Short-Term Rentals in Wilmington, NC (2026)
6 verified short-term rentals rules for Wilmington, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Permit Requirements
Wilmington regulates short-term rentals through the Land Development Code. Operators must obtain an STR permit and comply with zoning, safety, and tax requirements.
Wilmington Short-Term Rental Permit Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-1207
In no event may a local government do any of the following: (i) adopt or enforce any ordinance that would require any owner or manager of rental property to obtain any permit or permission under Article 11 or Article 12 of this Chapter from the local government to lease or rent residential real property or to register rental property with the local government, except for those individual proper...
Noise Rules
STR guests in Wilmington must comply with the city's noise ordinance. Operators are responsible for guest behavior and face permit consequences for repeated complaints.
Wilmington STR Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsTaxes & Fees
Wilmington requires STR operators to collect and remit occupancy tax on all short-term stays. State and county taxes also apply.
Wilmington STR Taxes & Fees
Heavy RestrictionsParking Rules
STR properties in Wilmington must provide adequate parking for guests. Guest vehicles must comply with general parking ordinances.
Wilmington STR Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsOccupancy Limits
Wilmington caps overnight occupancy of a short-term rental at two adults per bedroom plus two additional adults, with each whole-house rental required to identify a maximum guest count posted on a notice flyer inside the unit. The occupancy standard sits inside the operational requirements of the Land Development Code's whole-house and homestay short-term rental provisions, which the North Carolina Court of Appeals upheld in Schroeder v. City of Wilmington (April 2022) even after striking down the registration scheme under NCGS 160D-1207(c).
Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits in Wilmington
Some RestrictionsInsurance Requirements
Wilmington's Land Development Code requires every short-term rental operator to maintain commercial general liability insurance with a limit of no less than $500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage. The North Carolina Court of Appeals in Schroeder v. City of Wilmington (2022) struck down the city's registration scheme under NCGS 160D-1207(c) but expressly upheld the insurance requirement as an enforceable operational standard.
Short-Term Rental Insurance Requirements in Wilmington
Some RestrictionsLooking for New Hanover County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Wilmington city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in New Hanover County →