Yellowstone County has no host-presence requirement for short-term rentals. The City of Billings does not require the owner on-site but does require a designated local contact person — not a corporation — who can respond to complaints or issues at the property.
Unincorporated Yellowstone County sets no rule requiring an owner or manager to be present during an STR stay. The City of Billings likewise does not mandate on-site host presence, but it requires each STR permit to name a local contact person who can respond to complaints or issues involving the property. Critically, that local contact cannot be a corporation — it must be an actual person reachable to handle problems. This substitutes for a host-presence rule by ensuring someone accountable is available. For a Billings tourist home (whole-home rental), the owner may be off-site as long as the responsive local contact is designated. Rural county rentals have no such requirement because no STR ordinance applies.
In Billings, failing to maintain a valid responsive local contact can result in permit revocation and code-enforcement penalties. No county penalty applies in unincorporated areas.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Billings, MT
Montana preempts local minimum wage ordinances under MCA section 39-3-409. The state minimum is CPI-adjusted to roughly $10.55 per hour. Billings cannot enac...
Billings, MT
Billings has no hotel worker retention ordinance requiring new owners to retain existing staff. Montana is a right-to-work and at-will employment state with ...
Billings, MT
Billings hotel guests pay roughly 11 percent in Montana lodging taxes: 7 percent lodging facility tax plus 4 percent sales-on-lodging tax. Montana has no gen...
Billings, MT
Public urination and defecation are misdemeanors in Billings under BMC Chapter 25 disorderly conduct and Montana state indecent exposure laws. Downtown bar d...
Billings, MT
Billings cites residents for hosting loud parties under disorderly conduct provisions in BMC Chapter 25 and quiet-hours noise rules in BMC Chapter 17. Repeat...
Billings, MT
Billings prohibits aggressive panhandling near ATMs, bus stops, and outdoor dining under BMC Chapter 25. Passive sign-holding remains protected speech, but c...
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