STR rules · verified 2w ago
Short-term rental rules in Missoula, MT
The City of Missoula regulates short-term rentals under MMC 5.130 (Short-Term Rental Registration) plus zoning compliance under Title 20 (the existing zoning code, MMC 20.40.135 governing 'Tourist Homes' in residential districts). Title 20 is being REPEALED and replaced by Title 22 - the Unified Development Code (UDC) - effective February 2, 2026, via Ordinance 3778; applications submitted after July 2, 2025 are processed under the UDC. STR is defined as any dwelling unit rented for less than 28 consecutive days where the renter/guest has a principal residence elsewhere. All STR operators must obtain a City of Missoula STR Registration number (format: 20YY-MSS-STR-00###) which must be displayed on every listing. Registrations expire January 31 each year and must be renewed annually. The 2025 application fee is $636. Tourist homes in Residential (R) zoning districts must complete a Neighbor Notification (one parcel deep) during application. Hosting platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) are required to verify that listings carry a valid Missoula STR Registration number.
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 Missoula, MT?
Missoula is currently restricted for short-term rentals. Permitted but with material constraints — caps, owner-occupancy rules, zoning carve-outs, or active ordinance review. For the actual fees, caps, owner-occupancy rules, and city-specific gotchas, sign in.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Missoula?
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 Missoula (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/3289/Short-Term-Rental-Registration.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Missoula?
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 Missoula.
How current is this data for Missoula?
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 Missoula 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.