Short-Term Rentals in Akron, OH

Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Akron, Ohio, there are 6 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Occupancy Limits

Akron caps overnight occupancy at short-term rentals under City Code § 111.624(C): no more than two guests per sleeping room, regardless of total square footage. The cap layers on top of the city's Housing Code and Zoning Code occupancy rules, and operators who exceed it risk the same administrative and criminal penalties as any other Article 37 violation.

Key details: Occupancy cap: 2 occupants per sleeping room. Governing section: § 111.624(C). CO detector placement: within 15 ft of sleeping rooms. Records retention: 7 years of rental logs. Revocation trigger: 3+ violations in 5 years.

An occupancy violation is enforced the same way as any other Article 37 breach: a notice of violation under § 111.627 triggers an administrative penalty of up to $100 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for a third or later offense. A property cited three or more times for noncompliance within five years can have its registration certificate revoked outright, and repeat or serious violations carry a third-degree misdemeanor charge of up to $500 and sixty days in jail.

Taxes & Fees

Akron charges operators a three percent excise tax on the gross revenue of every short-term rental in the city under § 104.51, on top of the separate registration required by Chapter 111. Hosting platforms can pay it on the operator's behalf, and hosts must hold the tax in trust for the city until it's remitted.

Key details: Tax rate: 3% of gross rental revenue. Who owes it: Operator (platform may remit). Reporting: Quarterly returns to Tax Commissioner. Registration prerequisite: Required before commencing business. Final return deadline: 90 days after rental stops operating.

Section 104.56 lets the Tax Commissioner estimate and assess the tax, interest, and penalties against an operator who fails to collect, report, or remit, after serving notice personally or by mail; the operator has thirty days to request a hearing before the assessment becomes final and immediately payable. Delinquent short-term rental excise tax also disqualifies a property from obtaining or renewing its Chapter 111 registration certificate.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Akron actively enforces its taxes & fees requirements.

Insurance Requirements

Akron will not issue a short-term rental registration certificate unless the operator proves general liability insurance of at least one million dollars. City Code Section 111.622(B)(8) lists that proof among thirteen required application items, alongside owner contact information, a site plan, and evidence of compliance with the city's rental registry and life-safety rules.

Key details: Insurance minimum: $1,000,000 general liability. Governing section: Akron City Code §111.622(B)(8). Application fee: $250, nonrefundable. Registration term: One year, renews by Jan. 31. Missing proof: Grounds for denial under §111.622(D)(1).

Missing or incomplete insurance proof gets an application denied under Section 111.622(D)(1) before a certificate ever issues. Operating or advertising a short-term rental without the resulting registration violates Section 111.622(A) and triggers Section 111.629's penalties: administrative fines of $100 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for a third, plus $100 per week (capped at $4,500 a year) for an unregistered rental, on top of possible misdemeanor charges and certificate revocation.

Repeat Violator Strikes

Akron treats repeat violations as grounds to shut down a short-term rental. City Code Section 111.622(D)(9) bars a property from getting a registration certificate if it has racked up three or more noncompliance orders in the previous five years, and Section 111.629(E)(2) lets the Director revoke an existing certificate on the same three-strikes trigger.

Key details: Strike threshold: 3+ violation notices in 5 years. Denial section: Akron City Code §111.622(D)(9). Revocation section: Akron City Code §111.629(E)(2). Qualifying codes: Housing, Zoning, Litter, Fire, Building. Appeal window: 10 days to Board of Housing Appeals.

A property that draws three or more notices of violation or noncompliance orders under any chapter of the Akron Code within five years loses its registration eligibility: Section 111.622(D)(9) blocks a new certificate, while Section 111.629(E)(2) and the parallel clause in Section 111.627(D) let the Director revoke a certificate already issued. Revocation comes on top of the article's administrative fines, which climb to $1,000 for a third offense, and possible third-degree misdemeanor charges.

This is one of the stricter rules in Akron's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Host Platform Liability

Akron makes hosting platforms directly responsible for the city's three percent short-term rental excise tax: City Code § 104.55 requires every platform to file a quarterly return and remit the tax it collected on behalf of Akron operators to the Tax Commissioner, holding those funds in trust under § 104.53 until payment is made.

Key details: Tax rate: 3% of gross short-term rental revenue. Platform filing deadline: last day of month after each quarter, § 104.55(A). Trust duty: platform holds tax in trust until remitted, § 104.53. Delinquency penalty: 10% of unpaid tax, § 104.57(A). Fraud penalty: 25% of unpaid tax, § 104.57(B).

A hosting platform that misses a remittance deadline owes a ten percent delinquency penalty on top of the tax under § 104.57(A), rising to twenty-five percent if the Tax Commissioner finds fraud, plus interest at one-half percent per month on the unpaid tax. A platform or operator aggrieved by an assessment or penalty can appeal to the Board of Review within thirty days under § 104.58; the Board's decision is final and any amount due is payable within fifteen days.

Short-Term Rental Permits

Akron requires every short-term rental operator to register with the city before renting out a unit for stays under 30 days. Operating or advertising an unregistered short-term rental is declared a public safety hazard and a nuisance under Akron City Code, and registration must be renewed annually by January 31 with a $250 fee.

Key details: Application fee: $250 nonrefundable. Renewal deadline: January 31 annually. Liability insurance: $1,000,000 minimum. Enforcing agency: Dept. of Neighborhood Assistance. Appeal deadline: 10 days, $15 deposit.

Renting or advertising without a valid certificate draws escalating administrative fines: up to $100 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for a third and later offense, plus $100 per week of unregistered operation capped at $4,500 per year. Unpaid penalties are certified to the Summit County Auditor as a special assessment against the property. Violators also face prosecution as a third-degree misdemeanor carrying up to a $500 fine and sixty days in jail, with mandatory minimum fines of $50 to $500 depending on prior convictions.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Akron actively enforces its short-term rental permits requirements.

The Bottom Line

Akron is tougher than many cities when it comes to short-term rentals. Out of the 6 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Akron, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Akron can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.