Cook County Ordinance 19-5236 regulates short-term rentals in unincorporated areas through registration, taxation, and operator standards but does not require the host to live on-site or be present during stays, unlike Chicago's stricter Shared Housing rules.
Cook County's Ordinance 19-5236 created a STR registration program through the Department of Revenue covering rentals of 30 days or fewer in unincorporated Cook. Operators must register the unit, designate a 24-hour local responsible party reachable within one hour, post emergency contacts inside the unit, and remit the Cook County Hotel Accommodations Tax on each booking. The ordinance does not impose a host-presence or owner-occupancy requirement, so non-owner operators and remote investors may register a unit so long as the local responsible party can answer complaints. Chicago, by contrast, distinguishes Shared Housing Units from Vacation Rentals and treats unhosted rentals more strictly under MCC Chapter 4-13.
Failing to register, missing the local responsible-party requirement, ignoring complaints, or failing to remit the Hotel Accommodations Tax triggers fines up to $1,000 per day, registration revocation, and platform removal under Cook County Department of Revenue enforcement.
See how Arlington Heights's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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