Short-Term Rentals in Evanston, IL (2026)

5 verified short-term rentals rules for Evanston, Illinois, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

Operating a vacation rental in Evanston without a City license is illegal; non-owner-occupied units need Planning and Development Committee review, a 250-foot neighbor notice, and City Council approval before a one-year license issues.

Evanston Vacation Rental License Required

Significant Restrictions

Evanston City Code § 5-9-3

(A)It shall be unlawful to operate a vacation rental within the City of Evanston without a current, valid license issued pursuant to the terms of this Chapter.(B)Each license issued pursuant to this Chapter shall be valid for one (1) year, subject to renewal per Section 4 of this Chapter.(C)Subsection (A) of this Section notwithstanding, no license shall be required to operate a vacation rental...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Evanston does not impose a hotel-style occupancy tax on vacation rentals; instead, City Code Section 5-9-4(F) sets flat licensing fees. Every applicant pays a nonrefundable $250 application fee, and every licensed vacation rental owes a $150 annual license fee, on top of the inspection, notice, and City Council review the rest of Section 5-9-4 requires.

Evanston Vacation Rental License Fees

Significant Restrictions

Evanston City Code § 5-9-4(F)

(F)Fees. The following fees shall be imposed for application submittal and licensing fees:1.Application Fee. All property owners who seek to submit a Vacation Rental application must submit a nonrefundable application fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).2.License Fee. The annual fee for a license issued pursuant to this Chapter shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00).

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Evanston does not set a minimum parking count for vacation rentals; it instead requires every listing to disclose whether parking is available and to flag any neighborhood parking restrictions guests should expect.

Evanston Vacation Rental Parking Disclosure

Light Restrictions

Evanston City Code § 5-9-5(C)

Every vacation rental operation shall include in any listing the following information about the vacation rental: (A) the licensee's cancellation and check-in and check-out policies; (B) a statement on: (i) whether the vacation rental is wheelchair or ADA accessible; (ii) whether the vacation rental has any parking availability or neighborhood parking restrictions; and (iii) the availability of...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Evanston does not limit vacation rentals to owner-occupied homes, but a license for a non-primary residence needs Planning and Development Committee and City Council review; primary-residence applications get a lighter staff review.

Evanston Vacation Rental Owner-Occupancy Review

Significant Restrictions

Evanston City Code § 5-9-4(D)

If a vacation rental license is not for the owner's primary residence then the Planning and Development Committee will review the application for vacation rental and will report to the City Council upon each application with respect to the standards set forth below. The City Council after receiving said report, may refer the application back to that body for additional review, or, by motion, ma...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Repeat Violator Strikes

Evanston fines vacation rental violations on an escalating scale -- $200 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $750 for a third or later offense -- with each day of violation counted separately.

Evanston Vacation Rental Repeat Violation Fines

Significant Restrictions

Evanston City Code § 5-9-6(A)

(A)Any owner, tenant or other person who shall be found to have violated any of the provisions of this Chapter shall be guilty of an offense punishable as follows:1.The fine for a first violation is two hundred dollars ($200.00).2.The fine for a second violation is five hundred dollars ($500.00).3.The fine for a third or subsequent violation is seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00).(B)Each day ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Cook County county-wide rules?

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

Short-Term Rentals in Cook County →