10 rules for unincorporated Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
Verified from official government sources
Delaware County itself issues no short-term-rental permit. In Pennsylvania, permitting authority belongs to each of the county's 49 boroughs, townships and cities under the Municipalities Planning Code, so requirements vary by town.
Delaware County has no countywide short-term-rental noise ordinance. Guest noise is controlled by each municipality's general noise or nuisance ordinance and by any STR-specific conditions the borough or township attaches to a rental.
Delaware County, PA levies a Hotel and Short Term Rental occupancy tax. Effective April 1, 2026 the rate is 5%, due on rentals to all persons. Stays over 30 consecutive days ('permanent residents') are exempt. This is separate from Pennsylvania's 6% state hotel tax.
72 P.S. § 7210 (PA Tax Reform Code); Delaware County Hotel Room Rental Tax
Effective April 1st, 2026 the Hotel and Short Term Rental occupancy tax will be 5%. The 5% tax is due on rentals to ALL persons -- including employees of federal, state or local governments. Delaware County's 5% Hotel Tax should not be confused Pennsylvania's State Hotel Tax of 6% on room rentals (and meals).
Delaware County has no countywide parking requirement for short-term rentals. Off-street parking minimums for STR guests, where they exist, are set by each borough or township's zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.
Delaware County sets no maximum-occupancy rule for short-term rentals. Occupancy caps are established by each municipality. For county tax purposes, only the 30-day 'permanent resident' threshold matters, not a headcount.
Delaware County does not require short-term-rental hosts to carry specific liability insurance. Any insurance or proof-of-coverage requirement is set by the municipality as a condition of its STR permit or rental license.
Delaware County sets no cap on how many nights a home can be rented short-term. Any annual night limit is imposed by the individual borough or township. The county's only night-based number is the 30-day tax exemption threshold.
There is no countywide short-term-rental registry in Delaware County, PA. Registration is handled by each municipality's rental-property ordinance. The only county-level filing is the county hotel/STR occupancy-tax return with the Treasurer.
Delaware County has no rule requiring a host or local contact to be present or nearby during a short-term rental. Any host-presence or 24-hour-contact requirement comes from the municipality's STR ordinance.
Delaware County does not require short-term rentals to be an owner's primary residence. Whether a home can be a non-owner-occupied STR is decided by each municipality's zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.
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