Short-Term Rentals in Cumberland County, NC (2026)

3 rules for unincorporated Cumberland County, North Carolina.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Cumberland County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Short-Term Rental Permits

North Carolina bars local governments from forcing short-term-rental owners to register their property. After Schroeder v. City of Wilmington (2022), a registry, lottery or cap is preempted by G.S. 160D-1207(c). Cumberland County and Fayetteville therefore operate no mandatory STR registration program.

STR Registration Cannot Be Required in NC

Some Restrictions

N.C.G.S. § 160D-1207(c)

...except for those individual properties that have more than four verified violations in a rolling 12-month period or two or more verified violations in a rolling 30-day period, or upon the property being identified within the top ten percent (10%) of properties with crime or disorder problems as set forth in a local ordinance

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

Short-term rentals get no noise exemption. Fayetteville City Code Chapter 17 caps residential sound at 60 dB(A) daytime and 55 dB(A) at night, and separately bans unreasonably loud noise from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. near any occupied dwelling. Guests and hosts are equally liable.

STRs Must Obey Fayetteville Noise Ordinance

Some Restrictions

Fayetteville City Code § 17-11(16)

Nighttime. Subject to the provisions of this chapter, the creation of any unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise in the city between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following morning within 100 yards of a dwelling unit, house, trailer or other building ordinarily occupied by another person... is prohibited.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Short-term rentals in Cumberland County (including Fayetteville) owe a 6% county room occupancy tax on gross rental receipts, filed monthly with the county Tax Administration. State and local sales tax on accommodations also applies. The tax covers any stay of fewer than 90 continuous days.

6% County Room Occupancy Tax Plus Sales Tax

Some Restrictions

Cumberland County Room Occupancy Tax Return

TOTAL ROOM OCCUPANCY TAX (Multiply Amount on Line 5 by Tax Rate of 6%)

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

All Cumberland County ordinances

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