Indianapolis cannot require hosts to live on site at a short-term rental because Indiana law expressly preempts owner-occupancy mandates. Both hosted and unhosted rentals are allowed citywide subject to registration.
Indiana Code 36-1-24-8 specifically prohibits local rules that require an STR to be the operator's primary residence or that limit STR use to days the owner is present. Indianapolis registration treats hosted and unhosted rentals identically. The city distinguishes two operational types only for record-keeping. Hosts should still post house rules, manage trash, and handle guest issues quickly because nuisance enforcement applies regardless of whether the host lives on the property. Some neighborhood associations maintain private covenants that may impose presence rules privately.
There are no city penalties tied to host absence. Nuisance, noise, and trash violations are enforced normally and can lead to STR registration revocation after repeated substantiated complaints.
See how Indianapolis's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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