Short-Term Rentals in Franklin County, NC (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Franklin County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
Franklin County classifies short-term rentals as either a bed-and-breakfast or a hotel/motel use. A rental in a residential district needs a Special Use Permit, and every short-term rental must provide one off-street parking space per rental bedroom.
Franklin County Short-Term Rental Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsFranklin County Unified Development Code § 5.3.6(J), Table 5-1
Examples of lodging uses include bed and breakfast establishments, hotels, RV Parks, and motels. Day camps are classified as "recreation and entertainment uses." Short term rentals are classified as either bed-and-breakfast (up to 5 rooms or whole house rental) or hotel/motel (more than 5 rooms, in total or in a single structure, regardless if they rented separately or jointly). ... 1.Short-ter...
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Short-term rentals in unincorporated Franklin County must provide at least one off-street parking space for every rental bedroom. The Unified Development Code splits short-term rentals into a bed-and-breakfast category, up to five rooms or a whole-house rental, and a hotel/motel category for anything larger, both governed by the same UDC section 5.3.6.J parking floor.
Franklin County STR Parking: 1 Space Per Room
Some RestrictionsFranklin County Unified Development Code § 5.3.6.J
Short term rentals are classified as either bed-and-breakfast (up to 5 rooms or whole house rental) or hotel/motel (more than 5 rooms, in total or in a single structure, regardless if they rented separately or jointly). ... 1.Short-term rentals shall provide at least 1 off-street parking space per rental bedroom.
Host Presence Rule
A bed and breakfast in unincorporated Franklin County must have its operator living on the premises or on an adjacent property, including any boarding or tourist home version of the use. The Unified Development Code repeats the owner-occupancy rule as a standalone use standard, capping rooms at five and requiring neighborhood compatibility.
Franklin County B&B Operator Must Live On-Site
Significant RestrictionsFranklin County Unified Development Code § 5.3.6.B
D. The operator of the bed and breakfast lives on the premises or in adjacent premises, including boarding home(s) or tourist home(s). ... 2.Owner/manager lives on site.
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