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

Knoxville, 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 Unit Operating Permit) before listing their property. Knoxville 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 Knoxville.

Statewide Preemption

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Short-Term Rental Unit Operating Permit. Registration fee: $200. Annual renewal: $200 annually. Register through the Knoxville Plans Review and Building Inspections or Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission. Your registration number must be displayed on all platform listings. Failure to register before hosting is a violation subject to fines.

Registration Type

Short-Term Rental Unit Operating Permit · Verified June 7, 2026 · Source

Registration Fee

$200

Annual Renewal

$200

Operational Rules

Short-Term Rental Rules in Knoxville: 1. Short-Term Rental Permit required for rentals under 30 consecutive days 2. Permit number must be displayed inside unit and in all booking platform listings 3. Maximum occupancy: 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional guests 4. Noise ordinance compliance required 5. Off-street parking required for guests 6. Smoke detectors, CO detectors, and fire extinguisher required 7. Annual renewal required — permit not transferable

• •Short-Term Rental Permit required for rentals under 30 consecutive days
• •Permit number must be displayed inside unit and in all booking platform listings
• •Maximum occupancy: 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 additional guests
• •Noise ordinance compliance required
• •Off-street parking required for guests
• •Smoke detectors, CO detectors, and fire extinguisher required
• •Annual renewal required — permit not transferable

Platform-Specific Rules

Platform-Specific Rules in Knoxville: Airbnb: Airbnb collects Tennessee state Hotel Occupancy Tax (7%) plus Knox County and Knoxville local lodging taxes VRBO: VRBO collects applicable Tennessee and Knox County 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 Knoxville: $500 per day for operating without permit; Permit suspension for safety violations; Permit revocation for repeated violations. Knoxville 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 for operating without permit
• ⚠Permit suspension for safety violations
• ⚠Permit revocation for repeated violations

Frequently Asked Questions