Saint Paul's Short-Term Rentals: The Rules That Matter
Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Saint Paul, Minnesota, there are 13 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.
Night Caps
Saint Paul imposes no annual night cap on short-term rentals. Licensed hosts may operate year-round regardless of owner occupancy status.
Key details: Night Cap: None - no annual limit on rental nights. Year-Round Operation: Allowed with valid license. Owner-Occupied: No night limit distinction. License Renewal: Annual at $42.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Saint Paul gives residents more flexibility on night caps.
Parking Rules
Saint Paul has no STR-specific parking rules. Guests follow standard residential parking regulations and must move vehicles during declared snow emergencies.
Key details: STR-Specific Parking: No special requirements. Snow Emergencies: Vehicles must move from plow routes. On-Street Parking: Standard residential rules apply. Enforcement: Saint Paul 311 at (651) 266-8989.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Noise Rules
Saint Paul STRs must follow Chapter 293 noise limits: 65 dBA daytime (7 AM-10 PM) and 55 dBA nighttime (10 PM-7 AM). Events and parties are prohibited at STR properties.
Key details: Daytime Limit: 65 dBA (7 AM - 10 PM). Nighttime Limit: 55 dBA (10 PM - 7 AM). Events: Commercial and social events prohibited at STRs. Authority: Chapter 293 of Legislative Code.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Occupancy Limits
Saint Paul caps STR units per building by property type: 1 unit for single-family homes, up to 4 for owner-occupied fourplexes, and 50% (max 4) for larger buildings without a CUP.
Key details: Single-Family: 1 STR unit allowed. Duplex (Owner-Occupied): Up to 2 STR units. 5+ Units: 50% of units, max 4 without CUP. Guest Occupancy: Per building and fire code. Conditional Use: Available for larger operations.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Saint Paul actively enforces its occupancy limits requirements.
Insurance Requirements
Saint Paul STR hosts need $300,000 aggregate liability insurance via ACORD certificate. Hosts using only Airbnb, VRBO, or HomeAway may rely on platform coverage instead.
Key details: Minimum Coverage: $300,000 aggregate liability. Documentation: ACORD Certificate required. Platform Alternative: Airbnb, VRBO, or HomeAway coverage accepted. Workers Comp: Certificate required with application.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Saint Paul actively enforces its insurance requirements requirements.
Registration Rules
Saint Paul STR hosts register through the PAULIE online system with proof of ownership, insurance, Workers Comp, and an Affidavit of Compliance. Listings are banned until licensed.
Key details: Registration Portal: PAULIE online system. Required Documents: 5+ items including insurance and affidavit. Advertising: Prohibited until license is issued. DSI Office: 375 Jackson St, Suite 220. Platform Owners: Affidavits from 25%+ stakeholders.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
This is one of the stricter rules in Saint Paul's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.
Permit Requirements
Saint Paul requires an annual STR Host License ($42) under Chapter 379. Non-owner-occupied properties need a Fire Certificate of Occupancy. Operating unlicensed is a $300 fine.
Key details: License Fee: $42 annually. Effective Date: December 2, 2017. Application Portal: PAULIE online system. Unlicensed Fine: $300 petty misdemeanor. Fire Certificate: Required for non-owner-occupied.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Saint Paul actively enforces its permit requirements requirements.
Taxes & Fees
Saint Paul STR hosts must collect about 12.4% in combined taxes: 6.875% state sales tax, 1.5% city sales tax, 3% lodging tax, and 1% transit taxes. The annual license fee is $42.
Key details: State Sales Tax: 6.875%. City Sales Tax: 1.5%. Lodging Tax: 3%. License Fee: $42 annually. Platform Collection: Platforms may remit state tax on host behalf.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Compared to other cities, Saint Paul takes a harder line on taxes & fees. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Extended Home Share
Saint Paul treats stays of 30 nights or longer as long-term tenancies rather than short-term rentals, shifting them out of STR licensing and into the city's rental-licensing and rent-stabilization regime.
Key details: STR cutoff: 30 consecutive nights. Long-stay regime: Rental license + Ch. 193A. State backstop: Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B. Rent cap: 3% with vacancy decontrol.
Calling a 30-plus-day stay a short-term rental to dodge rent-stabilization may trigger DSI rental-licensing enforcement and rent-rollback orders.
The rules around extended home share in Saint Paul lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.
Primary-Residence-Only Rule
Saint Paul restricts most whole-home short-term rentals to the operator's primary residence, with limited exceptions for licensed investor-operated units, helping protect long-term housing stock under the city's rent-stabilization framework.
Key details: Default rule: Primary residence only. Verification: Ramsey homestead records. Exception: Conditional investor license. Linked policy: Ch. 193A rent stabilization.
Listing a non-primary residence as a primary-residence STR risks license denial, civil fines, and removal from hosting platforms upon city request.
Host Presence Rule
Saint Paul Legislative Code Chapter 65 (Zoning) and Chapter 376 distinguish between owner-occupied short-term rentals (host present during stay) and unhosted whole-home rentals, with stricter conditions on the latter.
Key details: Issuing agency: DSI. Tiers: Hosted, unhosted. Local contact: 24-hour responsible party. Code basis: Ch. 65 zoning + Ch. 376.
Operating an unhosted whole-home STR under a host-present license risks license revocation, daily fines, and an order to cease rentals until the correct tier is issued.
Host Platform Liability
Hosting platforms operating in Saint Paul must collect and remit Minnesota lodging tax and the city's transient lodging tax, and may be required to delist unlicensed properties when notified by the Department of Safety and Inspections.
Key details: Tax basis: Minn. Stat. Ch. 297A; Ch. 327. Delisting authority: Saint Paul DSI. Tax collection: At booking by platform. Host liability: Primary remains with host.
Platforms that ignore valid delisting notices or fail to remit lodging tax face state Department of Revenue audits and city civil enforcement actions.
Repeat Violator Strikes
Saint Paul DSI tracks complaints and code violations against short-term rental licenses, and repeated substantiated complaints — typically noise, occupancy, or trash — can lead to license suspension or non-renewal under the city's nuisance framework.
Key details: Tracking: DSI substantiated complaints. Trigger threshold: Around three per year. Hearing officer: Legislative Hearing Officer. Top sanction: License revocation.
Three substantiated complaints can trigger an adverse-action hearing leading to suspension; revoked licensees often face a multi-year cooling-off period before re-applying.
This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Saint Paul actively enforces its repeat violator strikes requirements.
The Bottom Line
Saint Paul is tougher than many cities when it comes to short-term rentals. Out of the 13 rules covered here, 6 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Saint Paul, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.
All of the above reflects Saint Paul's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.