12 verified short-term rentals rules for Des Moines, Iowa, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Des Moines requires short-term rental operators to obtain a rental certificate and board of adjustment approval before operating. STRs are defined as commercial lodging for less than 30 consecutive days. Minimum $500,000 liability insurance is required.
Short-term rental guests in Des Moines must comply with the city's noise control ordinance under Chapter 42. Operators are responsible for informing guests of quiet hours and noise limits. Repeated noise complaints can jeopardize STR permits.
Short-term rental operators in Des Moines must collect and remit Iowa hotel/motel tax (5%) and local option tax. Permit and application fees apply through the Board of Adjustment process.
Short-term rentals in Des Moines must comply with standard residential parking requirements. The Board of Adjustment may impose specific parking conditions as part of STR permit approval.
Des Moines requires a rental certificate for short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) and sets occupancy limits based on the number of bedrooms. Only one STR is permitted per single-family detached structure, and at least one guest must be 21 or older.
Des Moines requires all short-term commercial rental operators to maintain at least $500,000 in liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage arising from rental use, as a condition of obtaining and keeping a rental certificate.
Des Moines imposes no maximum number of rental nights per year on permitted short-term rentals. Operators with a valid Ch. 134-2.6.4 permit may book all 365 nights subject to occupancy, parking, and noise rules.
Des Moines requires every short-term commercial rental to be approved by the Board of Adjustment and to obtain a rental certificate from the Neighborhood Inspections Zoning Division before listing. Rules sit in Chapter 134 (Zoning Ordinance) Sections 134-2.2.5, 134-3.5.12, 134-3.5.16, 134-3.8.3, and 134-6.4.8 as amended by Ordinance 15,844 (eff. December 16, 2019).
Des Moines does not require an STR operator to live onsite during guest stays. Both hosted and unhosted whole-home rentals are allowed citywide if the operator holds a valid short-term rental permit under Zoning Ch. 134-2.6.4.
Des Moines does not limit short-term rentals to primary residences. Investor-owned and second-home STRs are eligible for permits under Ch. 134-2.6.4 if zoning, life-safety, insurance, and local-responder requirements are met.
Des Moines may suspend or revoke a short-term rental permit when a property accumulates documented nuisance, occupancy, or zoning violations. Operators with repeat strikes face escalating penalties under Ch. 134-2.6.4 and Code Compliance Ch. 28.
Des Moines places STR compliance liability on the individual permit holder, not on Airbnb or Vrbo. Platforms are not required to verify city permits before listing, and enforcement runs through the host under Ch. 134-2.6.4.