Short-Term Rentals in Ames, IA (2026)

8 verified short-term rentals rules for Ames, Iowa, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

The City of Ames, Iowa requires Short-Term Rentals to either register under Chapter 35's Guest Lodging Code or fully comply with Chapter 13's Rental Housing Code; there is no third option. Sec. 35.500(2) governs registration: it is free, reviewed by staff within five working days, and an incomplete application is deemed withdrawn if not fixed within 31 days of notice.

Ames Short-Term Rental Registration Process

Significant Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.500(2)

(2) Registration. ... (a) Registration Form. Short-Term Rental Registration must be on forms provided by the City. (b) No Fee. Registration as a Short-Term Rental unit is voluntary and requires no fee. (c) Registration Review. Complete and accurate information must be provided to the City. (i) Staff review. The registration will be reviewed by staff within five working days for comple...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(6) requires every registered Short-Term Rental in the City of Ames, Iowa to prove its taxes are current before renewing. At each annual registration renewal, the owner must document that required taxes for the previous year have been paid under Sec. 24.3. Registration itself carries no city fee, but a Special Request Inspection fee applies.

Ames Short-Term Rental Tax Compliance Rule

Some Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(6)

(6) Tax Compliance. At time of each registration renewal, documentation must be provided indicating that required taxes for the previous year have been paid pursuant to Ames Municipal Code Section 24.3.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(5) sets off-street parking rules for registered Short-Term Rentals in the City of Ames, Iowa. Hosted Home Shares, where the owner is present, need no additional parking. Home Shares, used while the owner is away, must provide one off-street space per approved bedroom, up to a maximum of five spaces, on top of the general standards in Zoning Ordinance Sec. 29.406.

Ames Short-Term Rental Parking Requirements

Some Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(5)

(5) Off-Street Parking. Parking is provided according to the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance Section 29.406 and the following: (a) Hosted Home Shares - No additional parking required. (b) Home Shares - 1 space per bedroom (maximum required - 5 spaces).

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(4) caps how many guests a registered Short-Term Rental may host in the City of Ames, Iowa. A Hosted Home Share, where the owner stays overnight, is limited to two approved bedrooms and two adult guests. A Home Share, where the owner is away, allows two adults per approved bedroom but never more than five adults total per dwelling unit.

Ames Short-Term Rental Occupancy Caps

Some Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(4)

(4) Occupancy. (a) Hosted Home Shares are limited to a maximum of two approved bedrooms and two adults as guests per dwelling unit. The applicant must specify which portions of the dwelling unit will constitute the registered premises available for use for the Short-Term Rental. (b) Home Shares are limited to a maximum of two adults per approved bedroom, not to exceed a total ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(8)(b) caps Home Share rentals in the City of Ames, Iowa at a total of 90 days of use per annual registration period. Each guest contract under this cap must run 30 days or less. The 90-day limit applies only to Home Shares, where the owner is not present, not to Hosted Home Shares.

Ames Home Share 90-Day Annual Cap

Some Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(8)(b)

(b) Maximum Number of Days per Annual Renewal Period (for Home Shares only). Home Shares are limited to a total of 90 days of use as a Home Share per annual registration period, with each guest contract including a period of 30 days or less.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

The City of Ames, Iowa splits short-term rentals under Chapter 35 into two tracks based on whether the owner stays overnight. A Hosted Home Share rents only part of the home while the property owner is present, defined as staying in the dwelling overnight during the rental. A Home Share rents the whole home while the owner is absent. Sec. 35.200 sets these definitions, and Sec. 35.400 attaches different occupancy and parking rules to each.

Ames Short-Term Rental Host Presence Rule

Light Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.200

Home Share means the limited Short-Term Rental of the entire dwelling unit that is the primary residence of the property owner, while the property owner is not present. Hosted Home Share means the limited Short-Term Rental of a portion of a dwelling unit that is the primary residence of the property owner, while the property owner is present. For the purposes of this definition, “present” means...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

In the City of Ames, Iowa, a dwelling unit can register as a Short-Term Rental only if it is the property owner's primary residence. Sec. 35.400(2) of the Guest Lodging Code requires this for both Home Share and Hosted Home Share registrations, and Sec. 35.200 defines a primary residence as the one place a person treats as a true, fixed, permanent home. Investment or non-owner-occupied rentals do not qualify.

Ames Short-Term Rental Primary Residence Rule

Significant Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.400(2)

(2) Primary Residence. The dwelling unit must be the primary residence of the property owner.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Repeat Violator Strikes

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.500(6) lets the Enforcement Officer immediately revoke or suspend a Short-Term Rental registration in the City of Ames, Iowa for code violations, false statements, other law violations, or a determined public safety threat. Once revoked, the dwelling unit or parcel cannot receive another Chapter 35 registration for one year, and the property loses its exemption from full Chapter 13 Rental Housing Code compliance.

Ames Short-Term Rental Revocation Rule

Significant Restrictions

Ames Municipal Code Sec. 35.500(6)

(6) Revocation. ... (a) The Enforcement Officer may immediately revoke or temporarily suspend a Short-Term Rental registration based upon any of the following, if it is found that: (i) The registrant, designated operator, or guest has violated any of the provisions of this code or conditions of the registration; (ii) The applicant has made a false statement of material fact on the regis...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Story County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Ames city rules.

Short-Term Rentals in Story County →