STR rules · verified 1mo ago
Short-term rental rules in Cody, WY
Cody (Park County, Yellowstone east gateway) takes a light-touch approach: STRs are defined as any living space leased for less than 30 consecutive days, and operators must register with the City Clerk and obtain an annual business license ($50 application fee). All registered properties undergo a fire and life-safety inspection before use (working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, CO alarms, egress windows for every sleeping area). In residential zoning districts, ONLY single-booking rentals are allowed (one group rents the entire property). Owner-occupied STRs require one off-street guest parking space per two guest sleeping rooms in addition to owner parking; non-owner-occupied STRs have no added parking requirement. Wyoming has no state-level STR preemption, so Park County also requires a separate STRP (annual renewal November 1 - December 15) for properties outside Cody city limits.
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 Cody, WY?
Cody 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 Cody?
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 Cody (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.codywy.gov/133/Short-term-Rental-Registration.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Cody?
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 Cody.
How current is this data for Cody?
This record was verified 1mo 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 Cody 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.