Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Rules in Chattanooga, TN (2026)

Chattanooga, TN allows short-term rentals — commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO — subject to local regulations that have evolved significantly since 2015. Hosts must register with the city (Short-Term Rental Registration) before listing their property. Chattanooga regulates STRs to balance tourism revenue with neighborhood quality of life. Key rules cover primary residence requirements, nightly limits, occupancy caps, and tax collection obligations. Hosts who operate without required registration or in violation of city rules face substantial fines. Below are the current registration requirements, rules, platform-specific notes, and penalties for Chattanooga.

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Short-Term Rental Registration. Registration fee: $175. Annual renewal: $175 annually. Register through the Chattanooga Department of Development Resources or Chattanooga Department of Development Resources. Your registration number must be displayed on all platform listings. Failure to register before hosting is a violation subject to fines.

Operational Rules

Short-Term Rental Rules in Chattanooga: 1. STR registration required for rentals under 30 consecutive days 2. Registration number must be displayed in unit and on all booking platform listings 3. Maximum occupancy: 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional 4. Noise ordinance compliance required — quiet hours enforced 5. Off-street parking required for guests where available 6. Life safety equipment required: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher 7. Annual renewal required

• •STR registration required for rentals under 30 consecutive days
• •Registration number must be displayed in unit and on all booking platform listings
• •Maximum occupancy: 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional
• •Noise ordinance compliance required — quiet hours enforced
• •Off-street parking required for guests where available
• •Life safety equipment required: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher
• •Annual renewal required

Platform-Specific Rules

Platform-Specific Rules in Chattanooga: Airbnb: Airbnb collects Tennessee state Hotel Occupancy Tax (7%) plus Hamilton County and Chattanooga local lodging taxes VRBO: VRBO collects applicable state and local lodging taxes Always verify current platform tax collection and remittance policies directly with your platform — these can change without advance notice to hosts.

Penalties for Violations

Penalties for STR Violations in Chattanooga: $500 per day fine for operating without registration; Registration suspension for safety violations; Registration revocation for repeated nuisance violations. Chattanooga has enforcement mechanisms to identify unlicensed short-term rental listings on platforms. Hosts should ensure all registrations are current and listings display valid registration numbers.

• ⚠$500 per day fine for operating without registration
• ⚠Registration suspension for safety violations
• ⚠Registration revocation for repeated nuisance violations

Frequently Asked Questions