Hillsboro, OR Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing provision
- CDC § 12.40.230(C)(2)
- Where host may live
- Main dwelling or separate dwelling, same lot
- Applies to
- Partial-dwelling STRs only
- Rental cap
- One rental transaction at a time
- Enforcement
- Business license revocable for cause
Summary
Hosts of a partial-dwelling short-term rental in Hillsboro must live on the same property as the rental itself. Community Development Code § 12.40.230(C)(2) requires the owner to 'reside on the same property as the partial-dwelling STR, either in the main dwelling or in a separate dwelling on the same property,' distinguishing the arrangement from an absentee full-dwelling rental governed by Subsection D.
C.Standards for Partial-dwelling STRs.1.The dwelling used for a partial-dwelling STR must be the primary residence of the property owner. Primary residence is defined as the owner's permanent residence of record as substantiated by official documents such as tax forms.2.The owner of the partial-dwelling STR must reside on the same property as the partial-dwelling STR, either in the main dwelling or in a separate dwelling on the same property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 1 | Community Development Code: Supplement 1).
Full Breakdown
1's primary-residence requirement: the owner must not only claim the property as a permanent residence of record, but must actually live somewhere on that same lot, whether that means the main house, a secondary dwelling, or an ADU, while guests occupy the rented portion. 3, both standards that reinforce the on-site host model rather than a whole-property rental business. 1. 230. 126(I): if the owner-host moves off the property, the permit becomes invalid and cannot transfer automatically to a new, non-resident owner.
Violations & Fines
An owner who rents out space in a dwelling but does not actually reside on the property is operating in violation of Section 12.40.230(C)(2), separate from any primary-residence documentation issue under C.1. The City Council may revoke the STR's business license for cause under Section 12.80.126(J) and Municipal Code Subchapter 5.04 for this kind of Code violation, and a revoked permit triggers a mandatory reapplication waiting period before the property can seek a new STR permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to physically live on site to run a partial-dwelling STR in Hillsboro?
Can I live in an ADU and rent the main house as an STR?
What is the difference between the host-presence rule and the primary-residence rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hillsboro
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