10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Ada County, Idaho.
Verified from official government sources
Idaho law bars Ada County and its cities from requiring a short-term-rental permit or conditional use permit in a residential zone. STRs are treated as ordinary residential uses, so no special STR license is mandated countywide.
Idaho Code 67-6539(1)
Neither a county nor a city shall enact or enforce any ordinance that has the express or practical effect of prohibiting any type of short-term rentals in the county or city.
Short-term rentals in Ada County must follow the same noise and nuisance ordinances as any home. Idaho Code 67-6539 lets the county enforce generally applicable noise rules, but not STR-only noise restrictions.
Ada County STRs (stays of 30 days or less) owe Idaho's 6% state sales tax plus the 2% state travel-and-convention tax. Properties inside the Greater Boise Auditorium District also owe a 5% GBAD lodging tax, roughly 13% total.
Idaho State Tax Commission, Travel and Convention Tax (2%)
occupants of hotel and motel rooms for stays of 30 days or less. It also applies to vacation-home rentals and overnight stays at private campgrounds.
Ada County cannot require extra off-street parking just because a home is a short-term rental. Idaho Code 67-6539 forbids STR-specific parking mandates; the dwelling's normal residential parking standard applies.
Idaho Code 67-6539(2)(a)(vii)
Requiring additional parking.
Ada County may set STR occupancy limits, but only up to the same maximum that building code allows for any non-transient residence. Idaho Code 67-6539 bars stricter guest caps aimed only at short-term rentals.
Idaho Code 67-6539(3)(d)
Maximum occupancy limits for short-term rentals do not exceed those non-transient residential limits as contained in the international building codes as adopted by the Idaho building code board.
Ada County cannot require short-term-rental operators to carry additional insurance. Idaho Code 67-6539 bars STR-specific insurance mandates, though hosts should still carry adequate coverage voluntarily.
Idaho Code 67-6539(2)(a)(iii)
Requiring additional insurance.
Ada County cannot limit how many nights per year a short-term rental operates. Idaho Code 67-6539 prohibits imposing a limit on the days a property can be rented, so no annual night cap applies.
Idaho Code 67-6539(2)(a)(xi)
Imposing a limit on the days a property can be rented.
Ada County cannot force STR-specific registration under Idaho Code 67-6539, but operators must register with the Idaho State Tax Commission to collect lodging taxes. There is no separate county STR registry for unincorporated homes.
Idaho Code 67-6539(1)
Neither a county nor a city shall enact or enforce any ordinance that has the express or practical effect of prohibiting any type of short-term rentals in the county or city.
Ada County cannot require a host to be present or to hire professional property management for a short-term rental. Idaho Code 67-6539 bars both owner-occupancy and professional-management mandates.
Idaho Code 67-6539(2)(a)(ii)
Requiring professional property management.
Ada County cannot limit short-term rentals to owners' primary residences. Idaho Code 67-6539 expressly bars requiring owner occupation for any amount of time, so non-owner-occupied and investment STRs are allowed.
Idaho Code 67-6539(2)(a)(i)
Requiring owner occupation for any amount of time.
1 cities in Ada County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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