4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Rutherford County, Tennessee.
Verified from official government sources
Rutherford County does not require a county-level zoning permit for short-term rentals (STRs). The City of Murfreesboro likewise has no STR registration requirement and its Zoning Ordinance does not specifically regulate STRs. Operators must, however, register with the Rutherford County Property Assessor under the Tennessee Short Term Rental Unit Act (Tenn. Code Ann. §13-7-602), obtain business licenses, and remit hotel/motel occupancy taxes to the County and City under Tenn. Code Ann. §67-4-1408 and the local privilege tax act. State preemption protects properties operating before any new local STR ordinance takes effect.
Short-term rentals in Rutherford County owe a 5% local hotel/motel occupancy tax (paid monthly to the county and to the city you operate in), state sales tax (paid quarterly), state business tax (annual gross receipts), and a $15 county business license through the County Clerk. Inside Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or La Vergne, a separate $15 city business license also applies.
Rutherford County does not impose STR-specific parking minimums in unincorporated areas. The Rutherford County Zoning Ordinance Appendix D sets standard residential off-street parking (typically two spaces per single-family dwelling) that applies whether the home is owner-occupied or rented short-term. Vehicles cannot block county roads, mailboxes, or driveways. Inside city limits, that city's STR parking rules apply.
Rutherford County does not set a guest-occupancy cap for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. The Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act (T.C.A. §13-7-602 et seq.) limits county authority and grandfathers pre-2018 operators. Practical limits come from septic capacity, building/fire code, and HOA rules. Inside Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or La Vergne, the city's STR rules apply.
1 cities in Rutherford County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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