Fishers does not mandate that a host be physically present during a stay, but it uses owner-occupancy as the threshold for easier approval: an owner-occupied STR is a permitted use, while a non-owner-occupied (unhosted-investor) STR needs a Special Exception under UDO 5.4.6.
Fishers' UDO Section 5.4.6 does not impose a literal 'host must be on-site during every booking' rule. Instead, like Indiana Code 36-1-24, it distinguishes owner-occupied short-term rentals — where the property is the owner's primary residence — from non-owner-occupied ones. An owner-occupied STR is a permitted residential use without a permit (IC 36-1-24-8); a non-owner-occupied STR requires a Special Exception (IC 36-1-24-9(b)). The practical effect is that fully unhosted, investor-operated STRs are allowed only after Special Exception approval, while a host who lives at the property operates by right. Indiana law does not let a city flatly require host presence as a precondition for all STRs — IC 36-1-24-9(b) bars interpreting zoning rules in a way that prohibits or unreasonably restricts STRs. Hosts who will not be on-site should designate a responsive local contact, since noise/nuisance enforcement (and the three-citations-per-year revocation trigger in UDO 5.4.6) applies regardless of presence. Confirm current conditions with Fishers Planning & Zoning given 2026 state-law changes.
There is no penalty for host absence itself, but a non-owner-occupied STR operating without its required Special Exception is a zoning violation, and disruptive guest conduct is citable under general nuisance rules. Three or more citations in a calendar year can support revocation under UDO 5.4.6.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Fishers has no ordinance prohibiting backyard composting. Indiana exempts an individual composting vegetative matter on their own property from IDEM composti...
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Fishers has no ordinance banning artificial turf, but its UDO will not credit it toward required landscaping: § 6.7.3.G states 'dead, diseased or artificial ...
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Fishers actively encourages native planting: its UDO landscaping standards (§ 6.7.1) aim to 'encourage native planting that protect biodiversity,' draw plant...
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Fishers has no ordinance restricting residential rainwater harvesting, and Indiana places no statewide limit on collecting rainwater for non-potable use. Non...
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Fishers Code Chapter 52 lets the Mayor declare a water warning or water emergency for the Citizens Water / Indiana American system. Under § 52.05, restrictio...
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Fishers Code §§ 95.20-95.25 require owners to cut weeds and rank vegetation over eight inches tall, plus any noxious plants listed in IC 15-16-7-2. The Depar...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Hamilton County.
See how Fishers's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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