10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Knox County, Tennessee.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Knox County has no short-term rental permit ordinance. You do not need a county STR permit to operate an Airbnb or Vrbo outside city limits. Only the City of Knoxville requires an STR permit.
Unincorporated Knox County has no STR-specific noise ordinance, but short-term rentals must comply with the county's general noise and nuisance provisions. Excessive or disturbing noise is enforceable regardless of whether the property is an STR.
Knox County levies a 5% occupancy tax on gross receipts from hotels, motels, campgrounds, and other lodging including short-term rentals. Operators file a monthly return with the Knox County Clerk by the 20th of the following month.
Knox County Hotel/Motel/Campground/Other Occupancy Tax Return (KCOTR); TCA 67-4-1401 et seq.
5. Tax Due (5% of line 4). 6. Less 2% compensation for owner/operator for the remittance of tax due on line 5 if not delinquent. This report must be filed by the 20th day of the following month for which a report is due.
Unincorporated Knox County has no short-term-rental parking ordinance. STR guest parking follows the county Zoning Ordinance's general off-street parking standards. There is no county STR guest-vehicle cap.
Unincorporated Knox County sets no short-term-rental-specific occupancy limit. There is no county cap on guests per STR. General building and fire codes govern maximum occupancy; the City of Knoxville sets its own STR occupancy rules.
Unincorporated Knox County does not require short-term rental hosts to carry a specific insurance policy or liability minimum. No STR ordinance means no county insurance condition; hosts should still carry appropriate liability coverage.
Unincorporated Knox County places no cap on the number of nights a property may be rented short-term. There is no minimum-stay or maximum-nights-per-year rule because the county has no STR ordinance.
Unincorporated Knox County does not register short-term rentals. There is no county STR registry or annual renewal. Operators must, however, register with the Knox County Clerk to remit the county's hotel/motel occupancy tax.
Unincorporated Knox County does not require a host or on-site manager to be present during a short-term rental stay. Because the county has no STR ordinance, whole-home unhosted rentals are allowed subject to general rules.
Unincorporated Knox County does not require a short-term rental to be the owner's primary residence. Non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed because the county has no STR ordinance restricting them. The City of Knoxville does distinguish owner-occupied units.
1 cities in Knox County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Knox County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Knox County Ordinance Hub →