Is Airbnb legal in Columbus, OH?

Allowed

These rules are changing or in active litigation. Verify the current status directly before you rely on it.

Airbnb is allowed in Columbus, OH

All operators need an annual STR permit, and the application is substantial: a background check, 300,000 dollars of liability insurance, and a 24/7 local contact. Any property type qualifies citywide with no owner-occupancy rule or night cap. The city also collects a roughly 5 percent lodging tax on STRs.

Columbus City Code Ch. 598 + Ch. 371View the ordinance

Verified July 2026. Not legal advice. Rules change and may be enforced differently than written. Confirm with the city before you list.

Key rules at a glance

Permit or registration

Required

Primary residence only

No

Annual night cap

Not confirmed

Registration fee

See ordinance

How short-term rentals work in Columbus

The first step in Columbus is the city's permit or registration process; check the ordinance for the current fee. The status card above has the full detail on the current rules.

Columbus broadly permits short-term rentals. Expect to register and collect lodging tax, but there is real room for an investor STR strategy.

What it means for investors

Columbus is relatively open to short-term rentals, so an STR strategy is on the table. Run the numbers on a specific property, and compare it to a straight long-term rental to see which pencils better.

Analyze a rental hereCheck long-term rent

Short-term rental rules elsewhere in Ohio

Last reviewed July 2026. Informational and educational only, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Rules change and may be enforced differently than written. Verify the current ordinance with your local jurisdiction or counsel before acting.

Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in Columbus?

All operators need an annual STR permit, and the application is substantial: a background check, 300,000 dollars of liability insurance, and a 24/7 local contact. Any property type qualifies citywide with no owner-occupancy rule or night cap. The city also collects a roughly 5 percent lodging tax on STRs. This reflects the rules as of July 2026; confirm the current ordinance with the city before you list.

Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in Columbus?

Yes. Columbus requires a permit or registration to operate a short-term rental, and platforms increasingly require the permit number on the listing.

Can I run a non-owner-occupied Airbnb in Columbus?

Yes, Columbus does not require you to live in the property, though other limits such as caps, zoning, or licensing may still apply.

Is there a limit on how many nights I can rent in Columbus?

No specific annual night cap was confirmed for Columbus, though minimum-stay rules or license caps may effectively limit operations. Check the ordinance.

What taxes apply to a short-term rental in Columbus?

Short-term rentals in Columbus are generally subject to state and local lodging or occupancy taxes on top of income tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect some of these automatically, but not always all of them, so confirm the current rate and who remits it with Ohio and the city.