Cleveland, OH Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Cleveland regulates short-term rentals under Codified Ordinances of Cleveland (CCO) Chapter 677A, enacted to address growing Airbnb and VRBO activity around downtown, University Circle, Ohio City, and Tremont. Operators applying for an STR registration certificate must submit proof of general liability insurance naming the property, with minimum coverage typically set at 300,000 dollars per occurrence, though hosts should confirm current limits at the Department of Building and Housing when applying. Standard homeowners insurance often excludes rental activity exceeding 14 nights per year, so most Cleveland hosts need either a commercial landlord policy or a specialty STR endorsement such as Proper Insurance, Slice, or a rider added to their existing ISO HO-3 form. Airbnb AirCover and VRBO Liability Insurance provide secondary coverage up to 1 million dollars per booking but do not satisfy the citys primary insurance verification at registration. Failure to maintain continuous coverage is grounds for certificate revocation under CCO 677A.08. Cleveland winter conditions, including ice dams, frozen pipe bursts, and snow-related slip-and-fall liability, make adequate property coverage particularly important for Lake Erie shoreline and Old Brooklyn rental properties. Hosts operating through an LLC should ensure the policy names the LLC as the insured rather than the individual owner.