13 verified short-term rentals rules for Chicago, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chicago Shared Housing Ordinance requires registration for STR (stays <32 days). Primary residence required (245 days/year). Registration $125; Shared Housing Unit Operator License $250 for multiple units. MCC Chapter 4-14.
Chicago's Shared Housing Ordinance (Chapter 4-14) requires hosts to ensure guests comply with the city's noise ordinance (Chapter 8-32). Repeated noise complaints can result in registration revocation. Noise fines start at $300 for a first offense.
Illinois Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax (35 ILCS 145) and Chicago's Shared Housing tax apply. Platforms collect and remit taxes; hosts remain ultimately responsible.
Chicago's Shared Housing Ordinance (Chapter 4-14) requires all short-term rentals to pass a zoning review. Guest vehicles must comply with Chicago's general parking regulations under Chapter 9-64, including residential permit parking zones.
Chicago's Shared Housing Ordinance (MCC 4-13 and 4-14) establishes occupancy limits for short-term rentals. The 2024 amendments added explicit maximum occupancy requirements for shared housing units and vacation rentals.
Chicago requires short-term rental hosts to maintain adequate liability insurance. The Shared Housing Ordinance (MCC 4-14) mandates that both intermediary platforms and individual hosts carry insurance covering guests and property damage.
Chicago does not impose a numeric annual night cap on registered shared housing units, but it sets a two-night minimum stay (no single-night rentals) and defines a shared housing unit as transient occupancy under 32 consecutive days. Stays of 32 or more consecutive days are treated as permanent occupancy and fall outside the STR rules.
Chicago requires every shared housing unit (Airbnb, Vrbo) to register with the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) under Municipal Code Chapter 4-14 before listing. The annual fee is $125, the unit must be the host's primary residence (lived in 245+ days/year), and only one rental unit is allowed per 2-4 unit building.
Chicago does not require the host to remain onsite during a Shared Housing rental, but the dwelling must be the host's primary residence registered under MCC 4-14, and only one such unit per host is permitted citywide.
Chicago's Vacation Rental and Shared Housing Ordinance MCC 4-14 limits most short-term rental hosts to their primary residence. Non-primary listings require Vacation Rental licensing with stricter zoning, and many wards prohibit non-owner-occupied operations through restricted-zone votes.
Chicago Shared Housing rules under MCC 4-14 escalate penalties on repeat violators, suspending or revoking registrations after multiple confirmed violations within a 12-month window and allowing buildings or wards to be added to the Prohibited Buildings List.
Chicago places direct legal duties on short-term rental platforms under MCC 4-14-260 and 4-14-270, requiring monthly listing reports to BACP, removal of unregistered listings, display of registration numbers, and remittance of city accommodation taxes.
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Chicago city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Cook County →