Little Rock allows both host-present room rentals and whole-home short-term rentals under Chapter 36 §36-265, but the two categories carry different review thresholds and impose distinct disclosure obligations on operators.
Host-present STRs, where the operator remains on-site during guest stays, face minimal zoning scrutiny because they resemble traditional boarding arrangements. Whole-home rentals, by contrast, require zoning compatibility findings and may be subject to neighborhood concentration caps. Hosts must select the correct category at registration and disclose host presence on the listing. Switching between categories requires an amended registration. Arkansas law does not preempt this distinction, so Little Rock retains discretion to regulate the two formats differently within its Chapter 36 framework.
Operating whole-home under a host-present registration is a misrepresentation triggering revocation, fines, and reclassification by Planning & Development with potential lodging tax recapture.
See how Little Rock's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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