4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Jackson County, Missouri.
Verified from official government sources
Inside Kansas City, Missouri, short-term rentals require annual registration under Code of Ordinances Chapter 56, Article VIII and Zoning Code Section 88-321 (Ordinance 230268). The standard fee is $200/year, with two categories — Resident STR and Non-Resident STR — both limited to one STR per parcel. Non-Resident STRs face additional density restrictions (1 per 1,000 ft of street frontage, max 12.5% of multi-family units), zoning compliance, and business license requirements. Kansas City registers STRs through CompassKC. Operating without registration is subject to fines from $200 to $1,000, with each day a separate violation. Unincorporated Jackson County has no county-level STR permit ordinance — the underlying UDC zoning controls.
Unincorporated Jackson County has no county-specific STR tax. Inside Kansas City, MO, STRs owe a 7.5% Transient Boarding and Accommodation Tax (effective Aug 1, 2023) plus a $3.00 per-room-night Short-Term Occupancy Fee, in addition to Missouri's 4.225% state sales tax (RSMo §144.020) and Jackson County and city local sales taxes. KC STR registration costs $200/year. Returns are filed on Form RD-306 electronically through Quick Tax (kcmo.gov/quicktax).
Unincorporated Jackson County has no STR-specific parking ordinance — the underlying UDC residential parking standards apply. Inside Kansas City, MO, STRs must comply with the off-street parking standards in Zoning Code §88-420 (Parking and Loading) for the underlying residential use, with §88-321 prohibiting any change to the residential character of the property. KC also restricts on-street commercial parking, RV/trailer parking, and overnight street parking through the General Code. Confirm STR-specific spacing requirements with KC Neighborhood Services at 816-513-3226 or str@kcmo.org.
Inside Kansas City, MO, Zoning Code §88-321 limits STRs to no more than two persons per bedroom plus one additional person per dwelling unit, capped at eight guests total per dwelling unit. The cap applies to both Type 1 (owner-occupied) and Type 2 (non-owner-occupied) STRs. Unincorporated Jackson County has no county-level STR occupancy ordinance — only the building/residential occupancy load limits in Chapter 54 (2018 IBC/IRC) apply. Other Jackson County cities (Independence, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, North Kansas City) set their own occupancy rules.
2 cities in Jackson County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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