Primary-Residence-Only Rule
Pittsburgh's limited-lodging framework distinguishes between owner-occupied dwellings and dedicated rentals, with zoning rules favoring operators using their primary residence as a short-term rental.
Short-Term Rentals in Pittsburgh, PA (2026)
13 verified short-term rentals rules for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Permit Requirements
Pittsburgh's 2021 STR ordinance requires every short-term rental host to register with the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI), pay an annual license fee, and post the license number on every listing. STRs in residential zones must be the operator's primary residence; investment STRs are limited to mixed-use and commercial districts.
Pittsburgh Short-Term Rental Registration & License
Heavy RestrictionsNoise Rules
Pittsburgh STR guests must comply with the city noise ordinance under Chapter 601 and Title Nine Article XVI. Quiet hours run from 10 PM to 6 AM with residential limits of 55 dB(A) nighttime and 65 dB(A) daytime.
Pittsburgh Short-Term Rental Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsTaxes & Fees
STR operators in Pittsburgh must collect and remit: 6% PA Hotel Occupancy Tax (72 P.S. §7209), plus 7% Allegheny County Hotel Room Rental Tax. Total effective STR tax rate: approximately 13%. Booking platforms (Airbnb, VRBO) collect and remit the PA state tax as booking agents.
Pittsburgh STR Taxes & Fees
Some RestrictionsParking Rules
Pittsburgh has no STR-specific parking mandates. Guests follow standard residential parking rules. Some neighborhoods require residential parking permits unavailable to short-term guests.
Pittsburgh Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Few RestrictionsOccupancy Limits
Pittsburgh has no STR-specific occupancy caps. Maximum occupancy follows the IPMC based on room sizes and egress. No per-bedroom guest limits exist citywide.
Pittsburgh Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits
Few RestrictionsInsurance Requirements
Pittsburgh does not mandate liability insurance for STR operators by ordinance. Operators should maintain property and liability coverage as platform host protection has exclusions.
Pittsburgh Short-Term Rental Insurance Requirements
Few RestrictionsNight Caps
Pittsburgh does not impose any annual night caps or maximum rental day limits on short-term rental properties. Operators may rent their properties year-round without a cap on the number of nights per year.
Pittsburgh Short-Term Rental Night Caps
Few RestrictionsRegistration Rules
Pittsburgh Chapter 781 requires all STR operators to obtain a Rental Permit through PLI at $35.50/unit. Properties must pass inspection. Enforcement began June 2025 with $500/unit/month fines.
Pittsburgh Short-Term Rental Registration Rules
Heavy RestrictionsHost Presence Rule
Pittsburgh's 2018 short-term rental ordinance does not impose a uniform host-presence rule, but unhosted whole-home rentals must still meet permit, life-safety, and zoning requirements before listing online.
STR Host Presence Not Required Citywide
Few RestrictionsRepeat Violator Strikes
Pittsburgh's Permits, Licenses, and Inspections bureau may suspend or revoke a limited-lodging license when an operator accumulates repeated nuisance, occupancy, or life-safety violations at the same short-term rental property.
License Revocation for Repeat STR Violations
Heavy RestrictionsHost Platform Liability
Online booking platforms collect Pittsburgh and Allegheny County hotel-occupancy taxes on bookings, and city ordinance trends push platforms toward verifying license numbers before publishing limited-lodging listings.
Booking Platforms Share STR Compliance Burden
Some RestrictionsLooking for Allegheny County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Pittsburgh city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Allegheny County →