Chicago does not require the host to remain onsite during a Shared Housing rental, but the dwelling must be the host's primary residence registered under MCC 4-14, and only one such unit per host is permitted citywide.
Under MCC 4-13 and 4-14, Chicago licenses two short-term rental categories: Shared Housing Units (registered through a licensed Shared Housing Unit Operator or directly) and Vacation Rentals. For Shared Housing, the host's primary residence is the only eligible dwelling, and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection issues a registration number that must appear on every listing. The host need not sleep onsite, allowing whole-home stays during travel, but absentee or investor-owned units are prohibited. The 90 day per year limit applies for unhosted whole-home stays unless the host obtains the higher-tier Vacation Rental license.
Operating without registration, listing a non-primary unit, or running a second unit triggers MCC 4-14 fines from $1,500 to $3,000 per offense per day, listing removal, and platform penalties under host-platform liability rules.
Chicago, IL
Chicago's Vacation Rental and Shared Housing Ordinance MCC 4-14 limits most short-term rental hosts to their primary residence. Non-primary listings require ...
Chicago, IL
Chicago Shared Housing Ordinance requires registration for STR (stays <32 days). Primary residence required (245 days/year). Registration $125; Shared Housin...
See how Chicago's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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