Bethlehem, PA Short-Term Rentals: Extended Home Share (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum stay
- 7 consecutive days
- Annual cap on entire-unit rental
- 30 days per calendar year
- Eligible property
- owner's primary residence only
- License period
- January 1 to December 31
- Owner presence required
- no, unlike bedroom rentals
Summary
Bethlehem allows an owner to rent out their entire primary residence to transient visitors, but only as a licensed Short Term Lodging Facility, only for stays of at least 7 consecutive days, and only up to 30 days total per calendar year.
B. Entire residential unit accommodation. An owner may rent his/her/their primary residence to transient visitors for a minimum period of 7 consecutive days, not to exceed 30 consecutive or nonconsecutive calendar days per year (each year shall be January 1st through December 31st). Under this type of arrangement, the owner may, but is not required to, remain on the premises during the stay of the transient guests.
Full Breakdown
03. B, is the "entire residential unit accommodation": an owner may rent his, her or their primary residence to transient visitors for a minimum period of 7 consecutive days, and the total, whether consecutive or spread across nonconsecutive stretches, cannot exceed 30 days in a calendar year running January 1 through December 31. A, the owner is not required to remain on the premises during an entire-unit stay. A. D locks the property into whichever of the two rental types it registers for the entire license year: an owner cannot switch between bedroom-only and entire-unit rental mid-license without obtaining a brand-new license and paying a new fee.
Violations & Fines
Renting an entire unit beyond the 30-day annual cap, or mixing accommodation types within one license period in violation of 1741.05.D, is grounds for a formal warning, suspension, revocation or non-renewal of the Short Term Lodging License under 1741.06, plus the criminal penalties in 1741.99 of $200 to $1,000 depending on how many prior violations the owner has.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Bethlehem homeowner rent out their whole house short-term?
Does the owner have to be present during an entire-home rental?
Can an owner mix bedroom rentals and whole-house rentals on the same license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bethlehem
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