Johnson County, IA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Host-presence rule
- Owner must reside on property
- Applies to
- ADUs used as short-term rentals
- Permit term
- 2 years, renewable via Zoning Administrator
- Leasing format
- Entire unit only, no room-by-room rental
- Enforcement
- Permit denial or revocation for mismanagement
Summary
Johnson County allows an auxiliary dwelling unit to be rented as a short-term rental only if the property's legal owner lives on site. UDO Section 8:1.24(E)(5) ties that host-presence condition directly to any ADU used as a short-term rental, layered on top of the general short-term rental permit process in Section 8:1.24(CC).
5. Auxiliary dwelling units may be utilized as Short Term Rentals as allowed by this ordinance. Where an auxiliary dwelling unit is utilized as a Short Term Rental, the legal owner of the property shall reside on the property. ... CC. Short-Term Rentals. Short-term rental of single-family dwellings, Auxiliary Dwelling Unit, seasonal homes, cabins, and individual dwelling units in multiple-family dwellings is an accessory use in the A, AR, SF, RS, RM, RC, and AG-T districts and are subject to Zoning Administrator approval and the following conditions.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
24(E)(5) states that auxiliary dwelling units may be utilized as Short Term Rentals as allowed by the ordinance, but adds a condition found nowhere else in the short-term rental rules: where an auxiliary dwelling unit is utilized as a Short Term Rental, the legal owner of the property shall reside on the property. 24(CC), which covers single-family homes, seasonal homes, cabins, and multi-family units generally without a comparable owner-occupancy condition. 27, valid for two years before renewal, and the Administrator can attach special conditions to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
25, and comply with Building Code and Johnson County Public Health requirements. 24(CC)(6) also requires the rental to be managed so it does not become a nuisance or threaten property values, warning that improper management can result in permit denial or revocation. A property owner who has already secured a Board of Adjustment conditional use permit to operate a Country Inn or Bed and Breakfast Home does not need a separate short-term rental permit for the same use.
Violations & Fines
Renting out an ADU as a short-term rental while the owner does not reside on the property violates Section 8:1.24(E)(5) and can result in permit denial or revocation under Section 8:1.24(CC)(6), in addition to County Infraction penalties under Section 8:8.3 of up to $750 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for a repeat violation, since operating outside the permitted conditions is itself a violation of the ordinance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to live on my property to rent out my ADU short-term?
How long does a Johnson County short-term rental permit last?
Can the county revoke a short-term rental permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Johnson County
Compare Johnson County to another location·View the Iowa short-term rentals overview
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