10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Sedgwick County, Kansas.
Verified from official government sources
Since a January 2026 Unified Zoning Code amendment, short-term rentals are allowed in unincorporated Sedgwick County with an administrative permit that must be renewed every five years. Inside Wichita and other cities, STR permitting is municipal, not county.
Sedgwick County has no STR-specific noise cap; guests must obey the county's general noise/nuisance ordinance in unincorporated areas, and the applicable city noise ordinance inside Wichita and other cities. Hosts are responsible for guest conduct under their permit or license.
Sedgwick County levies a 5.00% transient guest tax on lodging (effective July 1, 1985). Stays inside Wichita instead pay the city's 6.00% transient guest tax (effective July 1, 1990). These room taxes apply to short-term-rental stays plus state and local sales tax.
KDOR Transient Guest Tax Rate Schedule (Sedgwick County & Wichita)
SEDGWICK CO. 5.00% 07/01/1985 ... WICHITA 6.00% 07/01/1990
Sedgwick County publishes no separate short-term-rental parking cap; STR parking follows the Unified Zoning Code's off-street parking standards for the dwelling and any permit conditions. Cities such as Wichita may add their own STR parking requirements through licensing.
Under the January 2026 Unified Zoning Code amendment, short-term rentals in unincorporated Sedgwick County are limited to 20 adults per rental. Cities such as Wichita set their own occupancy standards through building and licensing codes.
Sedgwick County's ordinances do not publish a specific STR liability-insurance amount; owners should carry appropriate short-term-rental or commercial liability coverage. Marketplace host protection is not a substitute. Confirm any insurance condition on your county administrative permit or Wichita license.
Sedgwick County sets no annual cap on the number of nights an STR may be rented; it regulates through the administrative permit (renewed every five years) rather than a night limit. A stay qualifies as short-term when it is 28 days or fewer. Cities may set their own terms.
Unincorporated Sedgwick County registers STRs through the MAPD administrative permit process under the Unified Zoning Code. Inside Wichita, owners must obtain an annual city STR license per Wichita City Code Ch. 3.40. Register with whichever jurisdiction your property sits in.
Sedgwick County does not require the host to be physically present during stays, but the January 2026 Unified Zoning Code amendment requires the owner to live within 30 miles of the unincorporated-county rental. Wichita treats owner-occupied units more favorably than absentee ones.
Unincorporated Sedgwick County does not require the STR to be your primary residence, but the January 2026 Unified Zoning Code amendment requires the owner to live within 30 miles of the rental in the county. Wichita distinguishes owner-occupied (by right) from non-owner-occupied units.
1 cities in Sedgwick 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 Sedgwick County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Sedgwick County Ordinance Hub →