Auburn, AL Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual cap
- 240 days/calendar year
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 408.02.D.6.a
- Use category
- Short-Term Non-Primary Rental
- Certificate term
- Jan 1 to Dec 31
- Revocation trigger
- 2+ substantiated complaints/year
Summary
Auburn limits any whole-unit short-term rental that isn't the owner's residence to 240 days of operation per calendar year. Section 408.02.D.6.a of the Zoning Ordinance calls this use a "Short-Term Non-Primary Rental" and caps it at that annual total, separate from the owner-occupied homestay rules.
A short-term non-primary rental shall be limited in operation to 240 days each calendar year.
Full Breakdown
Auburn's Zoning Ordinance splits home-sharing into two categories, and the "Short-Term Non-Primary Rental" defined in Section 203 is the one for a dwelling that is not anyone's permanent residence and is leased in its entirety to one party for stretches under 30 consecutive days. a caps that use at 240 days of operation each calendar year, a hard annual ceiling that applies whether or not the property changes guests every week. b, so the 240-day count resets annually rather than rolling. d. c, and a revoked owner cannot get a new certificate for the rest of that year or the entire next one.
02's special development standards rather than the home occupation article, it is enforced through the standard zoning violation penalty in Section 909: up to a $500 fine, six months in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Operating a short-term non-primary rental beyond the 240 days allowed in Section 408.02.D.6.a is a zoning violation, punishable under Section 909 by a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day counted separately. Two or more substantiated complaints in a calendar year can also trigger certificate revocation under Section 408.02.D.6.c, locking the owner out of a new certificate for the rest of that year and all of the next.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days a year can I rent my Auburn property short term if I don't live there?
Does the 240-day cap reset every year?
Is the 240-day non-primary rental cap the same rule as the homestay limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
Compare Auburn to another location·View the Alabama short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.