo collect all Nashville short-term rental taxes for me?
Not necessarily. Tennessee marketplace rules can make a qualifying platform responsible for collecting and remitting certain sales or occupancy taxes on marketplace bookings, but direct bookings and other taxable charges can create host duties. Keep platform tax records and use Metro and Tennessee Revenue guidance for your booking method.
Do I need another license if I manage short-term rentals for other owners?
Possibly. Tennessee regulates Vacation Lodging Services that manage, market, book, and rent residential units owned by others for qualifying short stays. Check the Tennessee Real Estate Commission’s current Vacation Lodging Service rules before managing other owners’ properties.
Update note
Last updated: October 21, 2026
Next review: January 19, 2027
This guide was researched against current Metro Nashville STRP permit, eligibility, application, renewal, operating-rule, business-license, and occupancy-tax sources, plus current Tennessee business-tax, short-term-rental tax, and Vacation Lodging Service sources. It includes Metro’s March 11, 2026 online STR application change and the May 22, 2026 Tennessee Vacation Lodging Service law change relevant to managers of other owners’ units.
Disclaimer
This guide is for general information only. Short-term-rental, zoning, tax, insurance, building, fire, and business-license rules can change and can depend on the exact property and owner. Confirm the current requirements with Metro Nashville and the responsible Tennessee agency before you buy a property, advertise a rental, pay a fee, or begin operating.