Short-Term Rental Regulations · Nashville, TN / Davidson County
Is Nashville short-term-rental friendly?
Nashville requires a Metro Codes short-term rental permit before listing. Owner-occupied permits are available to natural-person owners who genuinely reside at the property, while non-owner-occupied permits are limited to designated commercial and mixed-use zoning districts, excluded from residential zones, and subject to a 100-foot buffer from churches, schools, daycares, and parks under the current BL2024-478 framework and the 2023 distance ordinance. Permits cost $313, last 365 days, renew annually, and are non-transferable. No annual night cap appears in the official materials, though stays must be at least 24 hours and no more than 30 consecutive days, and guests pay about 16.25% in combined sales and occupancy taxes plus $2.50 per night.
Last updated: . Every fact links to its official source.
Town-by-town rules
| Town | Permit required? | Annual cost | Primary-residence / night-cap limits | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville (Metro Government, Davidson County) | Nashville and Davidson County law requires anyone renting a property on short-term rental websites to obtain a Short Term Rental Property (STRP) permit from the Metro Codes Department before listing (Metropolitan Code 6.28.030). Two permit types exist: Owner-Occupied, for a natural-person owner who permanently resides at the property, with up to four sleeping rooms and one permit per lot in single and two-family districts, and Not Owner-Occupied, for up to four sleeping rooms in designated commercial and mixed-use districts. Ordinance BL2024-478, effective November 12, 2024, is the current law, and a new online application process through ePermits took effect March 11, 2026. Permits are valid for 365 days and are non-transferable. Operating without a permit brings citations and a mandatory one-year waiting period before reapplying. (Nashville.gov: Short Term Rental Property (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: STRP Permit Types (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: Legislative History of STRP Permits (opens in a new tab), Metro Nashville Legistar: BL2024-478 (current STR ordinance) (opens in a new tab)) | The Metro Codes FAQ states the short term rental permit fee is $313.00 due at the time the application is approved, and annual renewal requires the same $313.00 fee plus proof of current property insurance and proof of hotel occupancy tax payment. A Metro scam-alert notice confirms the standard renewal application and permit fee is strictly $313.00. Credit card payments carry a 2.3% processing fee. Applicants also budget for a floor plan certified by a state-licensed architect, engineer, or home inspector, liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, notarized affidavits, and adjacent-owner notification letters. No separate application fee was listed in the cited official materials. (Nashville.gov: STRP Frequently Asked Questions (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: Nationwide Zoning and STR Scam Notice (renewal fee $313.00) (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: Renew STRP Permit (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: Apply for STRP Permit (opens in a new tab)) | Owner-occupied permits require the owner to permanently reside at the property as their primary residence; LLCs, corporations, trusts, and partnerships are ineligible, four proof-of-residency documents must match the recorded deed, and only one permit per lot is allowed in single and two-family districts. New not-owner-occupied permits are issued only as a use permitted with conditions in listed commercial and mixed-use districts (MUN, MUL, MUG, MUI, OG, OR20 through OR40-A, ORI, CN, CL, CS, CA, CF, DTC North, South, West, and Central, SCN, SCC, and SCR) and are not permitted in AR2A, R, RS, or RM zones; existing permits in those zones may renew but do not transfer when the property is sold. New not-owner-occupied permits must also be at least 100 feet from a church, school or its playground, park, or licensed daycare center or its playground (BL2023-1884, effective August 11, 2023). No cap on the number of rental nights per year was located in the cited official materials; stays must be at least 24 hours and no more than 30 consecutive days to a single party. (Nashville.gov: STRP Permit Types (opens in a new tab), Metro Nashville Legistar: BL2023-1884 (minimum distance from churches, schools, daycares and parks) (opens in a new tab), Metro Nashville Legistar: BL2024-478 analysis (100-foot distance rule, owner-residency documentation) (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: Short Term Rental Property (24-hour minimum, 30-day maximum stay) (opens in a new tab)) | Tennessee applies 7% state sales tax plus a 2.25% Davidson County local sales tax, 9.25% combined, on transient lodging (Tennessee Department of Revenue). Metro Nashville separately levies a local occupancy tax on short-term rentals: the official Metro Short-Term Rental Tax return (Title 5, Chapter 5.10) computes tax at 7% of taxable receipts plus $2.50 for each nightly rental, reflecting the 1% occupancy tax increase adopted in BL2022-1529 effective July 1, 2023. A guest's combined lodging taxes therefore run roughly 16.25% of the rental plus $2.50 per nightly rental. Returns are due to Metro Collections by the 20th of the following month, the occupancy tax does not apply after 30 or more continuous days of occupancy, and short-term rental marketplaces have remitted Tennessee local occupancy tax on qualifying bookings since January 1, 2021. (TN Department of Revenue: Sales and Use Tax (7% state rate) (opens in a new tab), TN Department of Revenue: County and City Local Tax Rates (Davidson County 2.25%) (opens in a new tab), Metro Nashville Collections: Short-Term Rental Tax return, Title 5 Chapter 5.10 (7% plus $2.50 per nightly rental) (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov Finance: Increase of Hotel Occupancy Tax (7% levy and $2.50 nightly fee) (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov Finance Collections: Pay Hotel Occupancy Privilege Tax (opens in a new tab), TN Department of Revenue: Local Occupancy Tax (marketplace remittance since January 1, 2021) (opens in a new tab)) |
"Not found" means the restriction was not located in the linked official materials reviewed as of the update date. It does not prove that no later, uncodified, parcel-specific, or special-district rule applies.
Good to know
- Nashville (Metro Government, Davidson County): Nashville is workable for resident owners but restrictive for investors: a Metro Codes permit is required before listing, new non-owner-occupied permits are confined to designated commercial and mixed-use zones, must clear a 100-foot buffer from churches, schools, daycares, and parks, and every permit costs $313, lasts 365 days, is non-transferable, and must be renewed annually with insurance and occupancy-tax proof. Operating without a permit brings citations and a one-year waiting period, HOAs can impose stricter rules, and guests pay roughly 16.25% in combined sales and occupancy taxes plus $2.50 per nightly rental. (Nashville.gov: Short Term Rental Property (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: STRP Permit Types (opens in a new tab), Nashville.gov: STRP Frequently Asked Questions (opens in a new tab), Metro Nashville Legistar: BL2024-478 (current STR ordinance) (opens in a new tab))
FAQ
Do you need a permit to run a short-term rental in Nashville?
Yes. Nashville and Davidson County require a Short Term Rental Property (STRP) permit from Metro Codes before you list on any short-term rental website (Metropolitan Code 6.28.030). Operating without a permit is treated as illegal operation and can bring citations and a mandatory one-year waiting period before you can apply. Permits are valid for 365 days and are not transferable to a new owner.
Can I get a Nashville short-term rental permit for a home I do not live in?
Only in certain zones. New not-owner-occupied permits are issued only as a conditional use in designated commercial and mixed-use districts (MUN, MUL, MUG, MUI, OG, OR, CN, CL, CS, CA, CF, DTC, SCN, SCC, and SCR families) and are not permitted in AR2A, R, RS, or RM residential zones. They must also be at least 100 feet from a church, school or playground, park, or licensed daycare. Existing permits in excluded zones may renew but do not transfer when the property sells.
How much is the Nashville STR permit and how long does it last?
The permit fee is $313.00, due when the application is approved, and the permit is valid for 365 days. Renewal each year requires the $313.00 fee plus proof of current property insurance and proof of hotel occupancy tax payment. Credit card payments add a 2.3% processing fee, and application costs also include a floor plan certified by a licensed architect, engineer, or home inspector, $1,000,000 liability coverage, notarized affidavits, and neighbor notification.
What taxes do guests pay on a Nashville short-term rental?
Guests pay Tennessee state sales tax of 7% plus Davidson County local sales tax of 2.25% (9.25% combined), and Metro Nashville's local occupancy tax of 7% of the rental plus $2.50 for each nightly rental, for a combined total of roughly 16.25% plus $2.50 per night. Operators file monthly returns with Metro Collections by the 20th, the occupancy tax stops after 30 or more continuous days of occupancy, and booking platforms have remitted the Tennessee local occupancy tax on qualifying marketplace bookings since January 1, 2021.
General information, not legal advice. Short-term rental rules change, so verify current requirements with the jurisdiction before listing.