Short-Term Rentals in Bowling Green, KY (2026)

10 verified short-term rentals rules for Bowling Green, Kentucky, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Permit Requirements

Operating a short-term rental (Airbnb, VRBO, or any rental of a dwelling for fewer than 30 days) inside the City of Bowling Green requires both a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and a Short Term Rental license issued by the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County before the property may be advertised or occupied by paid guests. Authority for the program is the Bowling Green Zoning Ordinance Article 5, Section 5.2.4(C)(4)(c) (Commercial Use Categories - Overnight Accommodations - Specific Use Standards for Short-Term Rentals). The CUP is reviewed by the Board of Zoning Adjustment after a public hearing with notice to surrounding property owners; the STR license is administered by the Planning Commission and must be displayed in any online listing. Short-term rentals are prohibited in single-family residential (RS) zones - only Bed & Breakfasts (owner-occupied) are permitted in those districts with a separate special permit.

Bowling Green STRs Require Conditional Use Permit + Short Term Rental License from City-County Planning Commission; CUP per ZO 5.2.4(C)(4)(c)

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

Bowling Green does not codify STR-specific quiet hours; STR guests are subject to the citywide noise ordinance in Bowling Green Code of Ordinances Chapter IX, Section 9-3 (Noise), which prohibits loud, unnecessary, or unusual noises that disturb the peace, quiet, comfort, or repose of others. Separately, Zoning Ordinance 5.2.4(C)(4)(c) imposes an STR-specific land-use standard: the rental shall not adversely affect surrounding uses by 'excessive traffic generation, noise and light.' Repeated noise complaints tied to a licensed STR can be raised at CUP review by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as evidence the rental is creating nuisance, and may be grounds for permit revocation. Enforcement is handled by Bowling Green Police for active disturbances and the Code Enforcement & Nuisance Board for patterns.

Bowling Green STR Guests Subject to General Noise Ordinance (Chapter 9-3); CUP Standards Bar 'Excessive' Noise and Light

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Short-term rentals in Bowling Green collect a stack of state and city lodging taxes on every reservation of fewer than 30 consecutive days. The City of Bowling Green imposes a 3% Transient Room Tax under Code of Ordinances Section 18-6.01, plus an Additional Special Transient Room Tax of 1% (effective January 1, 1994), for a city total of 4%. Layered on top are the Kentucky statewide 1% transient room tax administered under KRS 142.400 by the Department of Revenue (deposited into the Tourism, Meeting and Convention Marketing Fund) and the 6% Kentucky state sales tax on accommodations (KRS 139.200), producing a combined approximate burden of 11% on each Bowling Green STR stay. City TRT is filed and remitted monthly to the City of Bowling Green Treasury Office; state-administered taxes are remitted to the Kentucky Department of Revenue. Stays of 30 or more continuous days are exempt from both city and state transient room tax.

Bowling Green STR Tax Stack: 3% City Transient Room Tax + 1% Additional TRT + 1% KY Statewide TRT + 6% KY Sales Tax (Total ~11%)

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Parking Rules

Bowling Green's Zoning Ordinance Section 5.2.4(C)(4)(c) imposes an STR-specific off-street parking standard: one off-street parking space shall be required for each guest room available for rent at the short-term rental, except in the CB (Central Business) zoning district where the standard does not apply. The parking requirement is in addition to the off-street parking already required for the underlying dwelling use. All off-street parking areas must adhere to the landscaping requirements in ZO Section 4.6.8.D unless the operator is utilizing an existing driveway for a residential use. Guests must comply with citywide on-street parking, time-limit, and overnight parking rules; the STR Guide directs operators to advise renters to use off-street parking before taking on-street spots.

Bowling Green STRs Must Provide One Off-Street Parking Space Per Guest Room (ZO 5.2.4(C)(4)(c)); CB Central Business Zone Exempt

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Bowling Green's Zoning Ordinance Section 5.2.4(C)(4)(c) limits occupancy of each short-term rental through a per-room design standard: each room to be rented shall be designed and intended to accommodate no more than two persons. The cap is a design/intended-use standard tied to the Conditional Use Permit and the Short Term Rental license. A three-bedroom STR is therefore designed for a maximum of six guests; a four-bedroom for eight. The STR must also meet life-safety standards (smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers) per the city's Short Term Rental Guide, and any occupancy that exceeds the per-room design intent or generates 'excessive traffic generation, noise and light' is a CUP condition violation.

Bowling Green STR Per-Room Design Cap: Two Persons Per Rented Room (ZO 5.2.4(C)(4)(c))

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Insurance Requirements

Bowling Green's Zoning Ordinance Section 5.2.4(C)(4)(c) and the city's Short Term Rental Guide do not impose a specific minimum liability insurance amount as a condition of the Conditional Use Permit or the Short Term Rental license. Unlike some other Kentucky and out-of-state municipalities that require $1,000,000 in liability coverage, Bowling Green does not codify a dollar threshold. However, operators should obtain a short-term-rental endorsement on their homeowner's policy or a separate commercial STR liability policy because most standard homeowner's policies exclude paid-rental business activity, leaving the operator personally liable for guest injuries, property damage, and third-party claims. Platform host-protection programs (Airbnb AirCover, VRBO Liability Insurance) are typically treated as supplemental, not primary, coverage.

No Codified Insurance Minimum for Bowling Green STRs; Standard Liability Coverage Strongly Recommended (Homeowner Endorsement or Commercial Policy)

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

Bowling Green does not impose a fixed annual cap on the number of nights a licensed short-term rental may host. There is no '90-day,' '120-day,' or '180-day' booking limit codified for any STR. A property with an approved Conditional Use Permit and a current Short Term Rental license may book up to 365 nights per year provided the operator continues to satisfy the per-room design occupancy (2 persons per rented room), the per-guest-room off-street parking ratio, the no-excessive-noise-or-traffic standard in ZO 5.2.4(C)(4)(c), all city and state transient room and sales tax obligations, and all life-safety equipment requirements. The city controls STR scale through the Conditional Use Permit process (case-by-case BZA review with public hearing), categorical zoning prohibition in RS single-family districts, and the no-commercial-events backstop in 5.2.4(C)(4)(c).

No Annual Night Cap on Bowling Green STRs; Scale Controlled Through CUP Process, Zoning District Limits, and License Renewal

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Registration Rules

Registering a short-term rental in Bowling Green is a multi-step zoning-and-licensing process administered by the City-County Planning Commission of Warren County in coordination with the Bowling Green Building Division. Required steps: (1) verify the property is not in an RS (single-family residential) zoning district, (2) file a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application at the Planning Commission office with notice to surrounding property owners, (3) attend the Board of Zoning Adjustment public hearing, (4) obtain a change-of-use building permit from the Bowling Green Building Division (270-393-3676) with a life-safety inspection covering smoke alarms, CO detectors, fire extinguishers, and egress, (5) apply for the Short Term Rental license from the Planning Commission, and (6) register with the City of Bowling Green Treasury Office for monthly transient room tax filing. The STR license number must be displayed in every online listing.

Bowling Green STR Registration: File CUP Application + Building Division Change-of-Use Permit + STR License at City-County Planning Commission

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

Bowling Green's Zoning Ordinance Section 5.2.4(C)(4)(c) and the City-County Planning Commission's Short Term Rental program do not require the host to be physically present at the dwelling during paid stays. A Conditional Use Permit-approved STR with a current Short Term Rental license may operate unhosted, with the operator off-site, subject to compliance with the per-room design occupancy, off-street parking standard, no-excessive-noise-or-traffic backstop, and license display requirements. Operators are expected to be reasonably available to respond to neighbor or city complaints; while the city's STR Guide does not mandate a specific 24/7 local contact rule with codified mileage radius (unlike Bowling Green OH's separate ordinance), prudent operators designate a local point of contact who can respond promptly to issues.

Bowling Green Does Not Require On-Site Host Presence; CUP-Approved STRs May Operate Unhosted Subject to Local Contact Availability

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Bowling Green's Zoning Ordinance Section 5.2.4(C)(4)(c) and the City-County Planning Commission's Short Term Rental program do not restrict STR licenses to the operator's primary residence. Investment properties, second homes, and out-of-state-owned dwellings are all eligible for Conditional Use Permit approval and a Short Term Rental license provided the property is not in an RS (single-family residential) zoning district and the operator completes the full registration sequence. This differs sharply from primary-residence-only markets such as San Francisco, Boston, and Denver where STR operation is limited to the host's own home. The trade-off is that all Bowling Green STRs - primary residence, second home, and investment property alike - must clear the case-by-case CUP public hearing process, where neighborhood opposition may result in conditions or denial.

No Primary-Residence-Only Restriction on Bowling Green STRs; Investment and Out-of-State Ownership Eligible Subject to CUP Approval

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Warren County county-wide rules?

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

Short-Term Rentals in Warren County →