Columbia, MO Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- ADUs as STR
- permitted if compliant with (vv)
- Per-property limit
- one registered STR dwelling only
- Applies to
- house or ADU, not both
- Enforcement
- certificate of compliance revocation
Summary
Columbia, Missouri allows an ADU to operate as a short-term rental only if just one dwelling on the property is registered.
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) usage. An ADU may be permitted to be utilized as a short-term rental subject to compliance with the provisions of this subsection (vv) and all other applicable provisions of this Code, provided not more than one (1) dwelling unit upon the property is registered for use as a short-term rental.
(xiii) Signage. One (1) non-illuminated building-mounted sign no greater than one (1) square foot in area shall be permitted to identify the dwelling unit as a short-term rental. One
(1) non-illuminated onsite directional sign no greater than one-half (½) square foot in area shall be permitted for guest way-finding purposes.
(xiv) Accessibility requirements. Short-term rentals in dwelling units not identified as a principal residence shall comply with federal, state, and local accessibility requirements as applicable.
(xv) Short-term rental certificate of compliance non-transferable. An active short-term rental certificate of compliance authorizing the use of a dwelling unit as a short-term rental and, if applicable, any conditional use permit granted under the provisions of section 29-6.4 (conditional use permit), shall be void upon the sale of the property. Application to re-establish the dwelling unit as a short-term rental shall be subject to all requirements of this Code and shall be submitted in compliance with the provisions of chapter 13 (Business License) and chapter 22 , article V (Rental Conservation Law).
(xvi)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 138).
Full Breakdown
Columbia, Missouri's UDC § 29-3.3(vv)(2)(xii) lets an accessory dwelling unit be used as a short-term rental, but only if it complies with all of subsection (vv)'s short-term rental standards and provided not more than one dwelling unit on the Boone County property is registered for short-term rental use. That means a homeowner cannot register both the principal house and the ADU as separate short-term rentals on the same lot; only one of the two can hold a valid certificate of compliance at a time.
Violations & Fines
Registering both the principal dwelling and its accessory dwelling unit as separate short-term rentals on one lot violates UDC § 29-3.3(vv)(2)(xii) and can result in revocation of the certificate of compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out my Columbia accessory dwelling unit as a short-term rental?
Can I register both my house and my ADU as separate short-term rentals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
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