St. Louis County, MN Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Standalone ADU rental
- Prohibited
- Only exception
- Whole-property short-term rental permit
- Applies to
- All three ADU size tiers (6.11.B-D)
- Commercial use of ADU
- Also prohibited
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor under § 8.2.B
Summary
St. Louis County's zoning code bars renting an accessory dwelling on its own: Section 6.11 says the unit cannot be used for commercial or rental purposes separate from the main property, unless the owner holds a short-term rental permit covering the whole property.
5. An accessory dwelling shall not be used for commercial or rental purposes, unless a permit for short term rental is permitted as part of the overall property for rent. Accessory dwellings shall not be used for rental as separate from the overall property.
Full Breakdown
4). ' Read together, this means an owner cannot lease out the accessory dwelling as its own unit, whether on a nightly platform or a standard lease, while keeping the principal house for personal use; the only path to renting the accessory dwelling is if the entire property, principal dwelling included, is operating under a short-term rental permit that covers the whole parcel as one rented package. A homeowner who instead wants to rent just the small building on the back of the lot as an independent unit falls outside every tier's permitted use and needs either a different zoning classification for the parcel or must abandon the arrangement. D.
Violations & Fines
Renting an accessory dwelling separately from the principal property, without a whole-property short-term rental permit, is a violation of Section 6.11.B.5, C.5 or D.4. Under Section 8.2, the Director investigates complaints and orders the rental use stopped within a set compliance period; continued unpermitted rental use is a misdemeanor under Section 8.2.B with fines paid to the county's general fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out my accessory dwelling on Airbnb separately from my house?
Does the rental restriction change depending on ADU size?
Can I run a business out of my accessory dwelling instead of renting it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Minnesota accessory structures overview
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