Short-Term Rentals in Lancaster County, PA (2026)

10 rules for unincorporated Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Verified from official government sources

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

Permit Requirements

Lancaster County itself issues no short-term-rental permit. Under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code, each of the county's 60 municipalities regulates STRs. The City of Lancaster, for example, requires the dwelling to be registered as a transient dwelling rental unit with a Housing Inspector inspection before approval.

STR Permits Are Municipal, Not County, in Lancaster County

Some Restrictions

City of Lancaster STR requirements (Zoning Ordinance Ch. 300, Art. XVII, adopted May 10, 2022)

The dwelling must be registered with the City of Lancaster as a TRANSIENT DWELLING rental unit, with inspection of the property by a City Housing Inspector prior to registration approval.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

Lancaster County has no countywide STR noise rule. Noise at short-term rentals is controlled by each municipality's general noise or nuisance ordinance and its STR conditions. The City of Lancaster's transient dwelling program also bars exterior or interior signage visible to the public, part of keeping STRs unobtrusive in residential

STR Noise Is Governed by Municipal Ordinances

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Lancaster County levies a hotel room rental tax (3.9%) plus a county hotel excise tax (1.1%) on lodging patrons countywide, collected by the County Treasurer. The revenue benefits the Lancaster City Conference/Convention Center and promotes tourism (Discover Lancaster). Returns are due monthly. Pennsylvania's 6% state sales/occupancy tax applies on top.

Lancaster County Hotel Room Rental Tax Funds Tourism

Some Restrictions

Lancaster County Hotel Tax (Ordinance 45 & Ordinance 46)

These taxes, levied on the patrons of the hotels in Lancaster County, are intended to benefit the Lancaster City Conference/Convention Center and to promote the tourism industry in Lancaster. The Treasurer is assigned the authority and responsibility to collect the Lancaster County hotel room rental tax and the county hotel excise tax.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Parking Rules

Lancaster County sets no STR parking rule; it is municipal. The City of Lancaster requires one off-street parking space per dwelling, plus one additional off-street space per bedroom for dwellings with four or more bedrooms. All required spaces must be off-street. Other municipalities set their own standards.

STR Parking Rules Are Municipal; City Requires Off-Street Spaces

Some Restrictions

City of Lancaster STR parking standard (Zoning Ordinance Ch. 300, Art. XVII)

1 parking space per dwelling, except that dwellings with 4 or more bedrooms shall provide 1 additional space per bedroom. All parking spaces must be off-street parking.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Lancaster County sets no STR occupancy cap; limits are municipal. In the City of Lancaster, the number of guests in one party may not exceed two adults per bedroom, and the maximum length of stay per registered party is 30 consecutive days. Other municipalities set their own caps.

Occupancy Caps Are Municipal; City Allows Two Adults Per Bedroom

Some Restrictions

City of Lancaster STR standards (Zoning Ordinance Ch. 300, Art. XVII)

The number of guests in one party shall not exceed two adults per bedroom. The maximum length of stay per registered party shall be 30 consecutive days.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Insurance Requirements

Lancaster County imposes no short-term-rental insurance requirement. Any liability-insurance condition would come from your municipality, and the City of Lancaster's transient dwelling program does not publish a coverage mandate. Hosts should still consult their own insurer, since standard homeowner policies often exclude commercial short-term-rental activity.

No County Insurance Mandate for Short-Term Rentals

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

Lancaster County imposes no annual night cap on short-term rentals. Any limit on how many nights or how long a stay can be is municipal. The City of Lancaster caps the maximum length of a single stay at 30 consecutive days per registered party but sets no annual-nights ceiling.

No County Night Cap; Some Municipalities Limit Stays

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Registration Rules

There is no countywide STR registration in Lancaster County; each municipality runs its own. The City of Lancaster requires a Certificate of Zoning Compliance, a Residential Rental License Application, and a named property manager whose contact details are filed with the City Housing Unit before an STR may operate.

STR Registration Is Set by Your Municipality

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

Lancaster County sets no host-presence rule. Whether an owner or manager must be present is municipal. The City of Lancaster does not require owner occupancy for a standard STR, but a property manager must be identified and their contact information provided to the City's Housing Unit; a Homestay, by contrast,

Host-Presence Rules Are Municipal; City Requires a Property Manager

Some Restrictions

City of Lancaster STR property-manager condition (Zoning Ordinance Ch. 300, Art. XVII)

A property manager must be identified, and the name and contact information shall be provided to the City's Housing Unit.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Lancaster County imposes no primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals. Whether a rental must be your home is municipal. The City of Lancaster distinguishes a Homestay - where the owner must reside in the dwelling for the duration of the rental - from an unhosted STR, which has no owner-residence requirement

No County Primary-Residence Rule; City Distinguishes STRs and Homestays

Some Restrictions

City of Lancaster Homestay requirement (Zoning Ordinance Ch. 300, Art. XVII)

The property owner must be residing in the dwelling unit for the duration of the rental.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

All Lancaster County ordinances

See every category we cover for Lancaster County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

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