Akron, OH Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Akron treats long-term and short-term rental of a second dwelling as two distinct regulatory tracks. Long-term (30 days or more): the property owner must register the unit annually with the Akron Rental Registration program administered by the Neighborhood Assistance Department's Nuisance Compliance Division. Registration triggers exterior code inspections, supplies the city with owner and emergency contact information, and is a prerequisite for lawfully collecting rent. Separately, ORC Section 5323.02 requires every owner of residential rental property in Ohio to file contact information with the county Fiscal Office; Summit County's Fiscal Office administers this registry. Tenancies are governed by the Ohio Landlord-Tenant Act (ORC Chapter 5321), which sets habitability standards, caps security deposits at no more than one month's rent (with interest required after six months on deposits exceeding $50), and prescribes eviction procedures through Akron Municipal Court forcible-entry-and-detainer actions. Ohio is not a rent-control state, and ORC Section 5321.20 expressly prohibits municipalities from adopting rent control or rent stabilization. Short-term rentals (under 30 days): Akron Code Title 11 (Business Regulations) Article 37 requires an annual short-term rental registration certificate, with an application fee in the $250 range, proof of liability insurance, a floor plan showing smoke detectors and emergency exits, and compliance with occupancy and parking standards. Title 9 Chapter 104 Article 2 imposes the city's short-term rental excise tax in addition to Summit County and state lodging taxes. Fair housing: the federal Fair Housing Act, Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4112, and Akron Chapter 34 of the General Code protect against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, military status, and ancestry.