10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Rutherford County, Tennessee.
Verified from official government sources
The City of Murfreesboro requires no local zoning permit to run a short-term rental. Tennessee lets local governments create a permit or application process under the STRU Act, but Murfreesboro and Rutherford County have not adopted one; you still need a county business license and must pay taxes.
No STR-specific noise ordinance exists, but short-term rental guests must obey Murfreesboro's general noise and nuisance rules. Repeated noise violations can strip a legacy operator's grandfather protection under state law.
Rutherford County hosts owe three taxes: state business tax on gross receipts, state and local sales tax, and a 5% occupancy (hotel/motel) tax paid monthly to the county and city. Business licenses cost $15 each.
Rutherford County Short-Term Rental Property (Occupancy Tax)
Occupancy Tax: Paid monthly to the County and City your located in at 5% or your monthly gross ... AIRBNB, VRBO, privately owned and operated are all included in these taxes.
There is no short-term-rental-specific parking ordinance in Rutherford County or Murfreesboro. Guests must follow the same street-parking, driveway, and yard-parking rules that apply to every resident.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro set no short-term-rental-specific guest cap. Occupancy is governed by generally applicable rules such as the property maintenance/building code and health limits, plus any house rules the host sets.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro do not impose a local short-term rental insurance mandate. Under Tennessee's STRU Act framework, hosts are generally expected to carry liability coverage, which is often provided through the booking platform.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro do not cap the number of nights a short-term rental can operate. State law bars local rules that effectively prohibit STR use, and grandfathers existing rentals against later caps.
Before renting, you must obtain an initial business license through the Rutherford County Clerk (and your city) and register for state and local taxes. Airbnb, VRBO, and privately operated rentals are all covered.
Rutherford County Short-Term Rental Property (Business License)
You must also apply for your initial business license through the County Clerk office and the City you are located in at $15.00 each
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro impose no rule requiring the host to be present or on-site during a short-term rental stay. Unhosted, whole-home rentals are allowed.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro do not limit short-term rentals to a host's primary residence. Tennessee's STRU Act also grandfathers existing rentals, blocking local ordinances that would prohibit a property already used as a short-term rental.
1 cities in Rutherford 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 Rutherford County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Rutherford County Ordinance Hub →