STR rules · verified 2w ago
Short-term rental rules in Boise, ID
The City of Boise REPEALED its short-term rental ordinance on May 12, 2026 (effective May 18, 2026). A City of Boise STR license is NO LONGER required. The repeal aligns Boise with amendments to Idaho Code 67-6539 (Idaho's statewide STR preemption statute) which limits the scope of local STR regulation. From May 18, 2026 forward, Boise relies exclusively on its general code provisions - nuisance, noise, parking, safety, occupancy regulations - and state law to govern STR operations. Prior to repeal (May 2022 - May 2026), Boise required an annual STR license at $80 + $1.50 processing fee under Chapter 22 of Title 3 of the Boise City Code, including proof of insurance and fire suppression devices. Operators must still register with the Idaho State Tax Commission for state sales tax (6%) + Idaho travel and convention tax (2%) + Boise Auditorium District tax (5%) on lodging where applicable. Idaho Code 67-6539 caps any future Boise STR rule at 'reasonable' H/S/W regulation; outright prohibition is not legally available to the city.
What's behind the sign-in
- Registration fees — initial + annual renewal cost, per permit type
- Permit caps + waitlists — exact cap values, current waitlist counts
- Owner-occupancy rules — days/year requirement, permit-class splits
- Zoning carve-outs — which districts allow / disallow STR
- Tax stack — TOT, hotel, county + state layers
- Stay limits — min/max nightly, max nights/year
- Operational requirements — parking, insurance, fire inspection, neighbor notice
- Penalties — per-night fines, revocation thresholds
- City-specific gotchas — HOA carve-outs, pending legislation, recent court rulings
- Refresh on demand — re-run the agentic pipeline against the city's current ordinance
Frequently asked
Are short-term rentals legal in Boise, ID?
Boise is currently permitted for short-term rentals. Active permits with clear rules and no recent ordinance tightening — stable for new STR investment. For the actual fees, caps, owner-occupancy rules, and city-specific gotchas, sign in.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Boise?
Almost certainly yes — almost every U.S. city now requires a short-term rental permit, vacation rental permit, or transient lodging permit before you can legally list. The specifics for Boise (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/city-clerk/licensing/other/short-term-rental-license/.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Boise?
Most cities charge per-night fines (a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per violation), escalating to cease-and-desist letters and platform delisting on repeat. Airbnb and Vrbo now share permit-validation feeds with most major cities, so unpermitted listings get blocked at the platform level. Sign in to see the specific penalty schedule for Boise.
How current is this data for Boise?
This record was verified 2w ago against the city's published ordinance (.gov or the city's official municipal-code publisher). Cached cities re-verify on a cadence — daily for cities under active legislation, weekly otherwise. Signed-in users can hit Refresh on any city to force a fresh pull. If you're underwriting a deal, always confirm against the city's code-enforcement office before closing.
Can my HOA or condo association ban STRs even if Boise allows them?
Yes. City permits authorize you under municipal law, but your HOA, condo association, or co-op board sets contractual rules that override the city for your unit. Many HOAs adopted blanket STR bans between 2018 and 2024 in response to neighbor complaints. Read the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rental addendums before you buy with an STR plan — the city saying yes does not mean your building says yes.